Ace-Garageguy

It's considerably more complex than that. When the neutral is lost, the two hot legs of the system effectively become a series circuit with the loads acting as resistors. If the loads are balanced, the voltage distribution might appear normal...which it did on some circuits, causing me to think the problem was inside the house. However, with unbalanced loads, the voltage will shift, potentially delivering too much voltage to some devices and not enough to others. The most immediate consequence of an uneven distribution of voltage across the loads is that some devices may receive significantly more or less voltage than their rated value. Lights may flicker, or devices and appliances behave oddly. High voltage can damage or destroy sensitive electronics, while low voltage can cause motors to overheat and fail. A lost neutral outside can cause the neutral wires inside to carry voltage, potentially energizing grounded surfaces like appliance casings, creating a shock hazard. Many common appliances are not grounded, and in an old house like mine, ground circuits may not be adequate anyway...so there is a very real electrocution risk. Lights may flicker or dim as other loads are switched on or off...even on entirely different house circuits. Appliances may operate erratically, with some working faster or slower than normal due to voltage variations. Or they may not work at all. In extreme cases, a lost neutral can lead to overheating and potentially cause a fire. I did have one circuit overheat badly, and had there been flammable material adjacent to it, there would have been a fire. The neutral connection at the pole had apparently been "hanging by a thread" for a few days, and as more and more strands of the multi-conductor failed, problems inside the house became more noticeable. When the last one parted, I just happened to be under the computer desk checking connections, as my internet, having just been repaired by a tech from my ISP, began cycling on and off, and I noticed the power light on the router varying in brightness, which it had never done previously. While I was checking connections at the power strip, I heard a pop-sizzle across the room, assumed it had to do with something I'd done under the desk, smelled electrical burning, and ran to pull the main breaker. As I'd been aware in the back of my mind that interrupted or fluctuating supply voltage or a failed neutral connection from the pole could do strange things, I went outside and looked at the line coming to the meter. It was hanging low, barely high enough to walk under, and I immediately called the power company. There's more, but I'll leave it at that. EDIT: This vid may be a little confusing to people who have no AC house-power knowledge, but it's a reasonably good illustration of what happens. NOTE THE VOLTMETER READINGS ON THE LIGHT BOARD

Asking that question here is strictly verboten.

Much as I was a fan of Marcos cars way back when (they had plywood monocoque chassis, which made it a lot more realistic for a budding-but very inexperienced-car designer to think in terms of building his own sports car someday), I think this one looks like a cross-eyed Viper that needs braces on its fangs.

Flatulations of cattle are blamed for part of the impending fiery end of Earth as we know it, which, according to the doomers earlier predictions, should be any day now.

Monkey see, monkey do...

Another beauty. I'm in love.

Robles of the Paso variety is the site of a few vintage car and aviation events...and I personally like that kind of big-sky "dry and brown and flat".

Cholame Caulipornia is surrounded by some durn purdy country.

"Out of luck" is what anyone who still uses AOL dial-up will be on September 30th.

Not entirely true. You had at least one very clean wasp.

"Ironic" isn't something made of ferrous metal.

Yup, very nicely done.

More cherry pie, more key lime pie, more pizza, more big ol' greasy burgers...yeah, I can always go for more, and it shows.

Fast cars and airplanes are usually beautiful too.

If a little tacky chrome is good, more really gaudy chrome is better.

Rider rash can afflict parts of the occasional operator of any two-wheeled conveyance who doesn't use the right gear, or have sufficiently calloused skin in the contact areas.

Never give a sucker an even break.

All I saw in the yard is grass that's going to need cutting next weekend if it rains the next few days.

Said Mr. Watts also: "you are under no obligation to be the same person you were five minutes ago" and "we are so scared of being unimportant, of not being somebody, that we are willing to be anything at all."

Obviously this was fate all along, and you are meant for each other.

Work doesn't have to be something you hate but have to do to pay your bills if you do work you enjoy and are good at, but for some odd reason, not many people ever seem to realize that,

"Lucky" often means being in the right place at the right time because you worked like the devil to get there.

One of the guys who works at the "antique mall" I frequent knows I'm into HO train stuff, and took me aside a few days back to let me know he had some I might be interested in. So...we met in the parking lot like we were doing a deal in illicit substances and I looked in one of two big boxes. "Sold" I thinks to myself, without even digging through it. "Make me a price" says I. "$60" says he, and I start peeling off twenties. Got it home, so far the two best items are an almost new, powered Bachmann GP-40 locomotive with all-wheel drive, and a Heljan 804 turntable kit, complete. Just those two alone are worth at least twice what I paid if I got 'em from eBay, and there's a ton of other good stuff: more locomotives, buildings, cars, electronic and electrical bits, etc. The train stall in the mall just happened to have been restocked again yesterday too, so I snagged several more vintage craftsman kits, a few built-ups and RTRs in unusual liveries, plus two beautiful powered EMD SW-1 switchers in Burlington Northern livery, different numbers. Again, the locos are worth at least twice what I gave for everything. EDIT: And Steve...I looked at every piece of rolling stock for anything Duluth South Shore & Atlantic. Nada.