Mark Maras

Guten tag Rene. Good to have you aboard. You'll find a lot of interesting reading as well as great people on this site. Are you considering buying a Z?

I don't think I fear Covid19 as much as I fear those people who are buying toilet paper for a respiratory illness and how they're going to vote in November. One thing is for sure. Times like these will bring out the absolute best in some people and the absolute worst in others. It boils down to how much compassion they have in themselves. Those who have very little will also find they have very little conscience. F everyone else, I'm in it for me is the result.

As I understand it, there are many viruses, including other Coronas, that are far more deadly than Covid 19 but they didn't and don't spread easily. What scared everyone about this one was the discovery of it's communicability. They realized the medical services currently available wouldn't be able to cope with the spike in C19 victims in a short time span.

Probably round two of who knows how many in the pan epidemic.

It's hard to blame the guy who didn't drain the swamp when you're up to your arse in alligators. But, if you're about to get eaten, warning others of the swamp drainer's ineptness is excellent information for those who haven't entered the swamp yet. It gives the torch wielding villagers time to force those in charge to drain the swamp.

The Service center where Kathy and I volunteer has done that. All the elderly (God, how I hate that word) volunteers are to stay home until further notice. The Center is now temporarily staffed by younger folks who are out of work. I'd like to thank all those younger volunteers out there who are taking a bullet for us.

Well said. They're still down playing it and will continue down playing it because in this struggle of health vs wealth , the wealthy are in charge. The 2-3 month delay is the same thing that occured in the 1918 pandemic. "Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it". Evidently "HE" doesn't know history, substantiated by his statement that "nothing like this has happened to us before".

In the 2008 bailout we, at least, got to know where the money went. The GOP wants a blank check, to be kept secret for six months. What the hell is that all about, as if I can't imagine. If companies on public support go bust, we eat the losses. If they prosper we don't even get an interest payment. What the Dems fear is most of the money going to the huge corporations and ultra wealthy that don't need it. The best way to rebuild an economy is from the bottom up. Trickle down economics didn't work centuries ago and it still doesn't.

Ditto. They can do better than that. That said, dropping it 2", adding an airdam and a rear spoiler would help.

They could all be replaced by bobble-heads.

So far in these press conferences all I've seen is our Fearless Leader pat himself on the back. Then others take the mic and pat him on the back, which is followed by patting their own backs, Dr. Fauci excluded. The only part of this trif?cta I find enjoyable is the "nasty questions" time. The lack of answers to the questions is appalling. Narcissism can control a group as well as an individual. The world is full of group egos. Tribalism, cults, some patriotism, some religions, the list is endless. They're all rooted in group survival but if and when the group breaks down, it's like the last lap of a good race, there are no teammates, it's everyman for himself.

When Kathy worked for a Chevy dealership in the parts dept, the mechanic's name for those clips was Dammit Clips. Over the years I've used many methods to remove them, most of which ended up with me searching for the clip. Now I use a shop rag. Slip it behind the handle, pull it down to the clip and pull the rag side to side. The cloth will grab one end of the clip and pull it off. The end of the clip that stuck in the rag usually prevents it from shooting off to who knows where.

Empathy means that you feel what the other person is feeling. Sympathy means you can understand what a person is feeling. Compassion is the willingness to relieve the suffering of another. People can be altruistic but it's not easy for the wealthy to be altruistic. The people who have amassed fortunes, large and small, have gotten it because of their feeling of superiority, greed and narcissism. Narcissists will only help someone if they perceive they'll be getting something for their trouble. The deeper into the Narcissism spectrum one goes, the less compassion one has for others. Kathy and I have worked with the needy and homeless for the last three years. I've seen far more compassion among the homeless and needy than any other group of people in my 71 years. Sharing essentials, food, shelter, clothing, drugs (good and bad) and money is a way of life for these people because they truly care about their fellow human beings who have less than them. I don't see this behavior in the rich people. If they give someone something it will only be a miniscule portion of their wealth and they'll expect something back in return.

My early 71, 08750 has an E31.

I've puzzled on this one too. Today "Our best leader ever" mentioned bailing out the Love Boats and tourism in Florida. Could it be he has a special interest in Florida tourism? Sorry, that's one of those "NASTY QUESTIONS".

and good times can bring out the bad in people.

Meanwhile we listen to our Dear Leader tell us that he'd always known it was a pandemic and even felt it was a pandemic even before it was called a pandemic, then the next day he says the virus snuck up on us. The only truth I've heard from him was his admission that he's not responsible.

I watched an interesting documentary about the 1918 (Spanish flu) pandemic last night on TV. The first reported case was at an Army base in Kansas, March 11, 1918, then it crossed the Atlantic to Brest, France with the WWI American troop landings. It became the "Spanish flu" because Spain, being neutral in the war was the first to announce it on May 22, 1918. None of the powers at war, at the time, wanted to let the other side know of their vulnerability due to the flu. That flu, thanks to the war, had a full two months to spread within the troops and into the population before anyone could step in and begin to take preventative measures.

New COVID-19 testing method available. Mail a sample of your stool to: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20500

FSM = Factory Service Manual

We have the news recommending that we also stock up on bottled water, most of which is drawn and bottled from municipal water supplies. No one has explained how the virus can or will foul our water supplies. If there's one thing we have an abundance of in the rainy NW, it"s water. I believe the panic is caused from a lack of knowledge about this virus. There's very little info being offered other than wash your hands, stay home and if you're over 60 you may be screwed.

Keep the line of communication open. It takes a lot of patience and perseverance but don't give up, it'll all be worth it in a few years.

Before the age of float syncs, I set the float levels using a 9/16" drill bit. That crude measurement and 2 1/2 turns on the mixture screws always gave me light tan plugs. Go for it. I'm betting you'll find yours are very close to 9/16". Be sure to tell us what you find.

My early 71 had a steel fan painted ivory white. No plating.

@jalexquijano