Author Archives: James

Challenger Drag Pak

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The Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak gives you a supercharged 354-cubic-inch Hemi race car with a cast-iron block, forged steel crankshaft, Mopar camshaft and a custom engine management system for an eye-watering $109,354. Or, for almost $10,000 less, the naturally aspirated 426-cubic-inch featuring an aluminum block with pressed-in steel liners and aluminum cylinder heads can be yours at $99,426.

They’re building 60 total. Thirty five of those will come with the supercharged engine, with the remaining 25 packing the naturally aspirated 426 Hemi engine.

Both engines come with an automatic gearbox, a different K-Member and suspension geometry with double adjustable compression and rebound struts up front. At the rear, it’s a four-link suspension with Panhard bar, Strange Engineering housing and 40-spline gun drilled axles with a 9-inch aluminum third member, a 4-inch diameter driveshaft, shocks with adjustable compression and rebound and an anti-roll bar. The rear axle mounting has been beefed up as well for those ultimate launches.

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The tires are 15-inch Hoosier drag radials, there’s a full NHRA rollcage of course, plus a Mopar gauge pack, racing seats with a safety net and five-point harnesses.

Mopar claims they also have “more user-friendly hoods.” All the better to see those delicious engines with.

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HitchBOT – only in Canada!

Street Rod Nationals

NSRA Street Rod Nationals

August 6 – 9, 2015
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky

Official Site

Boa Constrictors do NOT squeeze the breath out of you…

Well, they DO, but that’s not what kills you.  Turns out we were wrong:

A Dumeril's boa (Acrantophis dumerili) at the Great Plains Zoo in South Dakota. Constrictors quickly kill their prey by cutting off their blood supply, a new study says.

A Dumeril’s boa (Acrantophis dumerili) at the Great Plains Zoo in South Dakota. Constrictors quickly kill their prey by cutting off their blood supply, a new study says.

National Geographic Link

Cat

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Here I am!

Street Rod Nationals

NSRA Street Rod Nationals

August 6 – 9, 2015
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky

Official Site

RIP Gilligan

Bob Denver

Robert Osbourne “Bob” Denver (January 9, 1935 – September 2, 2005) was an American comedic actor known for his roles as Gilligan on the television series Gilligan’s Island and the beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 TV series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

Rumor had it that later in life he hated “Gilligan”, the character, and being called “Gilligan.”  After all the great memories I have of the show, the laughter, I’d like to think that he wouldn’t mind me calling him “Gilligan” one more time…

Wikipedia Link

Christmas in July

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Not a Bug

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Tipping

tipping

Street Rod Nationals

NSRA Street Rod Nationals

August 6 – 9, 2015
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky

Official Site

7×7 Rubik’s Cube world record set

Refrigerator Revenge

refrigerator_revenge

Say Goodbye

say_goodbye

Happy Birthday, Gary Gygax!

Ernest Gary Gygax (July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008 ) was an American writer and game designer, best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) with Dave Arneson, and co-founding the company Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) with Don Kaye in 1974. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of the role-playing game.

D&D Basic Set

Baby Changing Station

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Technically Correct – poisonous vs venomous

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Restaurant M

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This is Restaurant M. It’s a special restaurant in Tokyo that will be open for only one day. On that one day, you can get fairly standard food from the McDonald’s menu. But it will be offered to you fine china, ornate silverware, and bleached linens. The table service will, of course, be far superior from that which you can find at your local burger joint. You can see more photos at Kotaku. Unfortunately, it’s unclear what toy comes with the Happy Meal.

Beer

beer