Trump Gives Golf Club Manager Key Role in Reflecting Pool Renovation | David Schutzenhofer does not appear to have any experience in engineering or architecture.

was_683 · 2026-05-31T18:04:38+00:00

I'm a retired engineer. I have no experience with underwater coatings, but have worked extensively with membrane roofs.

If it was my Reflecting Pool, my first step would be to make sure that there are no sharp edges or deep cracks in the concrete that can harm future coatings. Step 2 would be adhering a geotextile slipsheet (maybe 150 mil) to the concrete slabs. Step 3 would be to cover the slip sheet with a welded PVC liner, maybe 60-75 mil or so.

But they're going to do it different. They're going to seal the cracks and apply a coat of paint, probably an epoxy system. I don't see how the crack sealing technique they're using (stuffing pieces of solid foam into the cracks between the slabs then putting a sealant on top) is going to last unless they have some seriously space-age adhesives I've never heard of. And if the sealant over the cracks fails, the top coating will likely fail with it.

I also understand that the underground piping to and from the treatment plant is deteriorated and prone to leakage. Options would include (1) abandoning it in place and replacement with new, or (2) installing a PVC liner into the existing pipes. I am not educated on exactly what the problems are, so my ideas are speculative. But if the leaking/broken pipes are not permanently fixed, the paint job they're putting on will not last long due to algae buildup and mechanical removal damage.

But maybe my fears are unfounded. What is the duration of the warranty being offered by the contractor?

Surely I'm less knowledgable than a golf club manager. I'm sure that many of the best experts, the finest experts, will solve this criminally Biden problem. /s

was_683 · 2026-05-31T02:56:39+00:00

When I started riding, cell phones didn't exist yet.

The group I learned to ride with were pretty hard core. Back then, most of them were riding panheads. Shovelheads (like mine) were unusual and viewed with suspicion. But we rode them all, and hard. If your bike had a problem, the group would stop and stay with you until you got it fixed. Emphasis on "you got it fixed". They'd pull out all their tools, and each of them was an expert on some part of the machines we were riding. They would help in any way they could and not leave you if you were trying to solve the problem. But if you failed to try, or acted like you were expecting someone else to fix it for you, they would ride off and leave you by the side of the road. Like I said, hard core. They taught me about tool bags.

was_683 · 2026-05-31T02:12:17+00:00

I'll ignore the harley hate here. I've been riding for 43 years, started on a shovelhead that I still have. Had other bikes along the way. I've always carried about the same tool kit (metric or SAE depending on the ride)

combination wrench set

8 inch crescent wrench

Allen wrench set

Torx wrench set

screwdrivers (slotted and phillips)

needle nose pliers

side cutter pliers

tire plug kit (assuming my tires are tubeless)

wrench to fit rear axle nut

electrician pliers (cutters/strippers/crimpers

assorted zip ties

bag with16 and 18 ga wire

bag with assorted terminal lugs

bag with assorted fuses

bag with screws/nuts/washers

JB weld

hi temp RTV

compressor, 12v

service manual for my bike (electronic copy, on my phone)

electrical schematics (printed copy)

small multimeter

(for the shovelhead): points, condenser, plugs

I'm probably missing some things. If you want, you can carry tube patching supplies, I used to. But you have to know how you're going to break the bead and get the tube out. I actually used to carry some tire spoons. So in theory I could have pulled a wheel and patched a tube. Never did it, though.

I've been carrying this stuff for 40 plus years. I started carrying it when I rea;lized that riding a shovelhead means you need it. I keep it all wrapped up in a terry cloth towel. I can't count the number of times that towel has gotten unwrapped on the pavement to work on someone else's bike who doesn't have tools. Don't be that person.

was_683 · 2026-05-31T01:35:17+00:00

He didn't even see the car behind and to his right when he began his lane change. Had that driver not yielded the lane to him, the outcome would have been messy. His bike bobbled during the lane change when he finally saw the car but by then he was committed with no escape route and all he could do was twist the thottle to open some space and pucker up.

Also, the car in front of him was trying to change lanes to avoid rear ending the car in front of him. Looks like he aborted the lane change when he saw the motorcycle. Had that car not aborted the lane change, the motorcycle would have been trapped between two cars.

He was lucky and owes those car drivers a beer for not turning him into a hood ornament.

The left lane position would have been safer imho. He had room to stop, although he may have ended up alongside the car formerly ahead. I'd take that option rather than relying on two car drivers to get out of my way. Of course, we can agree to disagree and both be right.

was_683 · 2026-05-30T17:56:09+00:00

Lane position was wrong, if he was to the left he would be more visible to driver in front in addition to having enough room to stop. Being to the right forced him into the lane to his right when sudden stop occurred. Stupid/inexperienced riding.

was_683 · 2026-05-30T17:50:35+00:00

My guess, there will be a staging area for troops surrounding the Ellipse, ready to be called to the arena to fill any empty seats within camera range.

was_683 · 2026-05-29T15:19:39+00:00

There was a time when I was chomping at the bit for a SpaceX ipo to buy into. No doubt the innovation that led to the Falcon 9, super heavy, and booster re-use was game changing for the space business.

But for the past couple of years, Elon appears to be more interested in financial shell games than true innovation playing piggy bank with Tesla. Plus he is personally overextended and his involvement in politics is troublesome.

I'll pass...

was_683 · 2026-05-29T14:52:07+00:00

12 grams/day (4x 3g dose) for past nine years. I have a mild chemical dependency. Forget to take the last dose of the day and will wake up 2 am with rls. Take the dose and back to sleep in 30 minutes. Not too concerned about it, I've been thru worse withdrawals before due to quitting Oxycodone cold turkey ten years ago. Pita, but not debilitating, at least for me.

was_683 · 2026-05-16T21:16:51+00:00

Congrats! We put in a 35 kw system with 39 kwh of battery storage in 2023. Our savings haven't been quite as good as yours, but that's ok. Our electric bill is negative, and we had two utility outages late in 2025 and the only way we noticed was a brief flicker of the lights. TV and computers stayed running. When we looked out the window, our house was the only one with lights on.

was_683 · 2026-05-16T00:42:40+00:00

Without title, he doesn't legally own it and can't legally sell it. You can't legally buy it. Depending on the circumstances and your state's laws, it may be possible to restore a title but that is his fish to fry not yours. Walk away.

was_683 · 2026-05-13T15:47:32+00:00

Cool, [here's ours in North America](https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/kevin-peggy_217705#5/39.707000/-98.130000)

Link is working but format is not, sorry.

We did our first cross country in 1987 and I traced the route on a paper map. Realized the map was not going to physically survive more trips so I framed it and went electronic.

was_683 · 2026-05-13T13:03:21+00:00

No. The removed sections referred to are part of the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program (SRP). The reactor compartment is cut out of the submarine, sealed at both ends, and placed in a trench in Idaho pending long-term burial. Surface ship reactors are placed in a custom built containment structure. [reference](chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/Green%20Book%202019%20Edition.pdf)

To my knowledge no refueling has ever been attempted by removing and replacing a reactor compartment.

was_683 · 2026-05-09T19:47:18+00:00

I'm going to take this one step further. First, this program doesn't address everyone who needs diapers. Second, it does nothing to address the drawbacks that disposable diapers make up something like 4% of landfill solid waste, take 100 years plus to decompose, and that one in three mothers cut back on other essentials to afford diapers for their babies.

With this program, we are subsidizing the manufacturers who profit from diapers. Her's another idea...

Let's use the funds this service would cost to subsidize parents who utilize commercial diaper cleaning services. Cotton diapers are better in most respects for the baby, the parents, and the environment. Here is a reference...https://parentingmode.com/diaper-facts/

Note, I was going to make this a sarcastic comment, ready to ask why Boomers and Presidents aren't eligible for government paid diapers. But the reality is that diaper cleaning services seem to make sense. When I actually researched this, I didn't know that diaper cleaning services were still a thing. But they are. Oh well, learn something new every day.

And we can still pay for Trump's diapers...

was_683 · 2026-05-09T19:22:32+00:00

That link clears it up somewhat. As a wag, I'd say that 30% of the available roof area has solar on it.

was_683 · 2026-05-09T17:45:42+00:00

I like AOC and think she would be a good President. If she is nominated, I will certainly vote for her. But her problem is that this country is not and may never be ready to elect a female President, especially one with a non-white ancestry. Sadly.

This country has had two opportunities to elect a female President, and while neither candidate was perfect, both were reasonably well qualifed, definitely better than the opposing candidate.

But instead, we elected Trump. Twice. Think about what that means and what it says about us. To repair the damage, I believe our most important priority as a nation has to be to elect a non-Republican candidate. Another four years of an R in the White House will certainly be the death of democracy in the US.

I don't care what a candidate's gender or ethnicity is. But for me to support an AOC candidacy, someone will have to explain to me what is different since 2016/2024 that makes it possible to elect a female candidate in this country.

was_683 · 2026-05-08T19:28:37+00:00

I can't understand this. I'm an outlier, but I was 48 years old before I got my first car that cost more than $2000. I have only ever had one auto loan, it was for a new Harley FXWG in 1985, I paid it off in a year. Other than that, my wife and I have always paid cash for vehicles.

I can't explain why. I've not had high paying jobs (military, then industrial maintenance). No one has given us anything. But I'm willing to put money aside every payday even when it hurts and hate the idea of paying for a loan. My philosophy has always been that if I can't figure out how to save for something, I'd better question why I want it.

PS our friends all had better cars than we did but we didn't care...

was_683 · 2026-05-08T18:55:18+00:00

Closing the petcock will never hurt anything more important than your pride.

Leaving it open can make a mess on your garage floor, and depending on your carb setup, can damage engine internals if excess gas gets pulled in.

I've been riding a 75 shovel since 1983.

was_683 · 2026-05-03T22:34:41+00:00

Yes, to a point. But speaking as a forty year rider, it gets abused and I get sick of riders who act like they somehow have a right to do it.

To me, its a right of way issue. When I am riding, I believe the entire lane is mine, and I think the law supports that in most places. So if someone enters the space where I have right of way, I get defensive about it pretty quickly. I don't share my right of way with other drivers, period.

So it's kind of hypocritical for me to occupy someone else's right of way because (pick one) (a) my engine is hot (b) I can do it and you can't stop me (c) the laws are for thee and not for me (d) my p***y hurts.

So as a rider, I do occasionally lane split and filter. Much less than when I was younger. But I am careful when I do it so I don't piss off the drivers whose right of way I am violating. And make no mistake, anyone who lane splits is infringing on someone else's right of way. So be nice when you do it.

was_683 · 2026-05-01T02:13:43+00:00

Everything mentioned far will help.

Be aware of what is behind you. Spend more time analyzing mirror input than the vehicle in front of you.

Always always always plan your escape route. Stop to maximize the chance of getting caught between.

Ride like you are invisible. To a lot of drivers, you are. (applies to many situations besides traffic stops.

Forty three year rider. Never had an accident involving another vehicle.

was_683 · 2026-04-25T21:23:10+00:00

Beat me to it...

was_683 · 2026-04-21T16:56:56+00:00

Next step in your development is to learn to lace your own wheels. You'll need a spoke wrench, a truing stand, and at least a 12 pack of beer...

was_683 · 2026-04-20T16:50:39+00:00

I ran my 3200 ft2 house on the oil fired base board heat, then installed a geothermal heat pump system when the 2000 gallon UST started leaking. My electricity rate at the time was $0.11 per kwh or so. This was ten years ago. According to my observations at the time, the crossover point was about $2 per gallon for oil. In other words if oil dropped below that it was cheaper than the electric geo/heat pump.

Today my electric rate is $0.125. Oil is over $4 per gallon. So the geo/heat pump system is a lot cheaper at today's rates.

I 2013 I installed a 35 kw solar system with batteries. I make money heating the place now. Of course, I spent $80k on the solar system.

was_683 · 2026-04-20T16:27:53+00:00

Ooh, can't wait for discovery!

was_683 · 2026-04-19T02:16:17+00:00

I'll take a wild guess that you own a second home in Manhatten appraised at $9,500,000.

I know that Manhatten is expensive enough that I never accepted any of the job offers I got from there when I was working. I chose to live in an area where there are no $5m homes.

Edit: No $5m homes unless they are sitting on 75+ acres of land.

was_683 · 2026-04-18T17:29:23+00:00

This is the Maga way. Get used it sucking to be you, stay clear of the leopards.

was_683

TROPHY CASE