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Hobbies (General/Chat)

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  • Weekly Garden Thread - January 6-12, 2024 [Garden Resolutions for 2024]

    01/06/2024 6:43:23 AM PST · by Diana in Wisconsin · 89 replies
    January 6, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam
    The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...
  • Alabama man strips buck naked, cannonballs into Bass Pro Shop aquarium, knocks himself unconscious

    01/05/2024 8:43:14 AM PST · by Red Badger · 57 replies
    Not The Bee ^ | Jan 5, 2024 · | Staff
    Florida man has some serious competition out there from Bama man. This dude in Leeds, Alabama crashed his truck into a light pole outside of a Bass Pro Shop last night and did the next logical thing. He stripped, ran inside the store, and did a cannonball right into the giant aquarium. Police Chief Paul Irwin said the incident happened about near closing time. (You can tell this story happened in Alabama because the website covering it used the phrase "about near" when referencing a statement from the police.) Apparently, there's video of the incident. I haven't found it yet...
  • Is Hiking the Gateway Drug to the Outdoors?

    01/03/2024 4:21:52 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 29 replies
    Men's Journal ^ | Dec 30, 2023 | Dalton Johnson
    How going for a hike can start a life in the outdoorsIn a world increasingly dominated by screens and urban landscapes, the call of the wild has never been more important. Hiking, often referred to as the gateway drug to the outdoors, serves as a transformative experience that can awaken a dormant appreciation for nature. While some may dismiss it as a mere recreational activity, the benefits of hiking extend far beyond the physical realm, acting as a catalyst for a deeper connection with the natural world. Hiking, with its accessibility and simplicity, has the power to ignite a passion...
  • The Bicycle Thread - January 2024

    01/02/2024 10:15:43 PM PST · by Berlin_Freeper · 13 replies
    January 3, 2024 | The Bicycle Thread
    Welcome to The Bicycle Thread. A monthly PING List for bicycle enthusiasts to share experiences, information and ideas. 🚴‍♂️👍
  • Weekly Garden Thread - Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2024 [Potpourri Edition - Post a Soup Recipe]

    12/30/2023 5:30:11 AM PST · by Diana in Wisconsin · 174 replies
    December 30, 2023 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam
    The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...
  • EV Is First Car To Complete 18,500-Mile Journey From North To South Pole

    12/29/2023 4:55:03 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 51 replies
    Jalopnik ^ | Logan Carter
    It took two people 10 months to drive the Nissan Ariya from the North to South PoleChris and Julie Ramsey completed their 10-month road trip from the magnetic North Pole to the South Pole, making them the first people on Earth to drive a car, EV or ICE, over 18,500-miles from the top of our planet to the bottom of it. The couples’ Nissan Ariya was upfitted by polar mobility specialists at Arctic Trucks to accommodate the 39-inch tires, but aside from that was completely stock from the battery to the drivetrain and everything in between. The couple started their...
  • Tesla Cybertruck involved in first reported crash – demolishes Toyota Corolla’s front end in head-on collision

    12/29/2023 4:13:11 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 35 replies
    New York Post ^ | Dec. 29, 2023 | Shannon Thaler
    Tesla’s stainless steel Cybertruck was involved in its first reported accident after finally hitting the road last month — and it wasn’t pretty for the other car. A Toyota Corolla was left crumpled after appearing to collide head-on with the fully electric, bomber-like vehicle on Thursday, according to a Reddit post that showed photos of the accident. The Toyota’s front end was completely demolished, with the sedan’s side airbags deployed as it rested on the side of the road with its hood popped open and a headlight dangling, one photo shows. The 17-year-old driver was not hurt, local police told...
  • Video: 96-year-old 'Grandma Mary' sends thousands of holiday cards to U.S. troops around the globe

    12/29/2023 3:25:26 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 7 replies
    KSBW ^ | Dec 29, 2023
    She hand writes each card and in 2023 sent 8,000 cardsA 96-year-old Kansas woman who comes from a military family annually sends thousands of holiday cards to members of the military who can’t be home for the holidays. "I think only had 7,000 the first year. But then I had 8,000 last year and 8,000 again this year,” Mary Peterson of McPherson, Kansas, told KAKE. Mary has been sending the cards to troops since 2020. In that time, more than 23,000 cards have been delivered to U.S. Army Fort Riley in North Central Kansas and then sent around the world...
  • Weekly Garden Thread - December 23-29, 2023 [The Holly & The Ivy Edition]

    12/23/2023 7:38:05 AM PST · by Diana in Wisconsin · 63 replies
    December 23, 2023 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam
    The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...
  • Man Finds 'Spectacular' 4.87-Carat Diamond in State Park

    12/22/2023 9:53:23 AM PST · by DUMBGRUNT · 20 replies
    Newsweek ^ | 20 Dec 2023 | Alice Gibbs
    In a dazzling turn of events, a man has unearthed a 4.87-carat diamond during his first ever visit to the renowned Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Jerry Evans, accompanied by his girlfriend, stumbled upon the precious find within the first 10 minutes of their expedition back in the spring. Initially he mistook the radiant gem for a mere piece of clear glass, but it turned out to be much more. The unsuspecting treasure hunter casually stashed the gem in his pocket among other collected items before heading home. "When they called and told me it was real, I...
  • Toyota Wants To Keep ICE Sports Cars Alive With Hydrogen

    12/22/2023 7:50:29 AM PST · by Red Badger · 24 replies
    Car Scoops ^ | December 4, 2023 at 12:32 | Sebastien Bell
    A hydrogen combustion engine would be ideal for a Toyota GR branded sports car, if only drivers could fill up Toyota remains adamant that a variety of emissions-reducing technologies will be important for the automotive industry. One, in particular, will be helpful for people who like to drive fast: hydrogen combustion engines. The automaker believes that the technology could help keep internal combustion engine sports cars alive in an electric world. In fact, Masahito Watanabe, the head of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division, says that complete electrification is not a priority for the sub-brand at this time. “We still think the...
  • NASA releases image of massive cosmic 'Christmas tree' floating in space

    12/20/2023 4:32:13 PM PST · by Diana in Wisconsin · 20 replies
    UPI News ^ | December 20, 2023 | AccuWeather Staff
    Christmas is less than a week away, and even the night sky is spreading some holiday cheer with what could be the largest Christmas tree in the universe. On Tuesday, NASA released an image of NGC 2264, also known as the "Christmas Tree Cluster," a group of young stars located around 2,500 light-years away from Earth. The image was captured by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the green nebula surrounding the stars resembled a festive Christmas tree. Some stars in the cosmic Christmas tree are only one-tenth the size of our sun, while others are several times larger. NASA added...
  • She bought a colorful vase at Goodwill for $3.99. The rare piece sold at auction for $107,000 (VA)

    12/20/2023 11:02:06 AM PST · by Diana in Wisconsin · 25 replies
    Channel 3000 News/AP ^ | December 20, 2023 | AP Staff
    Jessica Vincent had just started surveying the shelves of a Virginia thrift store when a vase caught her eye. It was shaped like a bottle and had ribbons of color, aqua green and amethyst purple, that spiraled up its glass surface like stripes of paint. The piece looked old amongst the clutter of measuring cups, candles and other tchotchkes. After adjusting her eyes, Vincent made out the words “Murano” and “Italia" on its base. “I bought it thinking it would look beautiful in my house somewhere,” said Vincent, 43, a horse trainer who paid $3.99 at a Goodwill outside of...
  • 4.87-carat, nearly-colorless diamond found at Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas

    12/20/2023 10:59:53 AM PST · by Red Badger · 21 replies
    UPI ^ | DEC. 20, 2023 / 1:49 PM | By Ben Hooper
    Dec. 20 (UPI) -- An Arkansas man who visited Crater of Diamonds State Park for the first time later discovered what he thought was a clear piece of glass was a 4.87-carat diamond. Jerry Evans of Lepanto said he had only been at the park in Murfreesboro when he picked up what he thought was a clear piece of glass and pocketed it. "I thought it might be a piece of glass, it was so clear. I really didn't know," he told Arkansas State Parks officials. "We were picking up everything thinking it was a diamond." A while after leaving...
  • Weekly Garden Thread - December 16-22, 2023 [Winter Garden Planning]

    12/16/2023 6:27:39 AM PST · by Diana in Wisconsin · 83 replies
    December 16, 2023 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam
    The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...
  • The Jedi 250 4L Isn’t Sure If It Wants To Be A Bagger Or A Mini-Bike

    12/14/2023 12:50:44 PM PST · by BraveMan · 29 replies
    RideApart ^ | Dec 12, 2023 at 11:54pm ET | Enrico Punsalang
    There’s a new cruiser in town, and it’s from Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Jedi. We’ve talked about this brand on multiple occasions in the past, and back then, it seemed as though Jedi was all about sportbikes that looked like they were plucked out of the set of a Star Wars movie. Well, as it would turn out, Jedi’s branching out into cruisers, with its new 250 4L. For the record, the Chinese brand doesn’t have anything to do with Star Wars contrary to what its name suggests. In fact, its new 250 4L seems pretty underwhelming, especially when put in...
  • US Woman Takes Her Gun Into an MRI Scanner And Gets Seriously Lucky

    12/12/2023 12:28:01 PM PST · by Red Badger · 89 replies
    Science Alert ^ | 12 December 2023 | MIKE MCRAE
    A 57-year-old Wisconsin woman received superficial wounds to her right buttock earlier this year when a concealed firearm on her person was subjected to the powerful magnetism of an MRI device. Though her injuries were relatively minor, consisting of a clean entry and exit through subcutaneous tissue, the incident is yet another reminder of the potentially deadly consequences of taking a loaded firearm into places where loaded firearms have no place. Detailed in a report by the US Food and Drug Administration, the case follows a shockingly similar incident that took place in Brazil just a few months prior, in...
  • Sharing my two latest fave cigar purchase sites for you FReeper Cigar Cheapskates out there

    12/09/2023 6:18:10 PM PST · by martin_fierro · 27 replies
    the intarwebz | 12/9/23 | marty_f
    Your ol' pal marty is philosophically opposed to paying a lot for his cigars. Yeah, yeah, I know, Arturo Fuente this and My Father that. Fine smokes, I'm sure, but too rich for my blood. So here are my two latest fave cigar-buying sites for you similarly-minded tightwads: CigarBidCigarPageYou're welcome.
  • Monthly Create, Make and Share Thread - December, 2023

    12/06/2023 6:29:40 AM PST · by Diana in Wisconsin · 29 replies
    December 1, 2023 | Diana in Wisconsin/Qiviut
    “Write it. Shoot it. Publish it. Crochet it, Sauté it, whatever. MAKE.” ~ Joss Whedon The Monthly Create, Make and Share Thread is a monthly gathering of people that love to create and make. From yarn (crochet, knitting), fabric (sewing, quilting), threads (embroidery, weaving), wood crafts, ceramics, artwork and anything else you create and would like to share, this is the place to do it. Sharing something you’ve created and/or made is pure joy...and we need joy in our lives! From complete Newbies that are looking to start that first project, to experienced artists, we would love to hear from...
  • Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1

    12/04/2023 3:52:41 PM PST · by silent_jonny · 37 replies
    youtube ^ | 12-4-23
    Looks like the setting returns to Vice City with a "Bonnie and Clyde" storyline. Coming in 2025.