Running Bear's October 2024 Coffee Shop

[CambriaArea51]

This coming Friday Joan will go in for a heart cath. This is a one-last look before surgery test; which should be Monday. That is if everything looks OK. If not, they will go straight into open-heart surgery, valve replacement and possibly by-pass also. Getting really nervous and scared over this; Joan is my everything and I hope and pray she will come through perfectly.

Hope all goes well.

 

[John from Indiana]

I can see a day in the not-so-distant future, the powers that be will begin forcing people in the direction of EVs through a permit to buy gasoline.

That rests entirely on what you do in November...The future lies in your hands

 

[kbkchooch]

That rests entirely on what you do in November...The future lies in your hands

That’s like asking me if I want to die by tank fire or by mortar fire. The result is the same.

 

[migalyto]

That’s like asking me if I want to die by tank fire or by mortar fire. The result is the same.

Exactly!

Doomed either way!

 

[JimKrol]

Tax and regulate the oil companies out of business, as was done to the coal companies.

The coal companies went out of business because coal is a lousy fuel. Nobody wants to use coal anymore, except for steam engines on tourists routes.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

The coal companies went out of business because coal is a lousy fuel. Nobody wants to use coal anymore, except for steam engines on tourists routes.

and to fill some peoples Christmas stockings.

 

[Boris]

The coal companies went out of business because coal is a lousy fuel

As the son of a Pennsylvania Coal Cracker, I totally agree with your comment....but for some reason, Coal and coal companies refuse to go away....they keep finding new ways of staying in business. Of course, not at the same levels as before, but still around.
Just like the railroads.

 

[Boris]

Exactly!

Doomed either way!

For sure!

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps and those about to receive a Million Dollars from Elon Muskrat.
(You have to have voted in this year's PA election)

It's Troy again...

Since we're swerving dangerously close to Poly-tics, here are some Orcs on Dinos for the new game:

And some lady orcs on dinos. Not sure if the dinos have been sexed. It wasn't polite to ask.

And a close up of the big guy:

 

[KriegslokBR52]

The coal companies went out of business because coal is a lousy fuel. Nobody wants to use coal anymore, except for steam engines on tourists routes.

Actually it was more complicated than that. The labor costs on steam locomotives were raised to the point that railroads were forced to switch to diesel. A lot had to do with banks machinations. Coal might "look" dirty because the smoke is highly visible. But other fuels are just as toxic and they pose just as bad environmental problem. Just because we don't see the fumes, it doesn't mean they are not there. Digging for oil is exactly that, still digging for oil, if you take into account oil spills in the ocean, the end result is the same. This same problem is there when digging for lithium and other substances which make up batteries, all the same.

 

[NYC_George]

All most done with my display shelve project. I just have to repaint some of the track that got damaged when I took some of the upper deck down.
Swal

 

[chadbag]

Well done sir, it looks delicious!

I like kidney beans in chili. We use black beans when we make chili for chili dogs. They fit better on the roll.

I've never tried navy beans in chili. I bet they are good. I love navy beans in baked beans.

There really is no difference in taste between pinto, kidney, black, navy, or any regular bean in chili. They all absorb the chili flavor and taste the same. I also make my baked beans with half black beans and half navy beans or great northern depending on what they have.

I used to use dried beans and soak and reconstitute them myself, but that was too much work for chili (I still do it for baked beans). I just buy the canned beans. I made another pot of chili for tonights church social. Almost the same as last weeks but I tweaked the spices a little. I think last weeks was slightly better. They were very similar. I have left over chili for the next week. It just gets better as it ages.

 

[chadbag]

Not for nothing, EV fires are a real issue for the fire service. Not some imagined flaw or bias against Mr. Musk's product.
Otherwise, I have no issue with Teslas or other EVs. I just don't want to be told I have to by one by some Politician or activist.

No, not at all. Just personal preference. Some like them, others don't...Different strokes.....

Exactly. I have nothing against EV and drive a PHEV and installed a charger in our new house (not yet occupied). But I am against mandates and I love tweaking the fanbois who go to all sorts of lengths to "justify" that EVs are the best thing since sliced bread and better than any other transportation method.

I'll probably even buy an EV to replace my PHEV, which is our second vehicle in the house. It's great to charge at home -- lot cheaper per mile. And mostly the second car is driving around town on errands, etc.

But mandates or all the stupid fanboi-ism is where I draw the line.

 

[kbkchooch]

Good night all !

 

[Boris]

Actually it was more complicated than that. The labor costs on steam locomotives were raised to the point that railroads were forced to switch to diesel. A lot had to do with banks machinations. Coal might "look" dirty because the smoke is highly visible. But other fuels are just as toxic and they pose just as bad environmental problem. Just because we don't see the fumes, it doesn't mean they are not there. Digging for oil is exactly that, still digging for oil, if you take into account oil spills in the ocean, the end result is the same. This same problem is there when digging for lithium and other substances which make up batteries, all the same.

It's always more complicated than a simple slogan or statement. Coal in the East meant Anthracite, which burned cleaner and hotter so was more economical than the Steam Coal mined in Virginia, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania etc. However, coal at every stage was/is more labor intensive, even at the consumer level. The coal user had to keep the fire going all winter, year round for cooking and heating water. That required stoking the fire, cleaning the ashes and disposing them. Oil and Gas didn't require the end user to apply physical labor to heat the home, heat water or cook, like coal did. So coal fell out of favor, once alternatives were readily available.
Contrary to contemporary thinking, one has to mine what ever raw material is in vogue, or in the case of plastics needed virtually in every situation, drill for oil and refine it. It's not going to go away that quickly or easily, as some fear or advocate. I saw a vinyl like material advertised as Green...that is plant based...well the uncomfortable truth is that plastics come from oil which like coal and gas is plant based.

The big problem is that none of the problem solvers actually had to deal with the problem they are trying to solve. And that's life.

 

[chadbag]

Zombies on the train

Japan 'zombie' train spooks passengers ahead of Halloween

It's usually a serene two-and-a-half-hour ride on Japan's famously efficient bullet train. But the journey quickly descended into a zombie apocalypse, with passengers screaming in terror. Organizers of Saturday's adrenaline-filled trip, less than two weeks before Halloween, touted it as the...

japantoday.com

 

[Bruette]

As the son of a Pennsylvania Coal Cracker, I totally agree with your comment....but for some reason, Coal and coal companies refuse to go away....they keep finding new ways of staying in business. Of course, not at the same levels as before, but still around.
Just like the railroads.

Judging by how busy the two coal terminals in the Port of Baltimore are, somebody is buying a lot of coal!

In WWII the Germans made synthetic fuels derived from coal. In all these years why haven't we found a way to make cleaner fuels from coal?

That rests entirely on what you do in November...The future lies in your hands

To me, politics is not the focus this November; it's about values.

I used to use dried beans and soak and reconstitute them myself,

I've tried that, with little success. My wife can do it.

Beans are superfood, add lots of meat and seasoning and they become super tasty too!

They all absorb the chili flavor and taste the same.

That is why I prefer kidney beans; they are bigger, and I think they absorb more flavor. But all beans are good.

I have left over chili for the next week. It just gets better as it ages.

Yes, it does! The same is true with goulash, stews, and some soups.

I am against mandates

Mandates... I don't worry. Trying to mandate anything to Americans is easier said than done.

The big problem is that none of the problem solvers actually had to deal with the problem they are trying to solve. And that's life.

Amen!

 

[Bill Tidler Jr.]

Good morning! It's 41° in Tipton.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. It's partly cloudy and 67.
Getting back to trains, I was finally able to program and run the engines and coal cars I got nearly a month ago. Between two hurricanes, evacuations, power outages, and general chaos, I'm finally able to report four of the five engines and 15 of the 16 hoppers worked well out of their boxes. The 16th car and 5th engine needed some work, but are now operational. Now I need to find a masochist to install windshield wipers, grab irons, and sun shades on a FVM N scale GEVO.

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps and those digging your own fossil fuels.

It's Troy again

You know, I believe the discussion yesterday has the potential to solve the energy crisis

Run your fuel lines under the car seat, feed everyone chili - remember, it gets more potent a day or two later... and a family of four could travel coast to coast on one crock pot of beans!

Well, today is gamer day starting at 12:30p. More details to follow.