https://www.kptv.com/2026/05/05/historic-wwii-aircraft-lacey-lady-being-restored-flight/
Saturday, May 09, 2026
An MTA superintendent crafted homemade placards, created on his home computer, registered to addresses he had not used since 2006, and used them for years to regularly park his two out-of-state cars all over the city
A 2024 Department of Investigation report found that there were over 100,000 parking placards in circulation among the NYPD, DOT and Department of Education. The report criticized a lack of coordination between the three agencies, calling for them to “phase out the use of physical permits.”
Streetsblog has documented how the same impunity granted by a placard is often extended to people who may not have the permit but still have some kind of vest, hand-scrawled sign or symbol of devotion to a member of law enforcement.
The social media account @placardabuse wrote in Streetsblog last year that they had published over 40,000 photos of seeming placard abuse over the past 10 years.
https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/05/07/mta-superintendent-busted-for-diy-placard
did you hear they had a 32,000 gallon jet fuel leak at Andrews AFB? Imagine opening the valve on 3 semi tankers at the same time, and letting them empty. How's that happen on accident and no one notice?
the Maryland Dept of Energy announced on Apr 13th that the Air Force Base failed to promptly notify the state and disclose the leaks, as required by state regulations.
The base leak detections system failed multiple times in three months and the MDE wasn't notified until the odor and the sheen was observed on the headwaters of Piscataway Creek on March 23rd
Further, the base's contamination prevention system also failed twice in early April, when a containment dam collapsed during heavy rain
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5867836-jet-fuel-leak-joint-base-andrews
this follows the Nov 2021 leak of 20,000 gallons into the Navy water supply from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, contaminating the water supply for 93,000 military members at Pearl Harbor Navy base and Hickam AFB
World War I Action Film 'Landship' Trailer About a British MKIV Tank
Set during the 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, a 9-man British MKIV tank crew embarks on a mission to destroy German bunkers. When they become trapped in a shell crater just yards from enemy lines, they must band together to survive against starvation, shellshock, and the enemy.
tickets for the new Nascar venue in San Diego at selling for between 270 and 6000 apiece. Not worth that unless you're getting to ride in a race car, just my opinion
that is one huge water tower, 75,000 gallons, a city water tower. Steve and 49er Badger individually looked it up, Sunset Beach California, built in 1892 from redwood and fir
In 1940, the Santa Fe Tank & Pipe Co. rebuilt the tank, with it now being able to contain 75,000 US gal (280,000 L), making it the largest water tower ever on the West Coast at the time
Used by Pacific Electric until 1945, then from 1945 until 1974 it stored water that was pumped from an artesian well from Bolsa Chica bluffs.
Deemed too expensive to rehabilitate, it due to be torn down in the 1980s, but a public outcry saved it and it was converted into a house that you can visit today.
87 feet tall, (9 stories in terms of typical buildings)
When the water tower became obsolete and several architects intervened and converted the tower into the house it is today. The house was converted by a math professor at Long Beach City College who had once bought another water tower. The conversion was finished in 1984.
I've been surprised to have posted about water towers, who built them, how, and where... and this one is bigger than most city water towers I've seen.
It's not the largest, I used to live next to the million gallon tower in North Park https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2021/03/thats-famous-north-park-water-tower-in.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Street_Water_Tower
You have GOT to watch this video... but keep in mind, as rich and successful as this guy is, he has no clue how much water weighs per gallon. It's not 6 pounds, as he states. It's 8.3 pounds a gallon> How did I know? I crewed on subs, and buoyancy, ballast, displacement etc are just everyday facts to submariners. Sea water is 8.55
Thank you Steve! Thank you 49er Badger!
great shop trucks!
I was surprised to learn, these aren't Fords. These, are Fordsons. I don't think I've ever come across a Fordson vehicle, just the tractors
Friday, May 08, 2026
A moment to reflect on the decade of chopper making, and the guys that were the most familiar to the gearhead enthusiasts
Indian Larry
Billy Lane
Paul Teutul Jr and Sr
Jesse James
Arlen Ness
Shinya Kimura
these guys did something similar to Von Dutch for the industry they made famous, they brought it to the headlines, and magazine features, and put the chopper into pop culture in a positive way that had corporations lining up to be customers, and cable tv channels trying to sign the talent to a contract for a series.
If you don't get the Von Dutch reference, well, shit, I've been doing this a long time, and about a decade ago, I came across a very cool tribute from pinstripers who showed respect to Von Dutch because if not for him, they'd work jobs that sucked just like you and me
my mistake, it was 16 years ago. https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/brucker-collection-aka-von-dutchs.html
So back to my point, these legends of chopper builds were a big part of the movement that allowed a LOT of other guys to start their own business, and enjoy the American dream of running your own business, making friends and customers happy, and creating a piece of respected craftsmanship
it was found in a storage unit, seized up... but, that simply means it's become garage decor. I doubt anyone would try to use one of these in a commuter. It would only be refurbished for a concours restoration for bonus points, I think
this reminds me that I discovered that I'm distantly related to McCulloch
Thursday, May 07, 2026
the house has two things in common with the car, both are 1955s, and both are enamel on steel panels.
After WWII, we needed houses fast. The answer was steel.
The Lustron was a prefabricated house made of enameled steel panels.
It was delivered on a truck. You could clean the walls with a garden hose. You hung pictures with magnets.
They were rust-proof and termite-proof.
The Lustron was a prefabricated house made of enameled steel panels.
It was delivered on a truck. You could clean the walls with a garden hose. You hung pictures with magnets.
They were rust-proof and termite-proof.
cave paintings
DeLorean factory workers sometimes made drawings on the insides of DeLorean body panels that today are affectionately referred to by DeLorean owners and enthusiasts as “cave paintings”.
I was talking about transmissions with a dune buggy owner - he said this about 6 thousand dollar dune buggy transmissions...
1st gear is glass,
2nd is aluminum,
3rd is steel,
4th is hardened steel
a semi hauling tar was straddling the railroad tracks in Riley Colorado, when the passenger train came through and cut it in half, putting 6 thousand gallons of tar somewhere it wasn't wanted, needed, or useful.
https://www.facebook.com/david.riley.136014/posts/pfbid0355mLGNi5YaxdiV98sCKwQ7TXYDpi8Ri9LbUWB2LpT8RTC7YrgFE28Lwn3VRA6Z4xl
