Cleanup in Aisle Lunatic (h/t romad1)

[Tigeraholic1]

41 minutes ago, romad1 said:

 

So,  depending on where you lived...this could be quite an accomplishment.   In the Detroit area where all the dads are auto engineers or mechanical professionals or in some other way very plugged into things with 4 wheels this was hard to win when your dad was a CPA.  So, then I moved to northern Virginia and all the dads in Chantilly, VA work at NRO and are rocket scientists and celestial mechanics.   Still a lot of fun.  I think we did 2nd and 3rd place a couple years in our pack.  Later on when my daughter's girl scout group (what is the unit name for GS?) had a pinewood derby i used my knowledge from the boy's time in scouts and her car won.   The secret:  mount the wheels carefully and keep all 4 wheels on the track and don't let anyone remove the wheels between leaving the house and race time.

I think its called a Girl Scout Troop

[romad1]

22 minutes ago, casimir said:

I remember you were allowed to add weight to the block of wood.  The balance of that and making sure that the wheels were such that the body of the car didn't drag on the track was critical.  I think.

Truth 

[Hongbit]

54 minutes ago, romad1 said:

 

So,  depending on where you lived...this could be quite an accomplishment.   In the Detroit area where all the dads are auto engineers or mechanical professionals or in some other way very plugged into things with 4 wheels this was hard to win when your dad was a CPA.  So, then I moved to northern Virginia and all the dads in Chantilly, VA work at NRO and are rocket scientists and celestial mechanics.   Still a lot of fun.  I think we did 2nd and 3rd place a couple years in our pack.  Later on when my daughter's girl scout group (what is the unit name for GS?) had a pinewood derby i used my knowledge from the boy's time in scouts and her car won.   The secret:  mount the wheels carefully and keep all 4 wheels on the track and don't let anyone remove the wheels between leaving the house and race time.

1000% this.  I remember my best friends car that had counter weights and a completely modified chassis.  We both started with the same kit but our finished cars looked totally different.  I remember he won the first local pinewood and we went to a regional meet and it was all Big 3 engineer kids.  

[pfife]

Idk when the weight rule changed... but my derby car  was pretty flat for aerodynamics and we glued a bunch of bbs to the bottom.   Graphite the shit out of the wheels.   I can still hear my dad telling me the weight is better toward the front.    2nd place. 

[ewsieg]

Graphite is like Cowbell, you can never have enough.

[mtutiger]

Of all the people to be lodging accusations of "engaging in theater"...

[casimir]

14 minutes ago, ewsieg said:

Graphite is like Cowbell, you can never have enough.

I thought this was one of the unwritten rules of pinewood derby.

[Deleterious]

I remember beating up the kids that made pinewood derby cars.  

[casimir]

2 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

I remember beating up the kids that made pinewood derby cars.  

I still have nightmares about Kool Aid.  Thanks.

[romad1]

24 minutes ago, ewsieg said:

Graphite is like Cowbell, you can never have enough.

 

9 minutes ago, casimir said:

I thought this was one of the unwritten rules of pinewood derby.

Important but having even 4 wheel contact and weight centered on rear axle up to the limit allowed is also huge.

[romad1]

7 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

I remember beating up the kids that made pinewood derby cars.  

and then being hunted by scout dads

[Tiger337]

My dad, the art professor, built my car.  It finished last, but it was the best looking car.  

[Motown Bombers]

I never even heard of Pinewood Derby Cars and everyone here had one. 

[pfife]

37 minutes ago, mtutiger said:

Of all the people to be lodging accusations of "engaging in theater"...

Here's ted LARPing at the border

[romad1]

21 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

My dad, the art professor, built my car.  It finished last, but it was the best looking car.  

we had a category for best car "theme."  The art professor dads nailed that one.   My best entry in that was recreating the scene from Jaws where Sheriff Brody is on top of the mast of the Orca shooting at the great white who is eating Quint: all done in lego minifigures.  The M1 rifle was supplied by Brick Arms.   Unfortunately, the mast of the Orca had to be removed in order to race because on our track part of the electronic timing was a wire that hung over the track. 

And when I say "my best entry", yes this was leaders getting to build and race their own cars against other leaders.  My son's went for speed and it was considered uncool for leaders to do that so we went for LOLs.   There were a lot of really nerdy cars.

Edited February 24, 2023 by romad1

[mtutiger]

1 hour ago, pfife said:

Here's ted LARPing at the border

Given how prolific of a podcaster he's become, it's not a stretch to suggest he LARPs as a Senator at this point as well lol

[oblong]

He LARP's as a husband and father too

[romad1]

This creature that Putin has built…crazy that these people are even within spitting distance of power.

 

[romad1]

this is a bit facile

 

 

[Tiger337]

1 hour ago, romad1 said:

this is a bit facile

 

 

It is facile, but the right does tend to admire guys who are outwardly tough. 

 

[romad1]

17 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

It is facile, but the right does tend to admire guys who are outwardly tough. 

 

There are a lot of my-way-or-the-highway fascists in the world.  That does not explain all of the RW but plenty.

[pfife]

Ironically, Glenn Greenwald of all people wrote a whole book about the Right worshipping faux tough guy folks like John Wayne.   

https://www.amazon.com/Great-American-Hypocrites-Toppling-Republican-ebook/dp/B00164X2FE/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=MK3VBA3MSG53&keywords=glenn+greenwald&qid=1677261470&sprefix=glenn+gree%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-6

[casimir]

5 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

My dad, the art professor, built my car.  It finished last, but it was the best looking car.  

This is a work of art.

[Motor City Sonics]

1 hour ago, pfife said:

Ironically, Glenn Greenwald of all people wrote a whole book about the Right worshipping faux tough guy folks like John Wayne.   

https://www.amazon.com/Great-American-Hypocrites-Toppling-Republican-ebook/dp/B00164X2FE/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=MK3VBA3MSG53&keywords=glenn+greenwald&qid=1677261470&sprefix=glenn+gree%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-6

There's a scene in Repo Man that comes to mind regarding John Wayne, but a gay slur word is used so I won't post it here. 

[Motor City Sonics]

Two things about the influence of Repo Man  #1,  If I saw a plain can just marked "FOOD" I would buy it.   Also, if I saw a neatly displayed stack of well-placed cans at a store, I felt a sudden urge to knock it over.............NOW THAT'S PUNK ROCK !

Now, lets go do those crimes, Lets go get sushi and not pay !

(I used to like these guys)