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AZDuffman
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July 26th, 2026 at 5:22:46 AM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

Quote: DRich

I had a Dream last night where I was back in the 1980's. We did not have cell phones and internet and yet everybody managed fine. I was horrified, how did we win bar bets with no cell phone and internet?
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I went to lots of estate sale auctions in the middle of nowhere and there was no GPS in the 80s So I had a giant Michigan county by county map book. It was about 18 inches by 18 inches and I would plot my course before I left home and I never got lost once. These idiots who deliver groceries from Walmart constantly have trouble finding my house and they have GPS. When I was young we used to say people like that couldn't find their ass with both hands and a flashlight and boy is that true now.
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I was talking about old school maps at work. Girl says "yeah, mapquest was primitive." I say, "no, MAPS! Paper!"

She is smart but too young to remember having to find it on a map. I was taught to read maps starting at like age 6-7 because it was an important skill.
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others
lilredrooster
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August 1st, 2026 at 11:25:27 AM permalink
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one of the greatest old movies imho
the gangs fight - the 2nd vid is the actual fight

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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
rxwine
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August 1st, 2026 at 3:06:06 PM permalink
Lee Marvin reportedly told Angie Dickenson, to go at him and don't hold back. She either did, or this is really good fake acting.

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AutomaticMonkey
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August 1st, 2026 at 4:12:22 PM permalink
Quote: rxwine

Lee Marvin reportedly told Angie Dickenson, to go at him and don't hold back. She either did, or this is really good fake acting.


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Camera trick, and a good one! She did that very slowly, and they sped up the film. Clues: mostly his reaction, not flinching or recoiling from the blows. You can tell the sound is dubbed in afterward, doesn't quite match the action. And they don't let you see anything fall because if something is falling faster than gravity would accelerate that you would definitely know something is "not right." So they don't let you see the purse fall, and when she drops to her knees at the end they are back in real-time filming, so watch how her action subtly changes.

Also she would have a good chance of hurting her hands (or poking his eye) doing that for real so I doubt the producer or the Guild would let her. Quite a disappointment if they had to stop filming because Angie's hand is in a cast, or Lee is wearing an eye patch.
rxwine
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August 7th, 2026 at 3:58:43 PM permalink
This German hydrogen airship flew 1 million miles and carried 24 passengers. Even flew to the Arctic. Was scrapped after the Hindenburg accident.

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EvenBob
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August 7th, 2026 at 5:43:01 PM permalink
Quote: rxwine

This German hydrogen airship flew 1 million miles and carried 24 passengers. Even flew to the Arctic. Was scrapped after the Hindenburg accident.


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It's almost science fiction that these things existed for public transit almost 100 years ago
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
AutomaticMonkey
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August 7th, 2026 at 7:42:15 PM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

Quote: rxwine

This German hydrogen airship flew 1 million miles and carried 24 passengers. Even flew to the Arctic. Was scrapped after the Hindenburg accident.


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It's almost science fiction that these things existed for public transit almost 100 years ago
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Not that astonishing, if you consider that the Montgolfiers flew their balloons in the 18th century. This is really the same thing, just with a different shape, different lift gas, and with engines similar to those already being used in millions of cars.
odiousgambit
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August 8th, 2026 at 7:45:30 AM permalink
the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!”   She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
rxwine
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August 8th, 2026 at 8:04:26 AM permalink
Quote: odiousgambit

the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
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Once you start considering you're riding on a big flaming bomb a match away from igniting, it's not so attractive.

I would still ride one today. The odds are pretty good you survive one trip which is all I'd ever do.
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AutomaticMonkey
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August 8th, 2026 at 9:46:03 AM permalink
Quote: rxwine

Quote: odiousgambit

the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
link to original post



Once you start considering you're riding on a big flaming bomb a match away from igniting, it's not so attractive.

I would still ride one today. The odds are pretty good you survive one trip which is all I'd ever do.
link to original post



None of the ones flown today use hydrogen. It's only about 15% more effective than helium as a lift gas anyway.

In the Hindenburg accident most people died from jumping. Hydrogen is very light and its flames go up. Its combustion product H2O is also lighter than air and goes up. The people ride on the bottom of the bag and the ones who waited for it to hit the ground walked away.
Dieter
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August 8th, 2026 at 10:34:06 AM permalink
Quote: rxwine

Quote: odiousgambit

the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
link to original post



Once you start considering you're riding on a big flaming bomb a match away from igniting, it's not so attractive.

I would still ride one today. The odds are pretty good you survive one trip which is all I'd ever do.
link to original post



I think I heard that the real problem was the rubber bladder painted with aluminum. A rubber/aluminum mixture was commonly being used as a solid rocket fuel around that time.

I would absolutely ride on an airship. The reports I've heard said that the main constraint is weight, not volume - they're often big and roomy, because there's not really a dimensional penalty. The downside is that they tend to move only marginally faster than the speed of smell. Great for leisurely sightseeing or loitering above a sporting event, lousy for getting anywhere in a particular hurry.
May the cards fall in your favor.
AutomaticMonkey
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August 8th, 2026 at 11:10:22 AM permalink
Quote: Dieter

Quote: rxwine

Quote: odiousgambit

the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
link to original post



Once you start considering you're riding on a big flaming bomb a match away from igniting, it's not so attractive.

I would still ride one today. The odds are pretty good you survive one trip which is all I'd ever do.
link to original post



I think I heard that the real problem was the rubber bladder painted with aluminum. A rubber/aluminum mixture was commonly being used as a solid rocket fuel around that time.

I would absolutely ride on an airship. The reports I've heard said that the main constraint is weight, not volume - they're often big and roomy, because there's not really a dimensional penalty. The downside is that they tend to move only marginally faster than the speed of smell. Great for leisurely sightseeing or loitering above a sporting event, lousy for getting anywhere in a particular hurry.
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Aluminized rubber? That would explain why it caught fire when it made contact with a mast. That bag is going to develop a huge static charge up there, and with the conductive surface all that charge can get to one place very quickly and it's going to be like a lightning strike.
DogHand
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August 8th, 2026 at 11:10:36 AM permalink
Quote: Dieter

<snip>The downside is that they tend to move only marginally faster than the speed of smell. <snip>
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Dieter,

The Hindenburg could cross the Atlantic in a bit over 2 days, which was much faster than the 4 to 6 days needed by ocean liners.

Of course, nowadays jets are a bit faster 😂

Dog Hand
Dieter
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August 8th, 2026 at 5:42:45 PM permalink
Quote: DogHand

Quote: Dieter

<snip>The downside is that they tend to move only marginally faster than the speed of smell. <snip>
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Dieter,

The Hindenburg could cross the Atlantic in a bit over 2 days, which was much faster than the 4 to 6 days needed by ocean liners.

Of course, nowadays jets are a bit faster 😂

Dog Hand
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Yes, yes. Modern smells travel much faster.
May the cards fall in your favor.
rxwine
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August 9th, 2026 at 4:49:28 AM permalink
Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Quote: rxwine

Quote: odiousgambit

the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
link to original post



Once you start considering you're riding on a big flaming bomb a match away from igniting, it's not so attractive.

I would still ride one today. The odds are pretty good you survive one trip which is all I'd ever do.
link to original post



None of the ones flown today use hydrogen. It's only about 15% more effective than helium as a lift gas anyway.

In the Hindenburg accident most people died from jumping. Hydrogen is very light and its flames go up. Its combustion product H2O is also lighter than air and goes up. The people ride on the bottom of the bag and the ones who waited for it to hit the ground walked away.
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I would even ride on a hydrogen filled one, (once). A hot air balloon cost the same price as a new car. Not sure how practical it is of going around town though.
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AZDuffman
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August 9th, 2026 at 10:06:05 AM permalink
Quote: rxwine

Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Quote: rxwine

Quote: odiousgambit

the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
link to original post



Once you start considering you're riding on a big flaming bomb a match away from igniting, it's not so attractive.

I would still ride one today. The odds are pretty good you survive one trip which is all I'd ever do.
link to original post



None of the ones flown today use hydrogen. It's only about 15% more effective than helium as a lift gas anyway.

In the Hindenburg accident most people died from jumping. Hydrogen is very light and its flames go up. Its combustion product H2O is also lighter than air and goes up. The people ride on the bottom of the bag and the ones who waited for it to hit the ground walked away.
link to original post



I would even ride on a hydrogen filled one, (once). A hot air balloon cost the same price as a new car. Not sure how practical it is of going around town though.
link to original post



Speaking of which why do eye exams always have pics of hot air balloons?
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others
AZDuffman
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August 9th, 2026 at 10:39:58 AM permalink
Quote: snardlike

Quote: AZDuffman

Quote: rxwine

Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Quote: rxwine

Quote: odiousgambit

the debate was still on in the 1930s as to whether it would be airplanes or airships that would carry passengers. Great progress was being made as to the speed of airplanes, but it was still true that they had to make too many stops in those days, so there were plenty of advocates for the lighter than air when it came to comfort, distance, and having a lot of passengers. Terrible accidents finally made people decide it was going to be the airplane ... the Germans seemed to be the only ones to maintain a safety record for airships, then there was the Hindenburg
link to original post



Once you start considering you're riding on a big flaming bomb a match away from igniting, it's not so attractive.

I would still ride one today. The odds are pretty good you survive one trip which is all I'd ever do.
link to original post



None of the ones flown today use hydrogen. It's only about 15% more effective than helium as a lift gas anyway.

In the Hindenburg accident most people died from jumping. Hydrogen is very light and its flames go up. Its combustion product H2O is also lighter than air and goes up. The people ride on the bottom of the bag and the ones who waited for it to hit the ground walked away.
link to original post



I would even ride on a hydrogen filled one, (once). A hot air balloon cost the same price as a new car. Not sure how practical it is of going around town though.
link to original post



Speaking of which why do eye exams always have pics of hot air balloons?
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deleted by management
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Quoted to preserve for management.
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others
AutomaticMonkey
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August 9th, 2026 at 11:20:14 AM permalink
Quote: AZDuffman

Quote: rxwine

[

I would even ride on a hydrogen filled one, (once). A hot air balloon cost the same price as a new car. Not sure how practical it is of going around town though.
link to original post



Speaking of which why do eye exams always have pics of hot air balloons?
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I was thinking about combining an eye exam with a Rorschach test.

"The good news is: your vision is 20-20! The bad news is: you are obsessed with genitalia and have a haunting fear of being watched by a duck."
rxwine
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August 9th, 2026 at 11:32:59 AM permalink
Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Quote: AZDuffman

Quote: rxwine

[

I would even ride on a hydrogen filled one, (once). A hot air balloon cost the same price as a new car. Not sure how practical it is of going around town though.
link to original post



Speaking of which why do eye exams always have pics of hot air balloons?
link to original post



I was thinking about combining an eye exam with a Rorschach test.

"The good news is: your vision is 20-20! The bad news is: you are obsessed with genitalia and have a haunting fear of being watched by a duck."
link to original post



If you go to the eye doctor print out a blurry picture of an eye chart and replace the one he has on the wall. Although, I don’t know who uses a paper eye chart. Last one I used was all in the eye device. Actually, I do know they use them in an emergency room. You show up with sudden blurry vision, maybe had a stroke is why.
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FatGeezus
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August 9th, 2026 at 2:31:53 PM permalink
Stanley Wochowski goes to the optometrist for an eye exam.

The optometrists asks "Can you read the fourth line?"

Stanley says "Read the fourth line? I know the guy, we went to school together."
EvenBob
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August 11th, 2026 at 9:49:28 PM permalink
I have not thought about Army Navy surplus stores in decades. We used to have the greatest time when I was a little kid in the 1950s going to the Army Navy surplus store on Saturday afternoon. We had everything, canteen, backpacks, pup tents, flashlights, folding shovels, mess kits, canvas hammocks, K rations and more. I had all this stuff growing up because at the Army Navy surplus store it cost almost nothing and it was made super strong that lasted forever. This was all World War Two and Korea stuff and there was a ton of it. Just the smell of that store was exciting.

"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
AZDuffman
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August 12th, 2026 at 4:37:56 AM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

I have not thought about Army Navy surplus stores in decades. We used to have the greatest time when I was a little kid in the 1950s going to the Army Navy surplus store on Saturday afternoon. We had everything, canteen, backpacks, pup tents, flashlights, folding shovels, mess kits, canvas hammocks, K rations and more. I had all this stuff growing up because at the Army Navy surplus store it cost almost nothing and it was made super strong that lasted forever. This was all World War Two and Korea stuff and there was a ton of it. Just the smell of that store was exciting.



They are where we got our school backpacks. They had weird stuff, our had a barrel fill of these little bomb looking things that fighter planes would fly above bomber groups and drop to shear thru the wings. What on earth would I use that for around the house?
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rxwine
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August 12th, 2026 at 6:37:11 AM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

I have not thought about Army Navy surplus stores in decades. We used to have the greatest time when I was a little kid in the 1950s going to the Army Navy surplus store on Saturday afternoon. We had everything, canteen, backpacks, pup tents, flashlights, folding shovels, mess kits, canvas hammocks, K rations and more. I had all this stuff growing up because at the Army Navy surplus store it cost almost nothing and it was made super strong that lasted forever. This was all World War Two and Korea stuff and there was a ton of it. Just the smell of that store was exciting.


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Was my first real job the summer after high school for a whole 2 months. I learned a lot about all the cigarette brands, as people came in for the discounted price. So, many different cigarettes I never heard of until then.
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billryan
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August 12th, 2026 at 7:43:32 AM permalink
There was a huge surplus store in downtown Tucson when I moved in. It was in a tremendous building that appeared to be an old auto dealership. It was there since the late 1950s, but the neighborhood got gentrified and the landlord wanted 5X the rent. They shut down without.a.big sale and the building now houses an indoor pickle ball club.
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Dieter
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August 12th, 2026 at 7:55:04 AM permalink
I remember a lot of guys telling me that their ex-wives went to the Army Navy Surplus to get some conspicuously pitiable surplus clothing before their child support adjustment hearings.

The resultant increase in support was apparently well worth the few dollars outlaid.
May the cards fall in your favor.
EvenBob
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August 12th, 2026 at 9:01:04 AM permalink
Quote: AZDuffman

Quote: EvenBob

I have not thought about Army Navy surplus stores in decades. We used to have the greatest time when I was a little kid in the 1950s going to the Army Navy surplus store on Saturday afternoon. We had everything, canteen, backpacks, pup tents, flashlights, folding shovels, mess kits, canvas hammocks, K rations and more. I had all this stuff growing up because at the Army Navy surplus store it cost almost nothing and it was made super strong that lasted forever. This was all World War Two and Korea stuff and there was a ton of it. Just the smell of that store was exciting.



They are where we got our school backpacks. They had weird stuff, our had a barrel fill of these little bomb looking things that fighter planes would fly above bomber groups and drop to shear thru the wings. What on earth would I use that for around the house?
link to original post



Mosquito netting, I had a brass compass with a lid, insect repellent that didn't work, Those green army mesh belts, For my birthday one year I got a huge camouflage signal light about the size of a small baseball bat that sat on a tripod and had a wire coming from it where you could sit in the bushes and click off Morse code with the light. One of the stores even had a couple World War Two era Harley Davidson;s in the original wood shipping crates all covered in that goop they used to protect them. I think they were Shovelheads and they would be worth a fortune today.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
AutomaticMonkey
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August 13th, 2026 at 5:46:54 PM permalink
Quote: EvenBob

I have not thought about Army Navy surplus stores in decades. We used to have the greatest time when I was a little kid in the 1950s going to the Army Navy surplus store on Saturday afternoon. We had everything, canteen, backpacks, pup tents, flashlights, folding shovels, mess kits, canvas hammocks, K rations and more. I had all this stuff growing up because at the Army Navy surplus store it cost almost nothing and it was made super strong that lasted forever. This was all World War Two and Korea stuff and there was a ton of it. Just the smell of that store was exciting.


link to original post



Hahn's in North Las Vegas is the place I go to for that. It looks just like that store. Heavier on the Air Force stuff, which makes sense I guess as they are not far from Nellis AFB. It's hard to not make a purchase when I go there, just about any kind of outdoor thing you would need.
https://hahnsurvival.com/collections/surplus-used
rxwine
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August 14th, 2026 at 4:57:19 AM permalink
Remember this guy? Remember his name without looking it up?

Quote:

Wore neon-colored, custom-made suits plastered entirely in punctuation marks—predominantly giant question marks—giving him a look reminiscent of Batman's villain, The Riddler.

aggressively promoted books and guides claiming that the U.S. government would hand out cash for everyday things like writing a book, going to school, starting a business, or paying off personal bills

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lilredrooster
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August 26th, 2026 at 4:21:02 AM permalink
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Curly Neal of the Harlem Globetrotters - he was so very great - saw him when I was a kid - r.i.p.






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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
ChumpChange
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August 26th, 2026 at 11:36:33 AM permalink
I saw one person take off in a drone. She was belted to the propeller assembly and just took off. If you drop your phone you may be in a pinch though.
lilredrooster
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August 29th, 2026 at 4:18:06 AM permalink
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1985 - Hearns v. Hagler
many have called it the greatest fight ever
it only lasted 8 minutes
the first round was just unreal - truly sensational

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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
lilredrooster
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August 30th, 2026 at 4:17:00 AM permalink
.
1968 - San Francisco
the most notorious unsolved crime in the history of the U.S.
a serial killer who called himself Zodiac killed at least 5 people
he claimed he killed 37
he taunted the police by sending cryptograms to newspapers
2 of his 4 cryptograms were deciphered
in them he bragged about how much he loved killing people
no one was ever charged with his crimes

composite sketch of him by an artist from witness recollections:




here is one of his cryptograms:




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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
odiousgambit
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August 30th, 2026 at 7:23:32 AM permalink
They say that DNA research can eventually determine who a white criminal is 90% of the time by linking up all the people who now send in their DNA to be tested ... wanting to find out if they descended from Vikings etc. .

perhaps they know the Zodiac killer, but he's dead, and for legal or other reasons won't say. Or perhaps it's the other 10%
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!”   She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
billryan
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August 30th, 2026 at 8:08:42 AM permalink
During the American Civil War, the South had many disadvantages. It had a smaller population, lacked a strong industrial base, and was prevented from importing goods from Europe by the US Navy.
One of the resources it lacked was the ingredients to make gunpowder. Gunpowder is a fairly simple compound if you have the right materials. One of the key ingredients is potassium nitrate, and its main prewar source was bat guano. Guano had to be gathered from the insides of dark caves and was nasty, physical work. With most southern men pressed into fighting duty, guano harvesting fell short of meeting demand.
There is another way to make potassium nitrate: boil urine. With over 100,000 men under arms, the South had a potent source of urine. The 60,000-strong Army of Northern Virginia produced enough of the vital liquid to fill several wagons, but harvesting and collecting so much from an army on the move proved problematic.
Lacking any alternative, the Southern government ordered the collection of what they called "Household Lye". Brigades of older men, deemed unfit for combat would make semi-weekly collections, house to house, or in some cases households would bring their own urine to a central location. The process of making the gunpowder took almost a year. In several cases, Yankee raids uncovered warehouses full of vats of urine that they would break down, sending literal floods or urine racing down streets.
War is hell.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
lilredrooster
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August 30th, 2026 at 9:09:41 AM permalink
Quote: odiousgambit

They say that DNA research can eventually determine who a white criminal is 90% of the time by linking up all the people who now send in their DNA to be tested ... wanting to find out if they descended from Vikings etc. .

perhaps they know the Zodiac killer, but he's dead, and for legal or other reasons won't say. Or perhaps it's the other 10%
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they can't know who the Zodiac killer was from DNA
the knowledge of DNA did not exist in 1968
DNA testing didn't start until 1984
his true identity will never be known

.
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
odiousgambit
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August 30th, 2026 at 9:20:20 AM permalink
Quote: lilredrooster

Quote: odiousgambit

They say that DNA research can eventually determine who a white criminal is 90% of the time by linking up all the people who now send in their DNA to be tested ... wanting to find out if they descended from Vikings etc. .

perhaps they know the Zodiac killer, but he's dead, and for legal or other reasons won't say. Or perhaps it's the other 10%
link to original post


they can't know who the Zodiac killer was from DNA
the knowledge of DNA did not exist in 1968
DNA testing didn't start until 1984
his true identity will never be known

.
link to original post

I can see you don't watch too much true crime TV ... they keep evidence a long time when it's murder and DNA tests get done off that

googled, "Arthur Leigh Allen: He was the only suspect ever publicly named by law enforcement. He was a former schoolteacher in California. Investigators found circumstantial evidence, but physical DNA and fingerprint comparisons did not match him. He died in 1992 without being charged"
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!”   She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
billryan
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August 30th, 2026 at 9:44:08 AM permalink
The Department of Defense keeps a full-time team assigned to identifying remains of the MIA. Last year, they matched several Korean War-era remains using familial DNA.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
AutomaticMonkey
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lilredrooster
August 30th, 2026 at 9:47:53 AM permalink
Quote: odiousgambit

Quote: lilredrooster

Quote: odiousgambit

They say that DNA research can eventually determine who a white criminal is 90% of the time by linking up all the people who now send in their DNA to be tested ... wanting to find out if they descended from Vikings etc. .

perhaps they know the Zodiac killer, but he's dead, and for legal or other reasons won't say. Or perhaps it's the other 10%
link to original post


they can't know who the Zodiac killer was from DNA
the knowledge of DNA did not exist in 1968
DNA testing didn't start until 1984
his true identity will never be known

.
link to original post

I can see you don't watch too much true crime TV ... they keep evidence a long time when it's murder and DNA tests get done off that

googled, "Arthur Leigh Allen: He was the only suspect ever publicly named by law enforcement. He was a former schoolteacher in California. Investigators found circumstantial evidence, but physical DNA and fingerprint comparisons did not match him. He died in 1992 without being charged"
link to original post



Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. We know what a Neanderthal genome looks like now, but you have to do a lot of work and need a lot of luck to find a testable sample that you are sure came from the Neanderthal individual and not from a rat or something that was gnawing on the bone. With more modern samples taken before DNA sequencing was possible they might have been handled in a way that preserves the reliability of a DNA test, or they might not have.
lilredrooster
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odiousgambit
August 30th, 2026 at 10:12:31 AM permalink
.
from the link:

"There is no confirmed DNA evidence from Zodiac at any of the scenes.

The closest police have to Zodiac’s DNA are the stamps he used to post his cryptic letters. In the early 2000s, San Francisco investigators developed a partial profile by testing saliva traces retrieved from beneath a stamp. Because the profile is incomplete, it cannot rule anyone in

But it did rule out long-time suspect Arthur Leigh Allen in 2002."

it can only rule people out, not in

https://lcgsco.org/will-dna-submitted-to-genealogy-sites-also-finally-catch-the-zodiac-killer/

obviously investigators were trying to identify him but couldn't

again - his identitiy will never be known

but yes, it could possibly have been solved due to DNA - I was incorrect to say it couldn't be

.
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
billryan
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August 30th, 2026 at 10:34:19 AM permalink
Never is a very long time. It's almost certain someone knew who the killer is/was. i don't know much about this case, but I know secrets have a way of inching their way to the surface.

I've been researching an incident during the Battle of the Bulge involving several soldiers who have never been identified. The assumption is that none survived the night to brag to their friends and fellow soldiers.

Imagine covering your tracks for forty years only to get caught because your grandson wanted to see if he was related to William Wallace.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
AutomaticMonkey
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August 30th, 2026 at 11:38:38 AM permalink
Quote: billryan

Never is a very long time. It's almost certain someone knew who the killer is/was. i don't know much about this case, but I know secrets have a way of inching their way to the surface.

I've been researching an incident during the Battle of the Bulge involving several soldiers who have never been identified. The assumption is that none survived the night to brag to their friends and fellow soldiers.

Imagine covering your tracks for forty years only to get caught because your grandson wanted to see if he was related to William Wallace.
link to original post



I never signed up for DNA testing because I'm too cheap.

Not too cheap to pay for the test. It's all that back child support!
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