Wapsi Square Forum

scantrontb wrote:in a military TM 31-210: Improvised Munitions handbook?

... OK... what the hell were you that you even know about that handbook?

Sgt. Howard wrote:

scantrontb wrote:in a military TM 31-210: Improvised Munitions handbook?

... OK... what the hell were you that you even know about that handbook?

... never mind, I now see it is common fodder on the internet.

A while ago, Kate mentioned that she thought there could be termites. Lance (landlord) said that he'd had the place checked, clean bill of health.

(I don't recall if i mentioned this, but...) The other day, i was sitting here at the computer, and i heard raucous bird squawks outside - and then "BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Grabbed the camera, sneaked outside, got just one glimpse (no chance to grab a photo before he flew away) of this boyo (well, one like him), who'd been working on the porch* railing:
 


I went to see what he'd been up to, and saw this:



Apparently, he's been back since, because the excavation now looks like this:





(I thought i ought give a sense of scale, so i included the dime.)

'Twould appear there very likely are termites in that railing...

===================================

* This is a porch outside what used to be the front door; that door is no longer in use {and you can't even open the door from the inside} since the address and driveway were shifted to Old Lakeview Road from Lakeview Drive, on the other side of the lot, years ago {before we moved here}.

In a porch railing in your general region, my first thought would be carpenter bees rather than termites. Have you looked for any holes about as big around as a pencil chewed into the undersides of the rails?

Catawampus wrote:In a porch railing in your general region, my first thought would be carpenter bees rather than termites. Have you looked for any holes about as big around as a pencil chewed into the undersides of the rails?

We had both turn up during an inspection at our home (Silicon Valley area) about three months ago. Actually, we had several problems: both subterranean and drywood termites, some carpenter-bee tunnels in the beams of a small out-building, and rot and decay on some of the woodwork. Fortunately, there were no big infestations, but it was time to deal with 'em.

I had the house and out-building tented and fumigated to get rid of the drywood termites and carpenter bees, the perimeters trenched/drilled and treated with "barrier" insecticides to kill and block the subterranean termites, repaired or replaced the damaged beams myself, replaced a couple of rotted fascia boards on the out-building, rebuilt the out-building door and door-frame, had the roofs torn off of the house and out-building, water-damaged plywood replaced (100% of the out-building, and a few pieces around the outside of the house), new shingles and ridge vent (house) and torchdown roofing (outbuilding) installed, and a complete paint job.

It was the busiest couple of months we've had around home since we bought the place 20 years ago... and, really, the first surge of major maintenance we've had to do.

My wife was overseas during most of the process (that's why I scheduled it as I did), so she got to come back to a revivified house and missed 99% of the chaos. She loves how it looks.

As Lorien said, "As it should be."

Catawampus wrote:In a porch railing in your general region, my first thought would be carpenter bees rather than termites. Have you looked for any holes about as big around as a pencil chewed into the undersides of the rails?

No - but termites are my first thought, given that he's apparently trenching along over a nest, and the interior appears to be hollowed out, which i associate more with termites than bees.

So my son made it through a school year with perfect attendance. He however, is currently very sick, and very cabin fevered.

To combat this, we had a Despicable Marathon and craft day...

It was glorious!

Arrrgh! Where's a "Like" button, when you need one?


Hey, cool: the "cool" emoticon is back...

Sgt. Howard wrote:

Sgt. Howard wrote:

scantrontb wrote:in a military TM 31-210: Improvised Munitions handbook?

... OK... what the hell were you that you even know about that handbook?

... never mind, I now see it is common fodder on the internet.

um... i just looked at my bookshelf?... i knew i had one, but for this instance i was lazy and just looked it up on the interwebs...

scantrontb wrote:um... i just looked at my bookshelf?... i knew i had one, but for this instance i was lazy and just looked it up on the interwebs...

When I was in, you had to be rated 'Confidential' or better to even KNOW that book existed... (sigh)...

I've actually heard about some things that would be in that from my dad. He was an infantry sergeant.

I think one of my favorite stories was when his unit was on FTX and he taped a couple of smoke grenades to a couple of CS grenades and dropped it off in the middle of the OPFOR camp. They got a little bit... shall I say, unhappy with him, because they then had to wear their gas masks all night.

EDIT: for those who don't know, CS gas is tear gas, and it's kind of thin compared to the smoke from a smoke grenade. The smoke hides the CS gas, so when they thought it was one thing, they didn't put on the masks. Nasty prank.

I'm going to assume the "C" stands for Capsaicin?

"It was discovered by two Americans, Ben Corson and Roger Stoughton, at Middlebury College in 1928, and the chemical's name is derived from the first letters of the scientists' surnames."

It doesn't seem to resemble capsaicin at all closely, either chemically or structurally.

It's some nasty stuff, too. Not outright horrible, but when I was exposed to it, I remember smelling a scent very similar to that of a bottle rocket's exhaust. Made my face all itchy and burning, and it made my throat incredibly itchy.

Funny thing was, once I got out of it and the coughing stopped, I was tempted to ask a drill sergeant if I could go back through the gas chamber. Unfortunately everyone was too busy, so I didn't get a second go.

See, I'd have assumed Capsaicin, because of the burning (and its use in OC spray).

Last night, my mom said she was trying to hook me up with a woman she works with who is about my age. For the sake of brevity, I will refer to her as V.

Thing is, I can't really take care of myself right now, and V has two young children, who's father is never around, and while claiming he was faithful, fathered a child with someone else, and that child was born within a couple weeks of one he had with V. Now, I'm worried he might try to cause some trouble, but then again, I do know how to be a bit crazy (apparently, the left-handed gene is connected to the psychosis gene).

She seems nice enough, but here's what I'm worried about: I'm white, she's black. I wouldn't be surprised if some folks would have problem with me being white.

And then there's the fact that I haven't been in a relationship in eight and a half years. I didn't know what I was doing then, and haven't learned much since.

Alkarii wrote:Last night, my mom said she was trying to hook me up with a woman she works with who is about my age. For the sake of brevity, I will refer to her as V.

Thing is, I can't really take care of myself right now, and V has two young children, who's father is never around, and while claiming he was faithful, fathered a child with someone else, and that child was born within a couple weeks of one he had with V. Now, I'm worried he might try to cause some trouble, but then again, I do know how to be a bit crazy (apparently, the left-handed gene is connected to the psychosis gene).

She seems nice enough, but here's what I'm worried about: I'm white, she's black. I wouldn't be surprised if some folks would have problem with me being white.

And then there's the fact that I haven't been in a relationship in eight and a half years. I didn't know what I was doing then, and haven't learned much since.

Back in Spring of 2006 I opened my house to a woman with two children- she is five years older than my youngest daughter. This was supposed to be temporary. Her boys now call me 'Dad'. She adores me. I'll be damned if I know why, but I wouldn't trade my situation for anything.

OK, she's black. That means people will look. They look at Annie and I as well. There are those who will not be comfortable around a mixed union. No matter WHAT you do, there will be those who disapprove.

Don't let that stop you. Date her and figure out if she holds your interest. And THANK GOD I have Annie!!! If I were dating these days, I would know less of what I am doing than you do!!!
Besides- Black girls are YUMMY!

A black woman with a white man seems to be less common than a white woman with a black man (at least around here) but there is nothing wrong with it. If she's a nice person go for it. Other peoples' opinions would be a dumb reason to pass up a good thing. Cue Carlton Banks.

Found out she's not 100% black. Apparently a significant portion of her father's ancestors are Native American. So less to worry about there. Plus, most people in my family are sure we've got some Cherokee someone in the family tree.

Alkarii wrote:She seems nice enough, but here's what I'm worried about: I'm white, she's black. I wouldn't be surprised if some folks would have problem with me being white.

If you appear to be rejecting a potential relationship *because of* the racial difference (regardless of how many other reasons you might have for rejecting the relationship), some idiots will call you a racist.

If you, being a white male, get into a relationship with a black female, some idiots will call both of you racist.

Some advice from a couple of my favorite philosophers:

Some people quiver
and cower and shrink
owing to fear of
what people may think.

There is one answer
to worries like these:
People may think
what the devil they please.
-- Piet Hein

But it's all right now, I've learned my lesson well
You see, you can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself
-- Rick Nelson