[northpole]

That's also a very good site, Mouse, thank you!

Ah, yes, time: the one thing we never seem to have enough of

~North "mmmmmmmmmm donutssssssssss" pole~

[auralpoison]

Y'know, I don't think I'd mind having a car that smelled like french fries. Or I've often heard, doughnuts. Better than those nasty little trees or faux vanilla or strawberry.

[mouse]

thanks north!

actually, lovecraft bio fuels is right down the street from my house, and they either convert your car or sell you pre-converted cars that run on diesel, biodeisel, or vegetable oil. it's pretty much the most brilliant thing ever, even if it does make your vehicle smell like a french fry. my problem is, i just don't have the time right now (full time job and freelancing on the side) or space to collect, filter and store my own veggie oil. i'm hoping to work up to only freelance in a few years, and then i'll absolutely sell whatever car i get now and go veggie.

i hope we all end up running on deep fryer grease within the next ten years. we have to get off oil.

[northpole]

Mouse, another fairly good source for auto info are the Lemon-Aid Car Guides, carried by most mass-market retailers and also stocked in public libraries.

Phil Edmonston is the author; http://www.lemonaidcars.com/ is the website (but unfortunately, he no longer has model-specific analyses on the site, replaced with general info on the auto industry, secret warranties, recalls, etc.)

For diesel and biodiesel info, chat and forums, check out www.biodieselnow.com and also www.dieselforum.org.

There are machines that can help you make your own biodiesel, one of them available from http://www.freedomfuelamerica.com.

~North "just a car guy at heart" pole~

[mouse]

thanks!

[cleanoldguy]

Mouse, try cartalk.com, the website of Click and Clack, The Tappet Brothers (aka Tom and Ray Magliozzi). The brothers do a wonderful radio show on cars (among other things) on NPR, and the website is an outgrowth of the show. Click on "Actual Car Information," then "Buying," and all will be revealed. Or something will be revealed, anyway. You can also listen to the show online, if your local NPR station doesn't carry it at a convenient time.

They oughta pay me for this plug. Fat chance.

[mouse]

okay, i'm suprised, honestly, that there's not a thread for it, but who knows anything about CARS? i just got a new job that's nearly a two-hour bus ride away (by car it would be about half an hour) so i need to get a car.

i really want a biodiesel, but i just am not going to have the time to collect and filter oil--when i go freelance, that's the first thing i'm doing though!

anyway, if anyone knows anything about which used cars are known for being the most reliable, best mpg, all of that, i'd love to hear about it, or if anyone knows of any resources where i could find info. i really don't have any preference beyond runs well, gets good mileage, and won't fall apart or kill me.

thanks!

[lot49]

FJ, I'm sorry -- that must be odd news for you, to say the least.

[falljackets]

by the way, lot, that is a great resource! i just entered his info again and there it was. thanks.

[falljackets]

hey guys. thanks. i found it on obitsarchive.com. i appreciate all your help.

and yes, he's dead.

[lot49]

FJ:

http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/

[cloverbee]

sometimes if you google their name it will come up also.

[venetia]

Here we have this government office that registers all births deaths and marriages - I bet you peeps have something similar that performs that task?

[lowredmoon]

falljackets, you might want to try contacting the local paper's obituary department.

[falljackets]

Hey. Does anyone have any idea how someone would find out if someone else had died? What local governmental agency would be responsible for keeping track of that? I heard my ex-husband might have died recently and want to confirm it...

[cloverbee]

thanks bklynhermit and pepper. I ran it on hot and it still smells a little but I think it's okay. I called the manufacturer and that's what they said to do. whoo-hoo! we're back in business!

[pepper]

clover, call or email the manufacturer. they'll be able to tell the what's up straight up.

[glassk]

i used to take piano. Royal Conservatory up to grade two. Anywhere I can get these songs off the internet (it's classical, so I'm SURE it's public domain)
I have been trying to play from memory- but I can't remember so much, and I had the best time practising today. Or Free Sheet Music off of the internet? I would love to play some more....

[bklynhermit]

i feel like this happened ALL THE TIME in my house when i was a kid.

and i'm still alive.

and i don't remember my parents calling a repair-person or declaring the dishwasher off limits or anything.

i'm guessing you could maybe peel off the melted plastic once it's hardened and the heating element has cooled down? or maybe you could run the dishwasher on super-hot with nothing in it a few times till the plastic completely melts away? you might also need to let it de-gas over night by leaving it open (and maybe a window open nearby if you're sensitive to the smell).

all in all, though, you're probably going to survive.

[cloverbee]

okay, does anyone know anything about dishwashers? I put some tupperware in there and it got caught on the heating coil and burned up and smelled like crap. I breathed some of it in and that's my first question. am I going to be allright breathing in melting plastic? and second, is my dishwasher going to smell like burnt plastic every time I use it from now on and is it safe to go on using it? anybody ever had this happen to them or am I the only dimwit??