Ugh... whoever did the editing for that needs to learn how to preview their work before uploading. Music audio one moment, motor audio the next. Rinse & repeat. Annoying as hell.

I drove a semi sometimes for a couple years for my family farm. Didn't drive a whole lot, and pretty much all on back dirt roads and in lots/fields, to get some experience before possibly getting a CDL. Never ended up getting the CDL because I moved and changed jobs. I was around and learned from skilled drivers (my dad for one), so I know a little bit, but I'm certainly no expert. That being said:

Backing up a vehicle with a trailer is quite difficult because compared to a normal vehicle with no trailer, all your intuition is wrong and little mistakes get amplified quickly.

Backing up a car and want your tail end to go right? Turn the wheel right. Want the same thing to happen in a semi with a trailer? First turn the wheel left while you back up, which will push the tail end of your tractor left, causing a reaction like pressing on a lever that pushes the tail end of the trailer right. But don't overdo it, because that same lever-type action causes more movement the further you get away from the fulcrum point, so a tiny move there can result in a BIG swing.

Complicating that, you have no central rear view mirror. Side mirrors work, but distance can be obscured by the huge trailer very quickly.

Basically, backing up is one of the most daunting things about learning to drive a truck, particularly for people new to it. The "pull ups" he mentioned are the best way to overcome that. Pulling forward a short/medium distance gets the tractor and trailer back into alignment, so that straight back should result in the trailer going straight back. From that point, you can try to make small corrections. If it starts to swing a lot, pull up again and straighten out, lather rinse repeat.


The guy in the video does a good job (way better than I could do), but he seems to think he's the shit. I don't think you earn real trucking community bragging rights until you can reverse double trailers, or even triples if you want to be worshiped as a god.

Here's a video with doubles:


One of the full-timers on my family farm was quite good with doubles. Not "obstacle course" good, but I saw him reverse a slow circle around a grain bin. And he liked to tell stories about a some semi-mythical whiz guy that could reverse triples around a corner, etc.

Another thing you can do to cheap steak is to use coarse sea/kosher salt and coat it really well, then let it sit an hour per inch of thickness. After that, rinse it off and pat it dry. You can also use kiwi, pineapple, or papaya to tenderize it instead, it is quicker but some people don't want the flavor marinading the steak.

correct, but isn't this more of a trait of humans in general? And all throughout history? Not just pundits in the year 2016/17. We are all biased, we base belief on our shared experiences, we believe concepts in groups, then we fight about it. Rinse and repeat. The soap box is just a lot further-reaching now.

Walk near the minefield. Drop a bunny. Bunny walks bunny goes boom. Walk up to where the bunny went boom. Drop another bunny. Rinse and repeat.

You should be able to get across with an extra bunny or three. In the end game, you can use any extra bunnies on some moving machinery as a small easter egg. Ben likes it, anyway.

I actually made a cyanotype print in high school chem class (a long time ago!). The process is that you make the solution, paint it on the paper, let it dry in the dark, put the object or negative on top, expose to sunlight (or UV light), and then rinse it in water to fix the print.

I also found this set of instructions which confirmed what I remembered

http://www.alternativephotography.com/wp/processes/cyanotype/cyanotype-classic-process

I seem to recall at the time it was widely known that she was actually very severely burned. It just wasn't as interesting a story. I had a friend a couple years later whose mouth was wrecked (at an Arby's I think) because they used lye (or something like it) to clean out the fryers but didn't rinse them properly afterward. She permanently lost her sense of taste. They only covered her medical bills.

Hey kceaton1,

I'm sorry to hear about the narcolepsy and sleep paralysis. I remember watching a video someone put out recently (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PuvXpv0yDM) that sort of explained what it is like and it didn't seem like very much fun. I can't really imagine what you're going through. I have a friend who has narcolepsy but it must be a mild version because it seems like she kind of winds up to it and comes out of it pretty easy.

In regards to your question, I appreciate you not writing off my response as one thing or another. In regards to supernatural experiences, I can see why you have a lot of skepticism as well. You have experienced things on the order of what you've heard other people call supernatural experiences, but you have a natural explanation for them.

Having a supernatural experience can be hard to quantify, and usually when God is revealing something to you, it goes beyond sense impressions. You could perhaps write some of them off as one thing or another but three experiences in particular stand out to me as being undeniable. They aren't necessary what led me to Christ but they really defy any kind of naturalistic explanation.

The first was from before I was a Christian, when I was into the new age. At the time I was exploring a lot of eastern spiritual practices. There is one in particular, which I wont go into detail about, that for a few minutes allowed me to see with my eyes closed. When I was in the shower one day I closed my eyes to rinse my hair and when I did I was utterly shocked and amazed to be looking right at my feet and the water falling down upon them. It was real time and the only difference from normal vision was it had kind of an energetic haze over everything, kind of matrix looking. It was otherworldly but still completely in sync with my normal vision when I opened my eyes.

I wasn't hallucinating because I was able to test it in real time by opening and closing my eyes and looking at various things. It was all completely consistent and completely real. I could see what was going on to minute detail with my eyes closed and when I opened them everything matched perfectly, and vice versa. I wasn't dreaming because I immediately got out of the shower and told my then significant other who would vouch for that happening. It didn't last long but I did experience it and there isn't a naturalistic explanation.

The second thing that happened to me is that is undeniable is that I was physically healed by a Christian praying over me. My left leg used to be shorter than my right leg by a quarter inch. I know this because I measured it a few times and it caused me to walk somewhat unevenly. The man prayed for someone else who had the same problem except worse, and I saw their leg grow out and even up with the other. When I saw that I asked to be prayed for and the same thing happened to me. I know it did because I measured my legs and they are exactly the same length. I also had to learn how to walk correctly after this happened. Again, no naturalistic explanation.

The third thing happened at my baptism. I knew I needed to get baptized, although at the time I didn't really understand what it was all about. When I got baptized, it completely changed me. The easiest way to described it is, when I went into the water I was one person, and when I came back up I was a different person. Different in this sense, that I was cleansed on the inside. Emotionally and spiritually, it was like a thick black sludge had been removed from the walls of my heart. An emotional weight had been lifted, depression and anger and sadness disappeared; it was replaced with an incredible lightness, with true peace and joy. This wasn't superficial; I was utterly changed. I was a different and better (healed)person, and on top of that I could sense the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit, from that moment on until now.

People have given me different explanations; hallucinations, psychotic break, etc. I've have a lot of experience with people who have mental illness; the things that happen to them aren't positive, they're negative. When they think they have entered Nirvana, their behavior is completely off and often self-destructive. Delusional psychosis doesn't heal, it hurts. One way or another, the whole thing is going to unravel because it isn't real. What has happened to me is very real and I experience Gods love, care and guidance every day of my life. The Lord is good, and He is faithful; He cares even about the little things of my life.

I am a Christian not simply because I have seen miracles, it is because I believe the gospel. I know I am a sinner and that I need a Savior. I know that Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for my sins and was raised to life on the third day. The Lord has made that clear to me and I don't have any trouble agreeing with Him. He gave it all for me; why should I do any less? Before I knew the Lord I was resigned to a meaningless death. Today, I have a living hope. But I didn't come to be a Christian because I am afraid of death. I came to be a Christian because God revealed Himself to me, that He created me for a reason, and that my true fulfillment and purpose can only be found in Him. Since I have given my life to Jesus Christ, I have found that to be completely true, in ways I could never have imagined. My life affirms the truth of this scripture:

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Ephesians 3:21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever. Amen.

ahh standard blankfist...no arguments, just ad homs, distractions, and changing the subject.. also like the lack of quoting so he hopes I don't see the post and respond.

run away troll, run away. Looking forward to the next time...lather rinse repeat.

I also have narcolepsy, but out of the different "versions" you can find, I think mine may be the easiest to handle (though it may depend on person to person). I do get tired, but strangely I also suffer from extreme chronic headaches, which are powerful enough to keep me awake (bad however, as taking naps are almost always out of the question).

My issues revolve around the fact that when I go to sleep I stay in REM, or phase 2 sleep, almost all night long. I will have very vivid dreams that occur all night long (usually I'll sleep for two hours, get woken up by the dream, rinse and repeat). With this comes the more terrible aspects. I have constant bouts of sleep paralysis every night, and on top of this I suffer from hypnagogic hallucinations like crazy (even when I "think" I'm fully awake).

Very rarely the narcolepsy causes sleeping fits, but it is rare. It may be possible that cataplexy is involved, but I doubt it--it simply happens to rarely (although it does mimic it fairly closely).

Anyway, hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis are NOT for everyone (as I had a hypnagogic hallucination so strong it felt like someone was yanking me through my bed, sound familiar?). This is where the origins of succubi, demons, angels, and aliens taking you away in the night come from. So, if you do not have a healthy intellect and open mind, you may just end up being, literally, scared of sleeping (unless you are on something akin to Xyrem).

My father has it as well, his symptoms are a little more classical, much like the poster above.

OK, I see your points but....
1)with the plunger right there in it's holder, I never let it get close to spilling over, what a mess that would be (and there is a heat vent right there, UGH!)

2)I try to be careful plunging and not splash at all, but you do have a good point here, it would be cleaner, especially for those that get crazy plunging.

3)I leave the plunger in the toilet and flush again (at least once), to rinse it off some before removing it at all, then place it in it's holder. Granted, that's a bit nasty, but it never smells, and I give it a spray of bleach too. Every so often, while it's dry, I take it outside and wash it in the yard where the sun will sterilize everything.

The plastic seems to require you to clean before AND after, by hand at first BEFORE you can plunge (edit: with your face right next to the clog!)...and that's impossible if it's overflowing! Then what?!? A plunger can be cleaned up after at your leisure (better be before the wife needs the toilet though) and with scrubbing bubbles and/or bleach if that's your preference.

It may be strong enough to survive 'plunging' with your hands, but I certainly don't want to be the one to test that, or to find out it wasn't! It looks like if you don't get a perfect seal (so a perfect dry and clean rim first) it could easily detach. UGH!

Disposing the plastic requires you to take it to the garbage bag (or the bag to it) and then to take out that bag, which may or may not mean dripping it through your home, depending on your bathroom garbage. (mine has no bag)

All that said it's an interesting idea, but I think I prefer the plastic plunger. To each his own though.

I've been snorkeling loads of times, and while I don't really have any problems with the standard/basic equipment, this looks like a cool idea and definitely easier for first-timers.

I don't think it looks difficult to maintain -- with a normal mask, the secret that often goes untold due to sanitary reasons I suppose is that the best way to clean them and to prevent fog-up is to spit in there, rub it around, and then give it a quick saltwater rinse. If the anti-fogging mechanism of this works well, then you could just skip that step. If it doesn't work as advertised, well, I guess the spit technique would still hold up just fine.

As for maintaining/cleaning the breathing lines, I would imagine that they can be flushed with water. I don't think I've ever worried about that with a normal snorkel, I don't really see why this would be different.

The issue with increased difficulty in pressure equalization (since you can't plug your nose) is a problem, but I'd say the target audience for this product is newcomers to snorkeling, and they are probably not going to be the type to do much diving down past the 6-12 foot depth where that will be an important issue.

The only other thing that I can think of is that with a normal snorkel, clearing water from the tube is pretty easy with a big exhaled blow. If water gets into this thing, for whatever reason, I dunno if it is possible to clear it without surfacing and taking the whole thing off.

think of it this way. we raise the minimum wage, now that the lower and middle classes have more purchasing power, there will be more demand and businesses will be able to use that demand as an excuse to raise prices more, offsetting by far any extra money they have to pay employees.

I'm fed up with this cycle we have. some douchebag raises prices because they feel entitled to more profit. because of the raised prices workers cannot afford what they could in the past and demand higher wages, eventually, with much contempt and whining, wages do eventually increase, which leads to that same douchebag feeling entitled to more profit and lather rinse repeat.

I want a stable system that doesn't go through this cycle of raising costs. It's the dog chasing it's tail.

Like I said earlier, no one likes demanding raises from their employer, so lets create a system that isn't based on greed, but instead on promoting a healthy and productive lifestyle so people don't have to ask for raises.

I want to live in a world where necessities are cheap and plentiful. you want to price gouge me on the price of an ipad to the point where I can't afford it? that's a luxury item so I don't give a shit.

I want to live in a world where it doesn't matter if I'm a ceo or a janitor, having a decent apt or home, healthcare and healthy food isn't an issue. The rest is extra. We would all be more productive if we didn't have to worry about the basics of a healthy life.

@Fairbs
that actually was being criminally done when i worked in miami.a few waiters had been busted using a "swiper" which captured your info.if i remember correctly (this was in the 90's) the swiper would hold hundreds of accounts.they would then sell the nimbers (by "swiping" and rinse and repeat.

i remember being extremely offended at the time because there is an implied trust between a customer and the waiter.people gave me their cards all the time,essentially handing me what could possibly be thousands of dollars in credit.i found the whole idea of what they were doing despicable.

@dag - What I like best about your comment is that you present constructive criticism, while the rest of the media, government and public are preparing the tar and feathers.

I'm frustrated by the way we focus on personality and ignore the systemic nature of these kinds of issues. Once we tar and feather Obama, the next president will find herself/himself in need of effective national security measures and will likely go along with whatever the NSA thinks is best. Hillary is Stalin! Rand Paul is Hitler! Rinse and repeat. This is part of the reason why nothing ever seems to get done.

As an aside, I've certainly been on the offensive side of these crusades with Bush, McCain, Hillary and Romney, so this newish perspective is something of an epiphany. Not to say I didn't voice legitimate gripes, but I took cheap shots aplenty.

In short, I'm probably feeling what the rest of the world has long known, that Americans are immature, aggressive and completely unproductive in the way we manage their civic affairs, and it's not going to stop till we wise up.

(So just give up)


Anyway.....