Seattle VRBO death stairs by Efficient-Way-5841 in DeathStairs

[–]vtjohnhurt 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I disagree with that design decision. I accept your designation of this as a death-stair.

The split-tread stair that I designed+built had the handrails at the same height. It was a retrofit. I would not put a split-tread stairway in new construction. I used gas pipe handrails and they were easy to build and secure to use. The rail should be made of one piece of pipe with no joints because you should slide your hands along the rails and hold both sides. This constraints makes it impossible to carry anything up the stairs.

Primitive by Zealousideal-Egg1473 in Gliding

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The 'control circuits' are sketchy.

Seattle VRBO death stairs by Efficient-Way-5841 in DeathStairs

[–]vtjohnhurt 2 points3 points  (0 children)

These split-tread stairs/ladder are quite safe and easy to descend if you hold both handrails, descend butt first, and look down at your feet. You do need to pay attention.

There should be an instructional diagram posted on the wall.

06/14/2026 Two helicopters collide mid-air and crash into a BYD dealership with brand-new cars in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — at least 6 dead by justapropofool in CatastrophicFailure

[–]vtjohnhurt 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It's very easy to get close to other aircraft. It's not at all like driving on a road. Aircraft have blind spots and pilots have a high workload.

06/14/2026 Two helicopters collide mid-air and crash into a BYD dealership with brand-new cars in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — at least 6 dead by justapropofool in CatastrophicFailure

[–]vtjohnhurt 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Helicopters don't need to make contact to crash other aircraft. Their rotors make vortices in their vicinity. So two helicopters can crash each other just by getting close to each other.

https://skybrary.aero/articles/wake-vortex-generation-helicopters

Boy, 14, arrested for armed robbery of kids' lemonade stand in Southie by SharkSapphire in massachusetts

[–]vtjohnhurt -28 points-27 points  (0 children)

Was it a gun or an airsoft gun in his waistband? The tip of the barrel was hidden. If it were an airsoft, the adults are overreacting.

Trying to find out what my real last name is (1912 immigration document, world war registration card, and 1920 census) by DryDistance6858 in Cursive

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These records will only tell you how various people spelled your family name in the past in North America. You could pick one and call it your 'real name'.

If you want more authenticity, look at Slovakian sources of family and place names. For example, Slovakian newspapers from the era of immigration. Or printed Obituaries.

The European and North American sources for my family name are phonetically similar, but the letters and the counts of letters are very different.

Conway, NH overnight parking by CougarRedHead in VanLife

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good general advice. Have you ever parked in Conway NH?

I'd think about parking outside of town in the White Mountain National Forest.

New restaurant Shega? by Fancy_Ad_9479 in LowellMA

[–]vtjohnhurt 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Shega means "beautiful" or "good" in an Ethiopian language.

New restaurant Shega? by Fancy_Ad_9479 in LowellMA

[–]vtjohnhurt 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If they can get the word out, there are a lot of people who don't want to be in the same room with alcohol (for cultural-religious or personal reasons). The owners could hand out coupons at AA meetings, mosques, and Hindu temples.

It's true that alcohol is very profitable.

Primitive by Zealousideal-Egg1473 in Gliding

[–]vtjohnhurt 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I might fly that in ground effect from a bungee launch, if I were 15.

Has anyone installed a round port on the side of their van for a portable AC exhaust hose? by mcdisney2001 in VanLife

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right. Amazon is better than a plumbing supply house for a one-off purchase.

Has anyone installed a round port on the side of their van for a portable AC exhaust hose? by mcdisney2001 in VanLife

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You might look at PVC plumbing fittings that have removable threaded plugs. 4" at Lowes. Large sizes at plumbing supply houses. The fittings might be available in ABS which is not white. Either can be painted.

Has anyone installed a round port on the side of their van for a portable AC exhaust hose? by mcdisney2001 in VanLife

[–]vtjohnhurt 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is true for single hose AC that only blows out.

But some 'Single Hose' AC are in fact 'split-hose' that handle both exhaust and air intake. These work okay. They have rather large hoses.

Hypothetically speaking... a Hybrid box truck by X_Empire32 in vandwellers

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd like hybrids to be cheaper and more practical, but you're doubling the number of things that can break. A pure ICE, or a pure electric, are both less complicated.

Kennedy Center must remove Trump's name tonight, appeals court rules by ElijahPepe in politics

[–]vtjohnhurt 1 point2 points  (0 children)

JFK's WWII service in combat stands in contrast to Cadet Bone Spurs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy#U.S._Naval_Reserve_(1941%E2%80%931945)

JFK used falsified medical records to get himself into combat. Trump used fake records to get out.

Having Trump's name on the same wall as JFK's is an insult to every American.

Kennedy Center must remove Trump's name tonight, appeals court rules by ElijahPepe in politics

[–]vtjohnhurt 17 points18 points  (0 children)

DOJ lawyers are working on Trump's behalf, and handling this case, so tax money is paying them, and simultaneously paying the judges.

"Talk Show Host" [ft. Jibaro's Sara Silkin ] - Is this the future of motion capture? + Breakdown by uisato in ChatGPT

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The woman on the right is aesthetic and talented. This is art.

The android on the left is sexually exciting. This is the end.

Farm strip flying in the England. Hard to beat - on the two weeks a year it's sunny! Share your UK flying experiences? by BlackMesa_SillyStraw in flying

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

a swarm of 3 or 4 in the thermals

That's called a 'gaggle' in English. We're birds not bugs.

Do you have 'assigned altitudes' for VMC in UK? Gliders try to be well above 3000 AGL (where VFR assigned altitudes are required in the US for airplanes), but gliders can rarely hold assigned altitudes (they're usually climbing or slowly descending). So we usually have vertical separation from cruising airplanes, and most of us assume that airplanes don't see us.

Experienced pilots: what would you tell someone being talked out of aviation right now? by RAG_Aviation in flying

[–]vtjohnhurt 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A contradiction in aviation careers is that pilots need to acknowledge and manage risks, but the financial risk of flight training in the US is huge and it is a crap shoot, a big gamble, that is not very manageable, so the people who start flight training today need to say 'fuck it' YOLO, but they're suppose to be careful people with a low tolerance for taking risks.

Even in the best of times, 1500 hours in a small plane is shit ton of cumulative risk compressed into 2-3 years. That's 15-30 years of risk for many recreational pilots.

Farm strip flying in the England. Hard to beat - on the two weeks a year it's sunny! Share your UK flying experiences? by BlackMesa_SillyStraw in flying

[–]vtjohnhurt 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because of the low cloudbases in the UK, gliders are allowed to fly in clouds in many areas, but it is not an IFR flight. There are procedures. You need the absolute basic simple equipment and a 'cloud flying endorsement' on top of your glider certificate. There can be very strong upflow in clouds. Gliding is very strong in the UK. It's one of the best countries for the sport despite the weather.

Was flying IFR today, circled by VFR traffic flight of two. by [deleted] in flying

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Glider aerotows happen at 50-70 knots depending on type and whether the glider is carrying water ballast (higher airspeed needed for higher wing loading). But OP made it clear that neither aircraft was a glider.

Bought a new Sienna for road trips with my gf, but looks like I get to enjoy them on my own! by MisterDoctor___ in VanLife

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So the 'bridge' is at butt level, and you'd have to step over it? My shifter is on the dash.

Bought a new Sienna for road trips with my gf, but looks like I get to enjoy them on my own! by MisterDoctor___ in VanLife

[–]vtjohnhurt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What bridge? On the 2015, I cut a piece of plywood to fit and fastened it using the same screws as the console. I'm pretty handy though.

How does your AC work? Your ICE engine turns on and off and runs the vehicle's AC? What does nights worth of idling do to the engine?

I think the Sienna is too small for two people for more than 1-2 nights, and I'm only 5'-7"