The Chinese Obelisk

[rain_gryphon]

It would suck mightily to be in Sinkiang tonight. They're having their worst winter in 20 years, and it's -43°C. Das Beeb reports a quarter-million unable to leave their homes because of heavy snow.

*****

Somehow disaster in China never surprises me. It seems almost a land of legend, larger than life, where larger than life catastrophes would be expected. It wouldn't surprise me much to hear that rocks had started falling from the sky there, or the earth had opened up and swallowed several towns.

*****

My car began missing on one cylinder at startup in wet weather, and wouldn't run properly until it had warmed up, after which it was fine. I decided that I probably had a cracked plug insulator, which didn't especially bother me since it was about time to do a tuneup anyway. So, off I went to the parts store. I got plugs, a cap and a rotor, but passed on wires, since I thought mine were good. The #3 wire literally fell apart when I touched it. The plug end was burned through, the silicone jacket so toasted that it was crunchy. I can only guess that the conductor broke, and it was arcing across at that point. Now the car obviously isn't driveable until that's fixed. It was either walk back to the parts store (I could technically ride the bus, but I've never learned how to tell which bus is going where, which is a curious failing in a city dweller) or fix the one I had. I fixed it. I cut it short, polished up the clamp, and re-crimped it. It works just like new.

I feel inordinately proud of myself for having salvaged the broken wire, even though I misdiagnosed the problem and botched the repair to begin with.

*****

I should probably learn how to ride the bus. That's really kind of lame.

Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

-43ºC? Eep! That's positively chilly. (Reminds me - I wonder if they ever found that kidnapped penguin? Seems like the security measures would indicate more than a practical joke) I was just looking at information on Nunavut yesterday, too, the lands to the very north of Canada.. West Coast-UK flights pass over there, and of course, all you see on the ground is this solid white blanket on the ground, not even any sign of habitation. (Indeed, it seems there aren't really many roads thereabouts - it's all flying to get between the towns there, or to see the southerners of Montréal :)

I should learn to drive someday, perhaps, but I think I'd prefer flying. But having to look out where I'm going would mean not being able to bury my muzzle in my PowerBook, so it seems simpler to leave professional drivers and pilots to their job. ^_^

[xolo.livejournal.com]

On the other hoof, who's going to actually kidnap a Penguin? What would you do with one once you had it? I wouldn't expect to have to take more than token countermeasures against something like that, simply because it would never occur to me as a likely crime.

You should learn to fly. A bunch of my friends from that area are getting private pilot's licenses.