https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-do-we-know-about-space
Friday, March 20, 2026
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Porsche literally took an image of a predecessor model’s headlight and scaled it up until it dwarfed the smaller, real unit to disguise the actual appearance of the new model
Porsche clads its prototypes in flat black and then places stickers that look like headlights and taillights over the vehicle’s actual lighting.
These faux designs have the effect of disguising the car’s actual fascias from a distance,
That’s exactly why the Cayenne EV prototypes have Hyundai-esque pixel-light decals on the back, according to Porsche itself.
this is brilliant, new tire tech automatically deploys and retracts studs depending on temperature. The Hakkapeliitta 01 tire has a new temperature-sensitive compound that deploys and retracts studs
When the road surface is warm enough, the studs, which themselves have been redesigned specifically for this tire, sit back beneath the surface of the rubber. As the road surface gets colder—like, tire-in-contact-with-ice cold—they push out. Nokian says it’s been working on this technology since 2014, around the time it debuted a concept tire that deployed studs with the press of a button. Other startups had attempted to deliver such products, but they never arrived.
this isn't really news, but one third of iridium plugs bought from Rock Auto, Amazon, and eBay were fakes
the summary is that only the Rock Auto plugs appeared to be genuine across the board. Plugs bought from Sixity Auto Parts on Amazon and eBay also appeared to be the real deal, but others purchased through Amazon and eBay were fakes.
The Petite Ceinture railway circling through the city of Paris served urban travelers from 1862 to 1934 before being abandoned.
A labor group representing Uber and Lyft drivers has filed a complaint with state regulators, alleging that Waymo is violating its permit by allowing unaccompanied minors to ride in its autonomous vehicles in the Bay Area.
Some San Francisco parents said they would trust Waymo over human drivers if regulators allow unsupervised teen riders.
SF Gate newspaper just posted the origin story of the taco truck!
In 1969, Mexico City-born husband-and-wife team Raúl and Lupe Martinez arrived in Los Angeles by way of Tijuana. After a few years, the couple grew a fledgling street taco operation that centered around MacArthur Park into a true business, converting an ice cream truck into a fully operational kitchen in 1974. The pair promptly launched the rebuilt rig on the streets of greater LA, setting up curbside to quickly serve smaller, more compact tacos to people at bars or events.
Within a decade of King Taco rolling out on wheels, there were more than 500 different taco trucks in the LA area.
According to L.A. in a Minute, the truck sold $70 worth of tacos on its first night in 1974, doubling that number on its second evening of service. The Martinezes would later grow King Taco into a fleet of trucks and more than 20 standalone brick-and-mortar locations across Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
https://kingtaco.com/King Taco sponsors a Nascar team, and a 24 Hours of LeMans team
A violent five-vehicle pileup in Covina injured four people Wednesday morning was the result of attempted vehicular manslaughter, when a husband chased his wife’s vehicle before the crash around 5:50 a.m. near the intersection of North Hollenbeck Avenue and East Cypress Street
A witness who helped the trapped woman described the harrowing scene.
"The car that was flipped over, somebody kept on yelling ‘help!’ She was just screaming the whole time that her husband was trying to kill her and that he was after her. He was chasing her in another car."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/domestic-dispute-leads-5-car-134000053.html
https://www.facebook.com/ABC7/posts/the-violent-crash-involving-at-least-five-vehicles-stemmed-from-a-domestic-viole/1349708593964438/
https://www.foxla.com/news/covina-5-car-crash-injuries
https://www.facebook.com/ABC7/posts/the-violent-crash-involving-at-least-five-vehicles-stemmed-from-a-domestic-viole/1349708593964438/
https://www.foxla.com/news/covina-5-car-crash-injuries
I read the headline and KNEW this was some ghetto shit
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
A M Cassandre poster ad for Bugatti
Cassandre, pseudonym of Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron, was a French painter, commercial poster artist, and typeface designer.
iconic
It's been too long since I just enjoyed myself looking at cool stuff, instead of trying to put up 10-12 posts in a day so you all have some interesting stuff to browse through during coffee breaks, or, whatever it is that causes you to make time to see what I've posted lately... so there aren't 10-12 posts today, there are half as many as that, but they are just pleasant to look at.
It requires twice as much time to come across stuff I want to post using this method, but it's usually more relaxed, less news, and more visually appealing
when on the topic of blowers, here's one brand that is never mentioned... Bowers. Bowers Blowers, was a prominent name in the racing industry before being acquired by The Blower Shop in 1984.
cap that with a magnesium Enderle bug catcher, and you're doing even better
While on the topic of blowers, the Roots Brothers invented this design, and why call it a blower?
The Roots brothers designed it as an air conveyor to supply blast furnaces and ventilate mine shafts. Hence, blowing air in
Patented in 1860 by Philander and Francis Marion Roots
loving this, and missing working with machine shop guys.
I have one Starrett product not in this display case... a steel ruler. Damn right I snapped that up at a swap meet. Might never use it, but after the zombiepocalypse, someone will find it and rebuild the world, perfectly square and measured exactly to the micron
By the way, I love displays of tools, and Starrett. I have a couple micrometers, a set of adjustable parallels, that steel ruler, a depth gauge, and a dial indicator
something I hadn't heard of until now... when breaking free a seized engine, consider the aluminum oxide. Lubricant type rust penetrators, they won’t dissolve aluminum oxides
Kroil, PB Blaster, and trans fluid will do nothing about aluminum oxide, and so, once you've soaked the cylinders in those, and it won't budge, try cleaning those out, and then giving white vinegar a try for the same amount of time
another new to me tip is to make a plate to fit over the cylinder and use a portapower to hydraulically push the piston, if all else fails
https://www.facebook.com/groups/496619540483459/permalink/4166880593457317
see https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/10/penetrating-oils-compared.html for a comparison of penetrating oils
I love well built things, interior decorating done right, wood panel accent trim, crown molding, etc etc so this diner interior is just the sort of place I'd like to be! Skee's Diner, Torrington, Connecticut.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=26768315062772173&set=pcb.4242448769329378
But the story is quite unique:
The Torrington Historic Preservation Trust is interested in offering the right "entrepreneurial spirited" person an opportunity to build, own and operate their own classic American Diner/Restaurant in downtown Torrington, CT.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
the under-21 truck driver pilot program was a complete failure. Only 80 even bothered to apply
“Large motor carriers have long peddled the thoroughly debunked myth of a driver shortage to promote policies allowing them to hire the cheapest labor possible in order to maximize their profits,” OOIDA wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer. “This includes efforts to lower the minimum age for driving interstate to 18 years old.”
Dolly Parton has announced a groundbreaking partnership to rebrand and expand the Tennessean Travel Stop network.
Parton, no stranger to life on the road after decades touring in her signature bus, emphasized the personal touch behind the project. “I have spent the bulk of my life on the road, and more specifically on a bus,” she said in the announcement. “I believe we will fill a void out there on the highways, all while bringing the heart and soul of Tennessee.”
The Cornersville site will remain operational during renovations, ensuring minimal disruption for drivers on Interstate 65. Looking ahead, this flagship serves as a proof of concept, with plans for additional locations rolling out across Tennessee and potentially nationwide throughout 2026. Features will include state-of-the-art facilities tailored to truckers’ needs, such as ample parking for semis, quick-service eateries with Southern-inspired menus, and retail showcasing local Tennessee products, from artisan crafts to snacks that evoke home.
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dolly-parton-launches-truck-stop-venture
the Hassan Brothers, tow truck company owners, were busted for defrauding workers’ compensation insurers of nearly $6 million in premiums.
The scheme involved underreporting payroll by over $13 million and using "shell companies" to hide employee wages and avoid tax withholdings.
a California Department of Insurance investigation revealed they reported only $3 million in payroll when the actual figure was over $16.7 million.
Mark Hassan, who operated numerous towing businesses across Los Angeles—including Hadley Tow, Courtesy Tow, and California Coach Towing—held active contracts with several Southern California law enforcement agencies at the time of his arrest.
For three years straight, lag bolts have been the most common thing left behind by Burning Man attendees who are too lazy or stoned to remove the tent stakes.
Volunteers found 2,304 lag bolts, tent stakes and pieces of rebar embedded in the hardened mud this year, an increase from 1,508 in 2024.
That's 52 percent more.
The BLM inspects 120 sites on the festival’s grounds. If 12 or more of those sites fail the agency’s requirements, Burning Man risks losing its privileges to use the desert for future events.
Just seven of the 120 sites inspected failed to meet BLM’s standards.
70,000 people attended Burning Man last year
You're about to hear a lot of groans, moans, and bellyaching from New Yorkers... the mayor just decided that 24/7, 365, the speed limit in New York school zones - is 15 MPH.
“If this were really about protecting the children, why would it be 24 hours a day?”
His new push will lower 20 mph speed limits in roughly 700 school zones, and establish 100 new 15-mph zones by the end of this year.
Altogether, 15 mph speed limits will come to 800 more school zones – or 1,300 citywide – by the end of 2026, officials said.
The new limits will become official after a 60-day public comment period, officials said.
City Department of Transportation officials will eventually expand the lower speed limits to all 2,300 public and private school locations across the city when Mamdani’s first term ends, the mayor said.
city officials going back decades have supported lowering speed limits to 15 mph, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1999.
https://nypost.com/2026/03/16/us-news/mayor-zohran-mamdani-will-lower-speed-limits-to-15-mph-in-school-zones-sources/
an organized diesel fuel theft scheme in Northwest Florida knew how to use super magnets to get the fuel pump to dispense without counting the gallons
5 arrested, on felony tampering with a fuel pump.
The guys were caught on surveillance footage filling up multiple semi trucks with diesel fuel.
How the hell did the engineers who designed the pump, not notice that they had ferrous materials, (which are needed to create sparks, and are magnetic) in a part of the pump system where someone could use a super magnet to get free fuel?
A driver in Los Angeles was ticketed for using a jacket carefully wrapped around the front seat with the seatbelt fastened across it to resemble a person to cheat carpool lane laws
Congrats and happy 30th anniversary to King Shocks!
Every component sold by King Shocks is manufactured in their California workshop, and it's a privately owned company - there is no corporation cutting corners so shareholders get rich, and customers get screwed
Monday, March 16, 2026
Linda Vaughn was discharged last wed, from the hospital after a heart attack in Feb, at Daytona following Darrell Gwynn‘s celebrity fishing tournament.
She underwent surgery on February 14 at Halifax Hospital
She remained under medical supervision for several weeks before being discharged on March 11 and continuing her recovery outside of the hospital.
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