Unclogging Pipes

Via an expert:

• Small to larger pipes, so flush it out into that pipe.
• Boiling water expands the pipe and liquifies the plug.
• Run warm/hot water for 10-15 minutes to ensure unstuck.

Brent Mydland Gravesite

Brent Mydland was an American keyboardist, vocalist, and songwriter. He was a member of The Grateful Dead from 1979 to 1990, a longer tenure than any other keyboardist in the band. (Wikipedia)

Grave marker of Brent Mydland, as of 09/18/2019)

The grave marker reads (in all caps):

Brent R. Mydland 

He loved his family 

His Music 

And 

His Friends
1952  (grand piano embossment)  1990

The grand piano embossment has a bench and a raised piano lid.

The grave has had a Grateful Dead "Steal Your Face Skull" sticker below the embossed grand piano since at least 2015 (per David Ryder; see below).

The plaque border looks to have six stems of roses and leaves: two centered on the top, and two each in the lower-left and lower-right corners.

For those who wish to visit, here is a Google Maps link (Plus Code: "WVXV+2J Pleasant Hill, California") to a marker close to the grave site.

You can just drive in the front gate. Make your way up, up, up the hill. I parked nearby, on the shoulder of the drive. Traffic was light on a Wednesday afternoon.

The Google Maps link is not precise but it should be close enough to find it. The grave marker is near a large tree with a bench with the name Richardson on it. The tree has a retaining wall on one side (see image below). Put your back to the tree and bench and walk forward, following the line of grave markers, being careful not to step on them. I think the grave was 20-30 feet away and one row down. Look for the gravesite with the double grave plaque and flower urn (see image below). It's not hard to find once you're close. David Ryder's YouTube video below shows some additional clues, if needed. In 2015, it seemed to have a LED path light, but that was gone when I visited on 09/18/2019.

The views of the hilly terrain are beautiful.

Screenshot of map with marker:

It's near the top (red marker)

Here's David Ryder's video which helped me find the grave (if you're eagle eyed, you can spot several reference points: the building to the left, the flagpole, the retaining wall, etc.):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_rpVu1zrTA

My parking location vs. tree and bench (grave is nearby, in the opposite direction of this photograph)

Grave site 

Brent had a distinctive singing voice. I really enjoy the song, "I Will Take You Home". 

Prius Gen 2 MAF Sensor Cleaning (Code P0171)

The MAF (mass air flow) sensor measures the mass of the air flowing through the throttle valve. Air mass changes due to altitude, temperature, etc. The car computer uses this information to determine the fuel injection time and provide a proper air–fuel ratio. (Via)

The Prius gen 2 MAF assembly has external and internal sensors.

First, the external intake air temperature (IAT) sensor:

Before: intake air temperature sensor bulb (left) obscured by deposits

After: intake air temperature sensor bulb sparkles

Second, the internal sensors: 1) Ambient temperature sensor; and 2) hot wire, kept at a fixed temperature above the measured ambient temperature:

A mini hamburger bun (?)

Wait. That debris should not be there. Wow. The other sensor seems dirty. Not sure anyone has ever cleaned these in 260K+ miles.

The car has run rough for some time--I'm guessing this explains why.

After: clean hot wire and ambient temperature wire, with debris removed

I used a Craftsman 9-4116 Offset Screwdriver Ratchet Set to extract the two screws. Others have used a flexible socket extension, etc. A bit of torque was required to loosen them.

Set it on generous layers of paper towels. Sprayed short bursts of CRC MAF sensor cleaner onto the bulb and inside the housing--as the instructions state, do not touch the components while cleaning.

I think the result speaks for itself. Cleared the code and will see if it fixes code P0171.

This project really represents something anyone can do in a very short amount of time.

The car now throttles very smoothly.

NOTES

Via:
It would dry really quick, just a minute or two. But just to be sure I let mine sit for about 15 mins then installed it. A simple trick is to spray the side of the mesh first and then the open side. If you do it the opposite order( spraying the mesh side last) all the crap from the mesh is gonna stay on the sensor. Also keep the sprayer 5-6 inches away from the sensor. So:

1. Remove sensor
2. Spray the mesh side
3. Spray the open side
4. Let it sit for 10-15. Do NOT touch the actual string with anything
5. Put it back in the car

Via:
If you are replacing the MAF, consider a new O-ring (90099-14141). If needed, new screws (90167-A0016). From any Toyota source for about $5.
https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/toyota~screw-pan-tapping~90167-a0016.html

XKCD's Randall Munroe and Cory Doctorow

Autographs of Cory Doctorow and Randall Munroe

Attended a discussion between XKCD cartoonist Randall Munroe and Cory Doctorow on September 11, 2019, in support of Munroe's new book, "HOW TO: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems".

Got a few seconds of interaction with both authors. Munroe asked Dawn what she did, and he encouraged her to keep going. He asked me, after seeing that my post-it note was blank (where you would write what you want him to write) "I wonder about the legal implications of having a blank first and last name", which reminded me of his cartoon with the child having NULL as a surname.

Cory noticed Dawn's Hamilton shirt and they briefly talked about how their experiences. I thanked Cory for letting me know about the Calyx hotspot and he shared that he still uses his and that the Calyx folks are good people.

Randall shared one anecdote not in the book: during his conversation with Chris Hadfield, it went over time and he heard Hadfield scanning his airplane ticket and walking down the passenger boarding ramp. Randall hung up because he felt "terrible" for causing Hadfield to discuss--in front of other passengers--scenarios where the plane would have to land unexpectedly. But he realized Hadfield seemed to really enjoy the discussion.

A running joke was "the 2003 film, The Core", which involved a crash landing of a space shuttle.

Randall shared a memory of his mother apologizing to him for making a big deal out of him not knowing something, and he talked about how it just involves people learning things out of order (viz., learning about the movie about the Titanic before learning about the actual Titanic sinking).

Wicked Tour Musical

Saw the Wicked Second National Tour at the San Jose Center For The Performing Arts on Saturday, September 7, at a sold out 8:00 p.m. showing.

It was the penultimate day for the San Jose run. We saw Erin Mackey (Glinda) & Mariand Torres (Elphaba). Incredible voices, sets, costumes. Notable songs: "Defying Gravity", "For Good".

"Wicked Brew" drink ingredients: Midori, vodka, lemon and lime juice lemon garnish

Prius Combination Meter Notes

Via https://priuschat.com/threads/combination-meter-repair-diy.161268/:

• I use the key FOB trick (Foot on the brake, lock, turn on lights, foot off the brake, lock) to get it back on, which works about 95% of the time