Page 21 of 280
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 9:26 pm
by rustysi
Pretty cool for a gorn.
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 11:58 pm
by Zorch
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
Isn't this the Romulan death weapon from Balance of Terror?
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 6:19 am
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: Zorch
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
Isn't this the Romulan death weapon from Balance of Terror?
I was thinking the Gorn version of a Plague bacterium!
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 5:52 pm
by geofflambert
I've been reading a book by Barbara Tuchman about Joe Stilwell. I thought the following passage was hilarious. It refers to a Chinese general and provincial Governor.
"Lung Yun's resources for raising money were infinite. In one case he ordered that all two-wheeled carts, the common vehicle of the area, must be equipped with rubber tires. He then opened his warehouses to sell the tires he had confiscated during the days of traffic on the Burma Road. After that he passed a new law taxing all carts with rubber tires."
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 6:30 pm
by geofflambert
Here's one of those "What's this" thingies. What is this? '60s surely. Found it in Google maps.

RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 6:41 pm
by Macclan5
Ford Fairlane ??
Or Mercury equivalent back in the day when Ford had '2 badges' for every car ?
Cant make out the lettering.
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/N ... %2007.html
Maybe a 1968 Chrysler 300 - they looked a lot alike but the Chrysler appealed to guys "who cannot deny they like big booties"
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-conte ... 7-300s.jpg
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 7:28 pm
by BBfanboy
The lettering IDs it as a Dodge Polara, but I don't ever remember seeing one that looked like that. My first thought was an AMC Rambler...
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:43 pm
by dave sindel
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
Here's one of those "What's this" thingies. What is this? '60s surely. Found it in Google maps.
Dodge Polara - I'd guess a 1968 from the little round side lights on the rear fender. Pretty sure 1968 was the first year those were required, and Chrysler used that style
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 1:46 pm
by geofflambert
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
The lettering IDs it as a Dodge Polara, but I don't ever remember seeing one that looked like that. My first thought was an AMC Rambler...
My family had a couple of Ramblers (at different times), I would have recognized it. Looks longer to me. If this is a '68, I'm only 9 years older than it.
And I have the rust to prove it. [:D]
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 2:04 pm
by dave sindel
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
The lettering IDs it as a Dodge Polara, but I don't ever remember seeing one that looked like that. My first thought was an AMC Rambler...
My family had a couple of Ramblers (at different times), I would have recognized it. Looks longer to me. If this is a '68, I'm only 9 years older than it.
And I have the rust to prove it. [:D]
It's definitely a '68 Polara. My grandfather was a Chrysler mechanic for a long time and always drove a Dodge. Here's a Google link to images of 68 Polaras
https://www.google.com/search?q=dodge+p ... .5#imgrc=_
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 2:11 pm
by geofflambert
ORIGINAL: dave sindel
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
The lettering IDs it as a Dodge Polara, but I don't ever remember seeing one that looked like that. My first thought was an AMC Rambler...
My family had a couple of Ramblers (at different times), I would have recognized it. Looks longer to me. If this is a '68, I'm only 9 years older than it.
And I have the rust to prove it. [:D]
It's definitely a '68 Polara. My grandfather was a Chrysler mechanic for a long time and always drove a Dodge. Here's a Google link to images of 68 Polaras
https://www.google.com/search?q=dodge+p ... .5#imgrc=_
Oooh, convertibles. Sex bait.
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 5:04 pm
by Macclan5
ORIGINAL: dave sindel
Dodge Polara - I'd guess a 1968 from the little round side lights on the rear fender. Pretty sure 1968 was the first year those were required, and Chrysler used that style
Curious - no criticism ..
What was the difference between a Polara and a 300 ?
Similar to Ford/Mercury - Chev/Olds/Pontiac/Buick? i.e. body panels and 2 hp ?
IIRC Canadians seemed to prefer the Chrysler name badge over Dodge.. it was fairly consistent right through to the 80's when Chrysler Corp had their first financial melt down and the Dodge name seemed to come out on top.
My own family was split.. My Dad's side were Ford / Mercury Men... my Mom's side aspired to the Chrysler Imperial !
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 5:13 pm
by dave sindel
The 300 was a Chrysler brand - Polara the Dodge brand. I think they were on the same chassis and utilized a lot of the same components. My dad was a Ford / Mercury guy, as I have been mostly. My wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee is a nice ride I will say.
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 5:14 pm
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: Macclan5
ORIGINAL: dave sindel
Dodge Polara - I'd guess a 1968 from the little round side lights on the rear fender. Pretty sure 1968 was the first year those were required, and Chrysler used that style
Curious - no criticism ..
What was the difference between a Polara and a 300 ?
Similar to Ford/Mercury - Chev/Olds/Pontiac/Buick? i.e. body panels and 2 hp ?
IIRC Canadians seemed to prefer the Chrysler name badge over Dodge.. it was fairly consistent right through to the 80's when Chrysler Corp had their first financial melt down and the Dodge name seemed to come out on top.
My own family was split.. My Dad's side were Ford / Mercury Men... my Mom's side aspired to the Chrysler Imperial !
My understanding is that Chrysler was the lower priced line and Dodge added some chrome and cloth fabric to the same products. The plastic seats they used in those days were murder to sit on in winter - and I was a young buck without hemorrhoids! Dad always put a blanket on the bench seat to make it tolerable.
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 6:16 pm
by bomccarthy
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
My understanding is that Chrysler was the lower priced line and Dodge added some chrome and cloth fabric to the same products. The plastic seats they used in those days were murder to sit on in winter - and I was a young buck without hemorrhoids! Dad always put a blanket on the bench seat to make it tolerable.
Chrysler was the upscale brand; Dodge was the "working class" brand. The cars shared platforms, but Chrysler had extra-cost features. In the 50s, Chryslers got hemis, while Dodge had to make do with "wedge heads". That changed with the super stock "street" cars in the early 60s - from then on Chrysler focused almost solely on luxury, while Dodge and Plymouth sold performance.
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 7:01 pm
by HansBolter
ORIGINAL: geofflambert
I've been trying to see what I can do with my little camera. Here is a short clip of Mars. Lots of noise. There are several things I can do to try to clean it up. I took video because trying to take a pic involves jostling the camera, which is no good. I don't believe a cable trigger is made for it, but I can time the pic so it's hands off, as long as I get the target in the frame. I'll do that after I get a better result than this.
Your greatest nemesis is the atmosphere. The roiling and boiling of the image is all atmospheric effect.
Hot, humid conditions provide the most stable air, with the atmosphere most turbulent on the heels of a cold front as the cold air pushes out the warm air.
Another thing you can do to minimize atmospheric turbulence is minimize the amount of atmosphere you are looking through.
You do this by waiting until the object is as high in the sky as possible. The closer to the zenith the thinner the amount of atmosphere you are looking through.
For practical field observing we almost never bother with an object only 30 degrees above the horizon as the amount of atmosphere you are looking through is horrendous.
We astronomers call that being "down in the soup".
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:01 pm
by geofflambert
Thanks, Hans. Where do astronomers work in Florida? Mount OKeefenokee? How many days do you have before sea level rise swamps your observatory and do any of your research assistants look like alligators? [:D]
They might be relatives of mine, just would like to give a call out.
Oh, and my greatest nemesis is Captain James Tiberius Kirk.
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:14 pm
by scout1
Shouldn't you be pondering things pleasing to the eye ?
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:56 pm
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: bomccarthy
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
My understanding is that Chrysler was the lower priced line and Dodge added some chrome and cloth fabric to the same products. The plastic seats they used in those days were murder to sit on in winter - and I was a young buck without hemorrhoids! Dad always put a blanket on the bench seat to make it tolerable.
Chrysler was the upscale brand; Dodge was the "working class" brand. The cars shared platforms, but Chrysler had extra-cost features. In the 50s, Chryslers got hemis, while Dodge had to make do with "wedge heads". That changed with the super stock "street" cars in the early 60s - from then on Chrysler focused almost solely on luxury, while Dodge and Plymouth sold performance.
Ah, right - it was the Plymouth that was slightly cheaper than the Dodge but essentially the same vehicle.
RE: OT Things to ponder
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:03 am
by geofflambert
Adapt