Random thoughts thread

[Porsche]

Originally Posted by IntotheOcean

@Porsche
Sorry for the late response - between work and school It's hard to have free time.

No, no, please … don't apologize. You have more important things to attend to. Now that you've so wisely postponed a new sportscar purchase, you're understandably drifting away from these forums. You must attend to your schoolwork. As you've said, that's the most important thing in your life right now.

What you do here in these next few years will set the stage for the rest of your life. It will pay dividends to keep your focus strictly on school for now. No romance, no sportscars, no distractions.

I don't really care for the people in my class.

LOL!

Yeah, I kind of figured that. And that's okay. I anticipated that. I also anticipated that you might have some trouble at first. I figured it would not be long before you got into a scrap with a professor.

Many students have trouble adapting and finding a way to comfortably go to school, participate, engage the students and the instructors, and just be in a place where they feel comfortable returning to class each week. This may be especially true of older students.

In fact, just this past Wednesday morning, on National Public Radio, there was a program discussing this very issue, about young college students encountering the exact thing you described in your previous post. They're unhappy, thinking that their fellow students are laughing at them, the professors picking on them, etc.

It was just a brief story on the radio, but I immediately thought "This could be Ashley!" Maybe you can find it as a sound recording file on the NPR site. Maybe you don't have the time, too. I understand.

This can result in some students actually dropping out. Even if they stay in school, their grades can suffer.

My first thought after I read your description was that your instructor was just sharing another perspective, and that, far from putting you down, he welcomed the opportunity as an instructor for the "teach-able moment."

And the students laughing?

My first thought is that they weren't laughing at YOU, Ashley. No, they were laughing apprehensively, nervously concerned about one of their flock challenging the Alpha Wolf (aka instructor). I can hear you doing it, too, with an edge in your voice. And dead serious, too.


The Sheeple around you in that classroom are unaccustomed to such behavior. They lack your confidence. They're too fearful to do that themselves and they may have been alarmed, thinking that the Wolf might turn and BITE one of THEM! That was the laughter of nervous tension, I'd guess.

I would be surprised to learn that those students were actually laughing AT you.

I don't know. I wasn't there. You were. Something to consider, perhaps. Maybe they're not all out to get you, you know?

In any case, your post made it clear that your personal reaction was heavy. I heard anger, resentment, bitterness, sadness, and disappointment. That was a miserable experience there for you, even if only for a time. I hope you're feeling better now.

I would not like to see you feeling so badly about anything that you abandon your goals, lose sight of your objective. Many young people struggle at first in college. You sounded unhappy about that incident. It got me to thinking.

Ashley, you must find a way to deal with this sort of conflict in a more constructive way, not for anyone else, but for yourself. YOURSELF.

We must get you settled down, Ash, calmed down, so that you can find a way to deal more effectively with such experiences.

Ya' gotta maintain, girl. Right?

Else, you may be in danger of dropping out.

Now, that would be a tragedy.

As far as connecting with the others goes, I'd say that you've always been a bit different from the crowd. You're more thoughtful, reflective, and serious than your peers. It sets you apart.

Your art tells us this, as do many of the comments and observations that you've written about over the past year on this forum. Despite your shaky self-concept, you have more going for you than you may realize.

Your peers tend to be more shallow. You will always connect better with the older people, and with smarter people, I would think.

It's all part of the variety of life, the spice of life. Accept these things and smile.

Maybe you can find a fellow student, a GIRL dammit(!), who you could talk to about these things. It would be good for you to have someone to go and vent to, someone close to your age and experience. It's all very nice you're listening to me, but someone your own age would be good, too. But no MEN! (Me? I'm a neutral figure out here in the ether, posing as @Nevermore 's mom. )

I urge you to keep your life uncluttered and stay focused on your goals. Romantic relationships right now could seriously interfere with your goals and even derail them permanently. Young women everywhere are constantly disrupting their lives with romantic entanglements. And for God's sake, do not get involved with a professor!

Thanks for sharing your views on, "Why am I in college?"

I have a very different slant on that to offer you, a shift in perspective that, after consideration, you may find even more useful and which you may wish to adopt.

More to follow…

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by Steve201brz

Every other post on reddit is about a cat. They shit in a box which about the only perk they have. They're not entertaining at all.
Can't walk em.
Can't take em outside (usually).
Can't do tricks.
Can't call their name to get their attention.
You pet them for a few minutes and then you're basically dead to them.
Most importantly, a cat can't be your wingman.

If I wanted to see pictures of cat's I'd google them. I want to see something actually funny.

/rant

Getting them to crap in a box is the easy part. Training them to do anything else is hellovalot harder than any dog. They tend to be more independent and rebellious by nature.

I have two cats, a female and male sibling that are both fixed. I taught them to respond to their name and specific verbal commands. It's a bit harder with the male than the female, since he thinks that he is the fat one, but it just means I have to encourage him more and make it easier for him. He's rebelling on me now with the new toilet training program. I had the female ready to move to the next stage last week and he is still having issues using the trainer.

Cats aren't that much different than dogs though. They respond better to treats, such as food or catnip, than punishment. Simple bribery is much more effective.

[serialk11r]

Holy smokes, I bought someone's old camshaft and just got it in the mail. I think I understand SOHC/OHV now, this one camshaft for a puny 4 cylinder engine weighs like 10 pounds.

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Holy smokes, I bought someone's old camshaft and just got it in the mail. I think I understand SOHC/OHV now, this one camshaft for a puny 4 cylinder engine weighs like 10 pounds.

Overlap control of where you optimize scavenging is the big plus.

1ZZ is intake vvt-i, right? Are there easy (flash type) controllers/programmers available? Would you bother with Megasquirt?

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Dimman

Overlap control of where you optimize scavenging is the big plus.

1ZZ is intake vvt-i, right? Are there easy (flash type) controllers/programmers available? Would you bother with Megasquirt?

That's true, though when you have 6 inch long exhaust headers going to restrictive precats, there's not much scavenging to speak of.

Yea it's intake VVTi only. I wouldn't bother with Megasquirt when there's Apexi PFC that plugs straight into the factory harness.

I'm thinking about how to do build this 1ZZ when I get a job...knife edged 2ZZ crank to destroke to 1.67L, machine the bottoms of the cylinder bores since I now have 3mm more clearance, machine away 3mm off the deck and head together, 300M rods in original 1ZZ length for a nice 1.72 rod/stroke ratio and hopefully lighter than stock, a 2004+ block since they are more reliable, billet oil pump gears, titanium valves and retainers and whatever, 12:1 pistons (the loss in stroke along with machined parts will make it end up at 11.6ish), DLC on the wrist pins and cams/lifters, C60 transmission, and Apexi PFC for some 9000rpm fun

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

That's true, though when you have 6 inch long exhaust headers going to restrictive precats, there's not much scavenging to speak of.

Yea it's intake VVTi only. I wouldn't bother with Megasquirt when there's Apexi PFC that plugs straight into the factory harness.

I'm thinking about how to do build this 1ZZ when I get a job...knife edged 2ZZ crank to destroke to 1.67L, machine the bottoms of the cylinder bores since I now have 3mm more clearance, machine away 3mm off the deck and head together, 300M rods in original 1ZZ length for a nice 1.72 rod/stroke ratio and hopefully lighter than stock, a 2004+ block since they are more reliable, billet oil pump gears, titanium valves and retainers and whatever, 12:1 pistons (the loss in stroke along with machined parts will make it end up at 11.6ish), DLC on the wrist pins and cams/lifters, C60 transmission, and Apexi PFC for some 9000rpm fun

How much room is there for longer headers? In the meantime I can run some numbers with the new cam numbers (what's stock exhaust spec?) for a mid-range 4-2-1(3-4000ish) and top-end (6-7000ish) long primary/ultra short secondary 4-2-1 lengths (4-1's modern replacement for people who are in the know), if you want to find a shop to custom make you a set.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Dimman

How much room is there for longer headers? In the meantime I can run some numbers with the new cam numbers (what's stock exhaust spec?) for a mid-range 4-2-1(3-4000ish) and top-end (6-7000ish) long primary/ultra short secondary 4-2-1 lengths (4-1's modern replacement for people who are in the know), if you want to find a shop to custom make you a set.

Well there's a few issues with replacing the headers. One is noise, I am changing the muffler and removing the precats might make it a little too loud. I also haven't removed my precats because startup emissions is a legitimate concern of mine, the car smells kind of bad already when the engine is cold. Another is that when smogging the car long tube headers will not pass, and there's no way to fit the factory heat shields over them to disguise it because the aftermarket pipes don't put the O2 sensors in the right place. So that means I'd have to change the headers every time I go smog it, and that's kind of annoying since there are a ton of screws that are hard to reach.

[Nevermore]

Imperial Russian Stouts are strong stuff.

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Well there's a few issues with replacing the headers. One is noise, I am changing the muffler and removing the precats might make it a little too loud. I also haven't removed my precats because startup emissions is a legitimate concern of mine, the car smells kind of bad already when the engine is cold. Another is that when smogging the car long tube headers will not pass, and there's no way to fit the factory heat shields over them to disguise it because the aftermarket pipes don't put the O2 sensors in the right place. So that means I'd have to change the headers every time I go smog it, and that's kind of annoying since there are a ton of screws that are hard to reach.

I forgot. Because Cali.

This is the last year of our AirCare for private vehicles, and next will be the first year for commercial. But we've had a carbon tax for some years now. Circle of life...

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by KslayFRZ

Wut dat?

[KslayFRZ]

Good eye...if I told you if have to [classified] you

[Anthony]

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Dimman

I forgot. Because Cali.

This is the last year of our AirCare for private vehicles, and next will be the first year for commercial. But we've had a carbon tax for some years now. Circle of life...

You guys have it good. I just looked it up. In Cali at least, you only get 4 years exemption from smog testing, and you have to pass "visual inspection" (aka, you can't have swapped anything starting from the intake to the cat) and you have to pass the OBD II test so no standalones even if your car is just as clean as stock.

You don't need to pass visual in Canada do you?

[IntotheOcean]

Originally Posted by M-17

I hate you....

Its been far too long since I've gone to a concert (since the beginning of summer).

Aw that really sucks to hear I go to a show at least once a month....its what keeps me sane. This month however I overbooked.

Monday -NIN -GA
Wed- Filter -Front row
Today- Bullet for my valentine -3rd row, friend and I started a pit (no idea how that happened haha)

its safe to say I'm fucking beat-Time for bed!
And this was my outfit for tonight :x