Mars

Can anyone tell me what the real story is with installing a laminate wood floor over a concrete slab foundation?

I would like to use one of the more inexpensive products in the 6.5mm thickness range since it's just a basement game room. Is this my first mistake?? ;)

I've been to many sites researching this subject but everyone seems to have a different opinion.

Some say you can install it no problem...just start slapping it down.

Others say you must install it over a subfloor along with an underlayment pad.

Several others say you just need to use a high quality underlayment pad.

However, nearly half of the sites I looked at say it cannot be installed over concrete..period.

(this is what concerns me)

I realize the big issue here is moisture and i've done the test which came up dry.

Please tell me I'm not going to be stuck with hideous orange shag carpet from the Partridge family!!;)

Thanks in advance!

Anyone know if there's any issue(s) with swapping a 700R4 from a 84' 3/4 ton 4x4 truck into a 86' 1/2 ton 4x4 Suburban?

The one from the 84' is only $100 but i'd like to know if it's a direct swap or not. ;)

Thanks in advance!

I have a 1986 1/2 ton Chevy Suburban 4x4 with the 700R transmission that I only drive about once a month.

I noticed a clattering noise the other day and found the transmission fluid level was suddenly about 2 quarts low after being just fine three weeks ago.

The noise is a clattering rattle like there's gravel or a hand full of nuts and bolts rolling around in the torque converter and is most noticeable in P or N but nearly disappears at idle in all other shifter positions.

It can be heard both hot and cold but will completely disappear above 1700rpm's.

The transmission continues to operate normally and I checked the flex plate and it's not cracked.

OK, I'm pretty sure the trans is toast....My diagnosis is the rear seal leaked fluid into the gearbox and now the planetary sun gear housing is cracked and the damn thing is getting ready to blow.

Does anyone know if there's something else that could be causing this that I may have overlooked or

possibly some other diagnostic procedures to determine whether or not i'm about to get $1200 lighter in the wallet?? :)

Thanks in advance!

I have a 9yr old 62lb female Black Lab\Portuguese Water Dog mix. Yesterday early evening we went out for a walk and our typical round of fetch the ball and running around in the cemetary behind my house like we usually do at least every other day for about 30min or so.

She seemed perfectly normal except that she seemed to get tired a bit quicker which I attributed

to the 80deg summer heat.

However, about 30min after returning home I noticed she wasn't walking but sorta "shuffling" with her head hung down and her tail, normally always swishing back and forth was tucked tight between her legs.

She tried to jump up on her couch and let out a painful yelp when she tried to get her back legs up. Normally she literally flys up there.

I also then noticed she was slightly favoring her right leg.

I checked her feet for splinters and also ran my hands all over looking for injuries and found none except that a portion of her right hind leg muscle was much stiffer than the other, just like the muscle on a person with a stiff neck.

She also appeared to be having trouble getting comfortable to sleep, constantly shifting around and then finally just propping herself up in a half sitting-half laying down position.

I still had some of the pain meds left over that the vet gave me from when she had her spay surgery last Feb and I gave her half the dose they recommended and shortly afterward she went to sleep.

This morning she seems improved. Her tail is still down but wagging again, she's not shuffling around anymore and she can climb onto the couch without yelping although it's clearly a struggle

Normally, she always stretches WAY out before we go anywhere but this time she did not....

So..Did she pull a leg muscle? Or should I run her down to the vet?

Any input is greatly appreciated!

Thankyou!

I'm a lifelong aircraft enthusiast and after 30+ years a fairly well experienced aviation observer.

We don't get much military jet traffic in this area aside from the very rare and always brief appearances from a couple of ANG F15's that practice a few approaches and some quick maneuvers near the airport during the day\evening.

Just before 2AM this morning a fairly slow moving multi engine military jet made an approach from the South-Southeast fairly low over the valley and performed a pass at the local municipal airport(which was closed for the night) before continuing out North up the I-5 corridor towards Portland OR.

I'm sure it was military although I never got a good look at it, just a few flashes from it's strobe as it departed the area but it sounded like a multi-engine, seemed to be moving a bit slow but was definitely very..VERY loud. (not to mention VERY cool) Nearly 5min later it's low rumble could still be heard off in the distance!

It also made no apparent attempt to contact ATC or announce it's intentions here or anywhere else that I could hear on the radio scanner which seemed a little odd. Normally I can pick up military flights by their call signs or when they communicate with FAA ATC.

I was just curious if anyone knew or had informed speculation on why they might be performing such a flight in the area especially at this unusual hour.

Just wondering..

Thanks in advance ;)

Is it possible for a divorced individual in Oregon to recover money garnished by the IRS that the divorce court had ordered their ex-spouse to pay it in full?

Before my friend got a divorce a year ago, her deadbeat ex husband had accumulated thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes. He was ordered to pay all the back taxes as part of the divorce settlement.

He has not done so and refuses to work. Therefore the IRS has garnished the money from my friend.

Is there any process to go thru to try to recover this money?

Can a visitor with a valid U.S. drivers license drive on the German Autobahn?(read:the fast lane) I understand getting a license in Germany requires much more instruction and qualification than in the U.S. so I can't imagine they'd let just any yayhoo go wailing down the highway at 100mph+.

But i'd sure like to give it a try. :)