So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[Trenchfriend]

^^^^^
I think you’re asking if there’s such a thing as a “windproof” lighter.

If so, I’d like to know as well. I don’t smoke, but I still occasionally have need to start a fire.

I still like the storm lighter topic.

Now, I know how to call the real storm lighter, I got next to my jet flame lighters. It's a catalysis lighter. Another pro is, that you can use it as storm lighter or classic lighter. The wire keeps the flame going.
But it's said, that these wires never last that long.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Hm, for 57 bucks, you don't really get much in supermarket, these days...

 

[GHT]

When I saw the image of the MG Extender I thought it was a joke. A pickup truck wearing emblems of an old British sports car outfit but sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.

In 2016 MG ended production in England and relocated to China, under the ownership of Chinese company SAIC Motor. And now it’s pretty much exclusively turning out mass-appeal cars. So with that in mind, it’s a little less of a stretch to imagine the MG emblem in the grille of a pickup truck.

That pickup’s not an original MG production though, it’s a re-badge of the Maxus T70, another SAIC Motor brand.

 

[Trenchfriend]

That even functional vehicles have to be fashionable designed, bugs me.

 

[Edward]

View attachment 459443
When I saw the image of the MG Extender I thought it was a joke. A pickup truck wearing emblems of an old British sports car outfit but sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.

In 2016 MG ended production in England and relocated to China, under the ownership of Chinese company SAIC Motor. And now it’s pretty much exclusively turning out mass-appeal cars. So with that in mind, it’s a little less of a stretch to imagine the MG emblem in the grille of a pickup truck.

That pickup’s not an original MG production though, it’s a re-badge of the Maxus T70, another SAIC Motor brand.

Ultimately, I'm not really surprised. It seems these days I see a lot of people-carriers, quasi-pickups and jeep-style motors around with all sorts of badges on them you wouldn't expect. The Porsche people-carrier was an odd one.... I believe the market is for the family man who used to have a sports car with one of these brands on it, now needs a family runabout and can't justify the cost of running an extra car for himself, so buys one of these so he can still regard himself as a Porsche / MG / whatever driver. It'll be interesting to see if they put the MG brand on anything in China, or if that's one predominantly for the export market. It does at least look practical, though I suspect like most of these things I see it would be significantly too large for me to feel comfortable driving it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I thought I was seeing things when I saw someone hauling their trash to the dump in a Cadillac SUV. What's next, a Lincoln Continental skidder?

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

The Lincoln skidder has been by-passed. Go directly to the Rolls Royce Cullinan SUV. Starting prices is $330 K.

 

[GHT]

Ultimately, I'm not really surprised. It seems these days I see a lot of people-carriers, quasi-pickups and jeep-style motors around with all sorts of badges on them you wouldn't expect. The Porsche people-carrier was an odd one.... I believe the market is for the family man who used to have a sports car with one of these brands on it, now needs a family runabout and can't justify the cost of running an extra car for himself, so buys one of these so he can still regard himself as a Porsche / MG / whatever driver. It'll be interesting to see if they put the MG brand on anything in China, or if that's one predominantly for the export market. It does at least look practical, though I suspect like most of these things I see it would be significantly too large for me to feel comfortable driving it.

The main reason that those American style trucks have become so prolific in the UK is down to tax. Company car tax to be more specific. In my role as a manager I had a top of the range Audi, the taxman took a painful bite out of my salary every month for having such a company car. The truck on the other hand is a commercial vehicle, it's technically a van, no car tax.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

The main reason that those American style trucks have become so prolific in the UK is down to tax. Company car tax to be more specific. In my role as a manager I had a top of the range Audi, the taxman took a painful bite out of my salary every month for having such a company car. The truck on the other hand is a commercial vehicle, it's technically a van, no car tax.

George Harrison had this to say:
"One, two, three, four
One, two (one, two, three, four)
Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Should five percent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
I'll tax the street
(If you try to sit, sit) I'll tax your seat
(If you get too cold, cold) I'll tax the heat
(If you take a walk, walk) I'll tax your feet
(Taxman)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Don't ask me what I want it for
(Ah, ah, Mr. Wilson)
If you don't want to pay some more
(Ah, ah, Mr. Heath)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
Now my advice for those who die (taxman)
Declare the pennies on your eyes (taxman)
'Cause I'm the taxman
Yeah, I'm the taxman
And you're working for no one but me (taxman)"

 

[GHT]

You have a good memory KN. The Mr Wilson mentioned in the song was the left wing Labour Party Prime Minister and Mr Heath of the Conservative Party, who succeeded him was allegedly more right wing. Both made a fine art out of tax collecting.


You previously mention the Rolls/Royce SUV. Do you know, if you had it sprayed military camouflage it would look like it really was some secret military vehicle. The first time that I saw one I thought that it was a van.

 

[tonyb]

The main reason that those American style trucks have become so prolific in the UK is down to tax. Company car tax to be more specific. In my role as a manager I had a top of the range Audi, the taxman took a painful bite out of my salary every month for having such a company car. The truck on the other hand is a commercial vehicle, it's technically a van, no car tax.

There was a time out Seattle way when it wasn’t unusual to see sports cars wearing truck plates parked in commercial vehicle spaces alongside downtown curbs. People found it quite convenient to park in those spaces near the front doors. Truck drivers were rightfully ticked off when they had to put their vehicles in less convenient places because a Mercedes SL was taking up the “truck” zone.
My understanding is that the licensing agencies have since put the kibosh on that practice.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Meanwhile, to complain again about false chumminess in the public world, I note today as I'm buying my sad-sack drive-thru lunch at the local Clown's Abode, when I finish telling the box what I want, a message flashes on the screen saying "Hey! Great Order!" Yes, I'm an insecure fourth grader who needs to be reassured and congratulated for every desperate little life choice she makes.

 

[BobHufford]

"Hey! Great Order!"

I've been getting a spate of "Perfect!" to my orders at various coffee/food establishments. This from order-takers of all ages. The orders were OK, but I don't think they qualify as perfect.

 

[tonyb]

I’ve been seeing signs at drive-thrus reading “PLEASE HAVE PAYMENT READY,” or words to that effect. And that’s just fine by me. It’s been a nearly lifelong annoyance of mine that so many people have so little regard for how their lollygagging wastes so many other peoples’ time.

I don’t think it’s malicious so much as mindless in most cases, although I did, not long ago, find myself with a few other shoppers behind a slovenly woman at a supermarket checkout line taking apparent pleasure in delaying progress as much as she could. I and my fellow sufferers rolled our eyes and muttered things like, “don’t say what you’re thinking; it would only make things worse.” I told the cashier, once I FINALLY got my turn, that I wouldn’t last an hour in her job.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We have that happen at our box office window every night of the week. Someone shows up bundled for the chill 45 degree night bundled in puffy coat, giant ski gloves, and other middle-class swaddles, orders a ticket, and then expresses frustration and shock that they're actually going to have to undo their performance-grade climate gear to get out their money or their card and physically push them thru the little hole in the window. Maybe next time, Admiral Byrd, you might have the cash in your grasp first.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Coal miner rushes straight from work to take his kid to the big game. This photo struck me as a Norman Rockwell painting waiting to happen. Old school.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/26/us/k...-john-calipari-coal-miner-son-game/index.html

 

[Turnip]

True blue collar attitude!

 

[Trenchfriend]

It's really trivial.
You know Bee Gees's 1987s album E.S.P.

I belong to the folks, not liking it that much, too.
But I still think, if they would have done a total remake of it, this would have been awesome! In my opinion, the album has much potential.
Just imagine, the over-the-top tech sound would be thrown overboard and replaced with a smooth souly, jazzy sound! I would love it!!
I would even love it, if only today Barry would do a smooth remake.

Man, I can hear it, I can feel it. You, too?

 

[GHT]

How's your internet delivery driver? We never tell them to, but the drivers of the various courier firms, usually leave a delivery in the garage if we are not in. Problem with that is, the garage door is an up and over design, it lets rain water seep in under the bottom of the door. The amount of issues that we have had over it.

 

[Zombie_61]

...How's your internet delivery driver?...

Years ago we had the same USPS delivery driver, and the same UPS driver, and the same FedEx driver, and so on, for each and every delivery by those carriers. We got friendly with them, and them with us. Then, one day, it was as if all of those agencies chose to screw up their own systems, and strangers who barely knew what they were doing were suddenly making deliveries to our house (if they made the delivery at all). Sometimes it seems idiots have taken over the operation of everything on this planet, and nothing goes as it should.