I remember having some Tonka trucks in the 80s-early 90s. They were made almost entirely from metal, like the cab on the dump truck. That was metal. I think the only plastic was the tires and front bumper. We used to take them to the beach to make sandcastles. Not even the salt could kill them. They were invincible even after the paint flaked off and the metal started to turn to rust. I got so many cuts from those trucks. But they still held up. I don't know what happened to them.

We had a dump truck, grader, and a digger.

They looked like this and similar patina:

https://www.vintageaddictions.com/listing/733987968/1980s-pressed-steel-mighty-tonka-diesel

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1015813103/tonka-1989-classic-yellow-grader-tonka

https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/271693789990767699/

Dan's Cafe.

Yeah. Those are called 9/80 schedules now.

Well, when my plants are overgrowing their pots, I take my portable saw and cut them down.

Yep. I made around 60k back in 2011 or so and lived in a cheap apartment. I was doing OK while putting some money away in a 401k, but it wasn't amazing. I also had no major debt, which made things easier. But, 12 years later on that salary, that's going to be rough unless you live with multiple roommates or can find a cheap place to live.

I heard the best place to watch it is at Udvar Hazy.

Not even the big chain stores can survive around here. Ballston lost some big chains like Applebee's, B-Dubs, and some other big names.

It's the Metro equivalent of this. https://gifimage.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/tv-static-gif-7.gif

There was a tinge of sarcasm in my previous reply.

OK, maybe I'm giving them too much grief. They did have a 50:50 chance of pushing the air the right way. You can't be right every time.

Also WMATA: We install our ventilation systems in a way that forces the smoke back in the stations to smother out the fire...or something.

Don't forget this one.

https://www.howfuckedisthemetro.com/

Aw man. My grandma had one of these in malaise beige back in the day.

And autoimmune diseases in general. Every time I go to a bar/restaurant, the TV is filled with drug commercials to treat these symptoms. There's something nasty in our environment and foods.

Yeah, but that's a garbage explanation if you're a doctor and have the same patient coming to your office with the same issues repeatedly and simply dismiss them. 9/10 times it may be something benign, but if someone keeps coming in they should at least try more advanced diagnostics. And doctors love giving non-specific diagnosis like IBS or some kind of -itis. Oh, you're having stomach aches/shitting weirdly or have some kind of inflammation, just deal with it and/or take extra Aleve.

And most doctors will blow you off as having food insensitivity/allergies/IBS/whatnot until one day you end up hospitalized and find out it's terminal.

Joyce Motors, Cherrydale Motors, or Reinhard's Garage are all solid choices. Either I or friends/colleagues have gone there and haven't had any complaints.

Any maintenance in particular you need done?