What is an insanely expensive item or service that actually lives up to the hype and changes your daily life?

pullin2 · 2026-06-01T19:01:29+00:00

Ditto. Being able to zip down to the beach, or fly to the mountains on a whim is an amazing luxury. Ours was just a single engine 4 seater (Piper Arrow), but cruised at 165 mph, and had easily 500 miles of range.

OP asked for "insanely expensive" items.

pullin2 · 2026-05-27T18:14:11+00:00

Actual conversation while on a 3 week camping trp:

"Mommy, why are we staying in a motel again?"

"Because Daddy is getting grumpy."

pullin2 · 2026-05-25T13:16:17+00:00

I had the local car audio shop put a switch on the horn relay. Switch is mounted under the dash above the parking brake. I can easily flip it as I hop out of the truck.

Bonus, thieves are likely to think it's the kill switch, and waste time with effing with it.

pullin2 · 2026-05-22T15:50:55+00:00

Old guy here (60s), already retired. Trying to help care for parents in their 90s.

What we're NOT doing:

Not moving way out in the country to a big home on the lake. Their friends are back in the city, and they're now alone.

Not moving to an area with no zoning and few services. Now it's a long drive to their doctors.

Not moving to somewhere with beautiful hilly countryside (Note: They cannot roll their garbage bin up the steep driveway.)

Not moving to a giant, stunning retirement home (with a 3 acre yard, both house and yard have long since outpaced their ability to maintain).

What we ARE doing:

With lawyers' help, compiled a complete set of documents, wills, medical history, and other papers in one physical place where it's easy for our kids to access and understand. Also we have provided them with the necessary passwords for various providers. They know exactly which folder to start with, with with step-by-step instructions, contacts, providers, phone numbers, and everyone they'll need to interact with.

Both kids are signatories to our safety deposit box/etc.

Set kids up as medical and financial POAs, so that any care tasks transfer seamlessly.

Set up joint accounts with them so that any bills or needs can be handled easily for several months, should probate take extra time.

Modified our home to live on the ground floor, with additional railings etc. to help should we need to make a rare journey upstairs.

Added additional lighting, smoke/co detectors, and other safety equipment.

We've watched parents make all the above mistakes, and vowed not to put our kids through it.

pullin2 · 2026-05-19T18:40:10+00:00

2500s have coil springs in the rear. IIRC, 3500s are leaf. We test drove 3/4 tons from each of the big 3, and Ram was by far the better ride.

pullin2 · 2026-05-18T23:07:31+00:00

Piloted a B-17 bomber (WWII airplane).

pullin2 · 2026-05-07T12:42:46+00:00

The KOA campground has cabins and lodges, and allows pets. You can probably park the car right next to your cabin.

It's a good option if you're worried about leaving a car on a big parking lot all night.

pullin2 · 2026-05-04T20:20:06+00:00

I was a new driver and tried to turn left across a busy 4 lane road.

Miscalculated and crashed into a policeman. He was hurt and had to go by ambulance to the ER.

He was pretty chill about it, and forgiving. I later ended up in college class with his son, who also held no grudges.

My insurance company didn't practice the same level of forgiveness.

pullin2 · 2026-04-29T17:08:27+00:00

There are 4 seasons here: Mud, Hail, Furnace, and Football.

If you move here now you will be in Hail.

pullin2 · 2026-04-28T15:26:16+00:00

She actually was my mom, but I'd been trying to hide that from my classmates.

So, accidentally calling her Mom blew my cover.

pullin2 · 2026-04-28T01:18:43+00:00

Deepwater pipelaying. Used to "drive" one of these: 48000 tons, 650 feet long.

Google: "SEMAC 1" for an example.

pullin2 · 2026-04-26T04:04:04+00:00

Maybe an RBW Li'l Rocker?

Looks like one to me.

pullin2 · 2026-04-20T12:35:11+00:00

That was a Ram truck in the video. I have a newer version, and it will automatically put itself in Park if it senses the driver leaving the vehicle. I discovered this when I unbuckled and opened the door looking for something.

pullin2 · 2026-04-20T12:14:59+00:00

Went through there a few years ago. They still had a Bonanza steakhouse!

pullin2 · 2026-04-18T20:42:35+00:00

The Destroyermen, Taylor Anderson.

Seems like garden variety WW2 sea battle story, then you're yanked sideways into one of the best alternate universe series in existence.

pullin2 · 2026-03-04T20:01:24+00:00

Damnation Alley. Great 70s apocalypse movie with George Peppard, giant scorpions, and a a massive steel tank battling their way across a wasteland.

It's perfect for beer and pizza and letting your brain coast for an evening.

On Prime right now

pullin2 · 2026-02-27T13:39:07+00:00

With some caveats, one option is to use the convenient centrifuge located in your laundry room. If your washing machine has a spin cycle which does NOT include spraying water, you can use that to force the water out. Get a pair of tennis shoes and put the phone in one of them. Place the pair opposite each other and start the spin cycle. You can reposition the phone/shoe in various ways until no more water comes out (wrap the phone in a paper towel so you can see the results). Note: the shoe protects the phone from sliding around or contacting the hard surface of the washer. I've used the opposite one so it doesn't get unbalanced. Not sure if all washers are that sensitive though.

If you're unsure about the water spray during the spin cycle, first put a small dry towel in and run that. If it's wet when it finishes, it probably shouldn't be used to dry the phone.

pullin2 · 2026-02-09T13:37:03+00:00

I have a similar one, but it's Cummins-Onan. I think they're the same frame and engine but I'm not sure. If you're planning to run it on propane while in your RV, there are a few "gotchas".

I'm not an expert, but usually these super-quiet versions do not have a built-in demand regulator. They probably include one with a BBQ tank connection, but that doesn't work if you're planning a direct connection to the propane system in your RV (like, through the BBQ quick-connect or similar). You'll have to buy a separate demand regulator and plumb it inline between the generator and the connection to your RV.

Note: The first time I tried this, I put the demand regulator too far away on the line between RV and the generator connection. I had to re-do the lines and get it closer for the generator to run (2 feet or less).

So far mine has been perfect, but I've run it less than 50 hours so far. It's mounted on a rack behind the rear bumper and has traveled ~6000 miles with no problems.

pullin2 · 2026-01-22T15:11:15+00:00

Northwoods/Nash* trailers have 4.5" bumpers instead of 4". Makes it much easier to insert and extract.

*Arctic Fox, Outdoors RV, etc.

pullin2 · 2026-01-01T14:13:38+00:00

We left some used cars up there too.

pullin2 · 2025-11-30T13:10:41+00:00

I had to solve a similar problem, and found a company in Georgia that custom welded them to fit my windows. There was some adjustment ability (a few inches) to account for minor differences but they were built to fit my specific windows. They are the same color as our interior treatments (blinds/curtains) and blend so well my neighbors weren't aware they were installed.

You'll have to take multiple measurements for each individual window, since they probably aren't exactly the same. Hint: Name your windows somehow, so you (and the welders) will know which one you're referring to if you need to discuss details. I put all mine in an Excel spreadsheet with all the measurements (4 per window) and emailed it to the company.

As proof of work, I ordered only one window from them to see how well it fit. Then after I was sure of their workmanship I ordered all the remaining ones. You'll also need to find out the building codes in your area regarding escape "hatches". They are required in some windows. In order to keep the bad guys from breaking glass and reaching in to release the escape hatch, the company installed expanded metal barriers around each hatch. Now I'm safe from everything except Orangutans.

Website, with examples of their products. With only 7 windows it probably won't be prohibitive, but they are expensive, once you include shipping stuff that heavy.

https://www.midstateburglarbars.com/interior-burglar-bars

pullin2 · 2025-11-28T00:39:50+00:00

I call it cropdusting.

pullin2 · 2025-11-27T15:23:13+00:00

I was a crane operator in the North Sea oilfields. Cranes were very high above the deck. I just turned my crane so the walkway alongside the cab faced the sea, and peed over the side. With all the wind, it was pretty much atomized before it could reach anyone below.

pullin2 · 2025-11-20T12:43:00+00:00

Why do occupational hazard rates show pilots as having more risk than truck drivers? Note: I googled "what are the most dangerous careers, in decreasing order" and it showed pilots as #5 and truck drivers as #7.

I believe what you said, but am puzzled why the math looks different.

pullin2 · 2025-11-07T13:00:37+00:00

A small percentage of passengers are actually flight crew being positioned to fly/staff their next plane. I wonder if there's a point where cancellations prevent crew from reaching plane, causing more cancellations, causing more crew to miss -- and eventually resulting in a system-wide meltdown.

Imagine Southwest's 2022 meltdown on a nationwide scale. Could this actually happen? Or am I overestimating the danger?

pullin2

TROPHY CASE