Honestly, you would have to be pretty stupid to take this at face value. I immediately went to time, location, etc.
Probably a folktale and not real. A problem like this could be solved with 3-4 step of process of elimination.
Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
341–350 of 517 posts
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#342Earlier quoted context omitted.
Essentially all these stories are apocryphal. Even this vapor lock story. Sorry but even before today, having a automotive engineer sent to a random person's home over what clearly sounds like a quack letter seems implausible to me. The dictates of capitalism, human resources, and the politics of the workplace would make this difficult if not impossible. Even in the past when there was more human capital in support p…
Wow, you used "memetic" three times. Very erudite.
Frankly I found the whole thing to be shallow and pedantic.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#343Earlier quoted context omitted.
Without vast knowledge, many unreasonable things are seen as reasonable. How much of our history's truth is based on what was told to the gullible majority? Should we not talk about Mythology because a skeptic questions it's authenticity? Comedians make up stories all the time to entertain audiences. These stories don't require accuracy, they are more about delivering specific results; a laugh, a story to share, conf…
If I tell you something I believe to be true, but actually isn't, I'm not lying, just wrong. Lying involves an intent to decieve, so if I don't know the truth, it's not a lie.
That is true, in addition, outcomes are not defined by intentions. It was my hope to draw attention to why we perpetuate this behavior (results).
There is a lot of gradation, the differences between stating misinformation you believe is true vs stating what the majority believes to be true due to laziness vs an intentional lie, etc.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#344Engineer’s notes: (resolution) recommended customer park at back of lot and purchases ice cream in larger quantities.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#345This story is a playful example of confounding: > In causal inference, a confounder (also confounding variable, confounding factor, extraneous determinant or lurking variable) is a variable that influences both the dependent variable and independent variable, causing a spurious association. Confounding is a causal concept, and as such, cannot be described in terms of correlations or associations. The existence of con…
This is an interesting explanation, but wouldn't `I` influence `T` rather than the other way around? Since the type of ice cream determines the amount of time taken in the store.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#346We had a similar problem at work in the late 90s. A member of staff reported that their mouse would stop working between certain hours of the day. It had apparently been okay in the morning, stopped working over lunchtime then started again later. On some days it would work perfectly all day long, but on others it would stop working between those hours. The biggest clue was it would always work perfectly on overcast…
Argh. My own mouse not working one:
- Use to fix PCs professionally in the early 90s.
- Guy comes in with PC. Right-mouse button stopped working.
- Replace mouse. Still not working.
- Play with Windows 3.1 drivers. Nothing helps.
- Pull HDD from another PC, install, boot. Mouse button still broken. WTF.
- Pull whole mobo, put another spare mobo in, with replacement HDD and replacement mouse. Still don't work.
- Replace PSU. Right-button works.
- Give up on computers, live in wilderness, eat squirrels.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#347Earlier quoted context omitted.
these days it's "just buy a new carburetor" - i remember rebuilding a few like 20 years ago - on small engines, but now a rebuild kit is, say, $12 and a new carburetor is $20. For an extra $8 you only have to remove two bolts and fasten the new one in, rather than take a carburetor apart and replace gaskets and floats (or whatever, it's been 20 years). word to the wise - never use the shutoff switch on anything with…
I acquired a generator from a family member, and unknown to me when I needed it to power the house the thing wouldn't run unless the choke was held closed with a wire tie. You can imagine how well that ran... So, that sounds like a carb rebuild, right? Come to find out that for about $17 shipped a seller on eBay with something like 200K feedback will sell me a brand new carb. Fitted that, it starts on first pull. The…
As a small engine mechanic, you you lucky. Usually those cheap carburetors will do the job, and usually the engine won't run quite as smooth. The rest of the times it's so erratic you have to buy an OEM one.
I will always clean/rebuild carburetors before replacing. And usually when replacing I will explain to the customer and get permission to spend their money on an OEM one.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#348I call shenanigans. There is no way this not an apocryphal story. There is no way anyone could not have realized that it was the time spent in the store and not the flavor of ice cream that was the relevant aspect of the story.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#349This is a good interview question.
Re: Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
#350I’ll add to the crazy anecdotes with something that happened to me a few months ago. I had a brand new AC/heater hvac system installed last year. Encountered this problem, the AC would just turn off. First time, called the AC company and they come out. After a few visits, they pinpoint the problem as the condensation pump, it’s just a small water pump that’s down in my basement to push water out a little PVC pipe. Wh…
I've been enjoying these various comments but for me, yours takes the cake. Thanks!