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"The alligator attack, the second one in the region this week, is believed to be the first fatal encounter in Texas in at least two centuries." Now that's talent.

I don't understand how this happened. Did he have the mortar tube facing upside down, so the mortar shot in to his head and exploded? Or was he trying to place a mortar in the tube while balanced on his head, and accidentally lit it? The way it reads, it sounds like he just had it on his head, and I don't get how it wouldn't just shoot off away from him? Open bottom tube?

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Somewhere one of the articles I read gave me the impression that he just had the mortar ball and he placed that on his head.  So it wasn't the tube, just an 8 oz explosive ball that you would have placed in the tube - essentially he placed a lit grenade on his head.

This article: http://heavy.com/news/2015/07/devon-staples-calais-maine-fireworks-accident-man-put-shoot-fireworks-off-head-killed-dead-photos-facebook-4th-of-july-fourth/

I take it back, reading his brother's description it sounds like the mortar ball misfired and then exploded in the tube.

“I was about five feet away when it happened. We went to a friend’s house, a close family friend. We were having a good time, it was Fourth of July, we were celebrating. Devon was getting to shoot off fireworks for the first time in his life, real fireworks. This is the first time we used manufactured fireworks, because we lived in Maine and they just got legal.

It was a misfire and it was an explosion, and that’s pretty much all that I remember until I’m holding my dead brother in my arms. No one saw him light it. We’re thinking he was just waving his lighter around just joking and he might have caught part of it and just lit it wrong. The pressure from the explosion that was supposed to be 50 feet in the air, exploded directly above his head. It did not take it off. It made a ‘whump’ sound, like a failed explosion.

He’s not an idiot. If the thing had gone off right, it would have been fine, and we would have told him not to do anything that stupid again. We grew up in Maine and we grew up with access to a lot of fun stuff, and we had been in dangerous situations and we all walked away from those fine.

Edited by Burn-E
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Wife's new SUV, what will she get? Wants something bigger with the kid and dog than the GLK.

ML350 Why the 350, get a 450 hybrid they are fun and so fucking nice inside.  I've got 11 on my lot right now, pretty peppy youd think it was a turbo, amazing ride (that active air suspension is awesome) and its a hybrid sooo yeah. 

New XC90  $$$$$ how new?

X5  Meh I feel like every suv on this list is larger than the X5 - sept the GX idk what the hell that is. 

Cayanne  Too much upkeep and when shit breaks its fucking expensive

GX  idk what that is, infinite? 

 

 

 

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She only wants a 15' or 16' model new car.  

MB 450 hybrid no longer exists, hence the 350. XC90 is in the low $60K's.  The X5 has huge cargo space.  Cayanne is likely too small and a bit pricey, GX is the Lexus, ugly as hell.

All these will come with 5 year 50K warranties, 30 - 50K maintenance, etc. 

She drives 50 miles a day for work.

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If she doesn't need a luxury brand SUV, I'd get a 4runner or Pathfinder all day long (the pathfinder is actually extremely luxurious these days). if Euro I'd vote for the XC90. I was blown away when I drove one recently, the car really is incredible and worth a good look on your part.

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I know you think I'm pretentious Erik but hear me out because with five kids and many friends with large families this is something I know pretty well.

It's interesting how the addition of a child to a family pushes people to feel they need a big SUV.  I understand the motivation, it just feels like overkill. We did extremely well with our P80 V70 which we bought when the first baby was born and didn't transition out of until #3 was born.  I've still considered picking up a P80 wagon with rear facing third seat to cart the kids around when we don't want to jump in the Odyssey which is just big and obnoxious. With a dog cage separating rear cargo from rear seat a wagon of various sorts could still fit your needs.  Just a thought.  Especially since you live in Houston where snow rarely falls and AWD is unnecessary.

Then again, it is Texas and I would want a big car to protect me from all the ubiquitous massive pickups on the road. Because that is a primary reason for buying a big cage on wheels - to protect the kid while carting all the necessary cargo they need.

So if you're going to buy luxury, you should consider the Escalade or luxury versions of the Suburban or Yukon.   Solid trucks with great features, decent track records in maintenance but gas mileage may suffer. Great cargo space as well.

If I was sticking with your options then the BMW wins hands down based on what I've heard from others considering and making this decision.  Cargo size is smaller than the Mercedes but it has superior MPG and it is less truck like in handling.

 

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I know you think I'm pretentious Erik but hear me out because with five kids and many friends with large families this is something I know pretty well.

It's interesting how the addition of a child to a family pushes people to feel they need a big SUV.  I understand the motivation, it just feels like overkill. We did extremely well with our P80 V70 which we bought when the first baby was born and didn't transition out of until #3 was born.  I've still considered picking up a P80 wagon with rear facing third seat to cart the kids around when we don't want to jump in the Odyssey which is just big and obnoxious. With a dog cage separating rear cargo from rear seat a wagon of various sorts could still fit your needs.  Just a thought.  Especially since you live in Houston where snow rarely falls and AWD is unnecessary.

Then again, it is Texas and I would want a big car to protect me from all the ubiquitous massive pickups on the road. Because that is a primary reason for buying a big cage on wheels - to protect the kid while carting all the necessary cargo they need.

So if you're going to buy luxury, you should consider the Escalade or luxury versions of the Suburban or Yukon.   Solid trucks with great features, decent track records in maintenance but gas mileage may suffer. Great cargo space as well.

If I was sticking with your options then the BMW wins hands down based on what I've heard from others considering and making this decision.  Cargo size is smaller than the Mercedes but it has superior MPG and it is less truck like in handling.

 

dcln.gif

If you go with a 4Runner or Pathfinder, get the decked out ones.

I'd personally go for the X5 or the XC90. Neither one would feel like a step down from a Merc.

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Lol, at Matt - but thanks for the input Alain. No domestic, she wants a European luxury brand and the American SUV''s are too big for her to drive.  This is a "want" purchase not a "need."  She spends ~ 1/12 - 2 hours in her car daily so comfort, style, handling all matter. Roads trip are much more comfortable with to much space, not "just enough space."

The new Volvos scare me, but we trade in after the 50K warranty expires anyway so my bet is either ML350, X5, or XC90.

I do have to drive it every once and a while ...

Edited by ErikS
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