RichC | June 30, 2006
Although the Smart car has been around in Europe since 1998, Americans have been reluctant to accept it here in the US. (government, consumers and importers alike) When you look at it next to most car and trucks on American roads you understand why … its tiny! Most I have asked about it say its […]
RichC | June 29, 2006
Thankfully this is the internet and not the Civics classroom because there just wouldn’t be a way to discuss this particular story comfortably. I’ve written about Judge Cashman, parttime Judges in my county and Judge Connor, but this judge holding a murder trial while … well .. multi-tasking is impossible to believe. I let the […]
RichC | June 29, 2006
US Army Staff Sgt. Christian Begge lost his right leg at the knee and his left leg just above the ankle after two IEDs exploded near his Humvee in Iraq about a year ago. On Tuesday this week he went running with President George W. Bush at the White House in Washington, D.C. fulfilling a […]
RichC | June 28, 2006
An article in Edmonds.com tickled some Volkswagen diesel lovers with new information on the 2008 VW common-rail diesels. As most VW TDI (diesel) fans know, Volkswagen will not be producing a 2007 diesel model for North American. (link) Although they have dropped the Jetta and New Beetle TDIs for 2007, the article is encouraging for […]
RichC | June 27, 2006
Interesting airplane crash story with a positive ending. Forty-five year-old Alain Vasserot was piloting a small plane on Sunday evening in California when things when awry. While attempting to land at Palomar Airport just before 7:30 in Carlsbad, he ended up landing in a tree. Yes … landed in a tree. All pilots (and non-pilots […]
RichC | June 26, 2006
With the cost of fuel hovering just below $3.00 a gallon, alternative vehicles are becoming more and more attractive to average citizens. Unfortunately most alternative vehicles are only suited for weekend mechanics or people with expendable income. Enter Myers Motors and their all electric NmG (No More Gas). I had the good fortune last week […]
RichC | June 24, 2006
A Businessweek article detailed a push in Brazil to use soy and other oil seed vegetable oils with their petroleum diesel. Brazil is already a leader in moving to ethanol, and this new biofuel will add to its sugarcane alcohol fuel. Petrobras, the state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, said the new fuel, called H-Bio, […]
RichC | June 23, 2006
In May I posted a story on “Water Power for you car” and received a few comments and couple of emails wanting more information. I attempted to dig for a bit more and sent an email to the developer. I was sent a promotional video clip that is included below. Basically the equipment was designed […]
RichC | June 22, 2006
Imagine moving a full DVD movie through a network in 5 seconds … impossible? Yes for now, but the engineers and researchers over at IBM have build a transistor that runs faster than anything we currently have. Imagine the speeds that electronic devices could process data if they were zooming at speeds 250 times faster […]
RichC | June 21, 2006
I don’t have much time to post much commentary today, but I will include a forwarded video from where else … YouTube.com. A friend of mine mentioned it me and since I’ve enjoyed almost everything the program TopGear produces thought this was worth including on my blog. Enjoy. 😀
RichC | June 20, 2006
A friend of mine forwarded a bit of news making it around the IT security circles which deals with a company we all know: Google. Kelly Jackson Higgin posted the article at DarkReading.com about a Trojan keylogger discovered by Websense; Google quickly shut down the offending URL. Unless you use the http://www.googlepages.com site you are […]
RichC | June 19, 2006
Sony has been showing off its Reader at several of the consumer electronic events around the country and from the reviews looks to be a winner of a product. The small size, clear text, and long battery life as well storage capacity should make this a winner. The only thing holding it back might be […]
RichC | June 18, 2006
While attending a graduation party this weekend the initial subject of “the weather sure is nice,” gave way to “the cheesecake is good” and to the high price of gasoline. While attempting to skirt the issue I did not say that perhaps we own too many SUVs or that “Americans are gas hogs,” — no […]
RichC | June 17, 2006
More national news coverage from the press on Franklin County Ohio’s Judge Connor. (see previous comment) Bill Oreilly on his FoxNews program “The Factor” covered some additional disconcerting cases that all seem to point to a failure of the justice system to fairly sentence and protect citizens. Obviously the voters elected this judge but I […]
RichC | June 16, 2006
I’ve often been asked if it is acceptable to post audio and video clips on a blog. My answer is a that I believe it is appropriate; the broadcasting industry would probably disagree. I hope they eventually see the benefits from the free advertising and that it does not infringe on their work … I’ve […]
RichC | June 15, 2006
‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ [a] … as the title of the Broadway musical and 1966 movie is often quoted. 😀 My son and I were pulling off the interstate exit ramp a couple miles from home, and we spotted a VW TDI to the side of the road. It […]
RichC | June 14, 2006
It may seem that I’ve become a bit too interested in the events at the South Central Farmers in Los Angeles, California, considering I’m from Ohio, but once started, I have a desire for closure. 🙂 Yesterday the “Save the Farm” campaign came to a head as arrests were made and evictions began. I’m posting […]
RichC | June 14, 2006
Paul Hackett created a firestorm for both the Republicans and Democrats in Southwestern Ohio last year, and went on to suffer the wrath of his fellow Democrats, most likely because his outspoken ways and inability to tote the party line. (ie. waiting his turn) I’ve discussed him before here, as well as on other forums, […]
RichC | June 14, 2006
I know several readers of this blog are also Volkswagen TDI owners that come from a variety of diesel and biodiesel groups. The local club, CinciTDI, that I participate continues to create “How To” video clips that help with TDI related maintenance and modifications. I’m sitting on couple new “how to’s” and need to get […]
RichC | June 13, 2006
It felt good today to put two people together that have complementing ministries. Jerry Skinner, the founder and tireless advocate for Romanian Handicapped Ministries (RHM), and Jan Householder and her ‘talented team of ladies’ who make dolls for the Giving Doll project. (see Cleveland Sun News article) Each summer, as well as other times during […]
RichC | June 12, 2006
I was passing through Akron Canton Airport (CAK) yesterday evening and enjoyed a peaceful and beautiful evening sky panorama. I wish that I would have had my ‘real’ camera, but was at least able to use my new phone. The silhouette of a Wright Brother’s airplane against the serene beauty of a setting sun offered […]
RichC | June 11, 2006
Here we go again … the first tropical storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season has been announced by the U.S. National Hurricane Center. It has received the name Alberto and formed off Cuba on Sunday and from predictions is headed toward Florida. As this posting the center of the storm is near lattitude 25.3 […]
RichC | June 10, 2006
This is really just an excuse to us my Palm Treo 700p smartphone’s camera, but while filling up while out of town this week in Kentucky (no biodiesel pump) I happened to notice that the label is preparing us for ULSD vehicles in 2007 and the possibilty that pumps could still have LSD. I wonder […]
RichC | June 9, 2006
A few days ago I posted a comment in regard to what a group citizens and activist were doing to preserve a flourishing Los Angeles, California green space call the South Central Farm. The newest video blog was release yesterday is reminiscent of the 1960s, but adds a little technology with a slide show of […]
RichC | June 8, 2006
Heavy subject today as information about a terrorist plot continues to seeps out from Canada’s recent arrest of seventeen suspects in a terrorist plot. Allegedly, these were Muslim extremist, possibly el-Qaeta, and were planning bombings, the taking of hostages and even the beheading of Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper. (Canada has 2500 troops still in […]
RichC | June 7, 2006
I just drove the Jeep Liberty diesel (again) last week and was planning to make some comments on the vehicle … unfortunately a blog post in AutoBlogGreen mentioned that the Detroit News indicated Daimler Chrysler would be killing the CRD. According to the articles, the new tougher federal emissions standards coming next year make it […]
RichC | June 7, 2006
I’ve been using biodiesel for about 4 years in two of our Volkswagen TDIs, a John Deere and even in a Bobcat skidloader. Saturday I had my first fuel line casualty using B100 (or B99 recently) in my 1980s John Deere diesel while mowing. Yes I knew the fuel lines were not of a material […]
RichC | June 6, 2006
The biggest state in the lower 48 is now the fastest … Texas is now home to the 80 mph Interstate speed limit, in some areas. Interesting timing, as I mentioned before, that this increase is coming when our nation debates our heavy petroleum addiction and use? In fact, the Department of Energy estimates that […]
RichC | June 5, 2006
The weather here in southwest Ohio has really been terrific lately. We’ve enjoyed warm days, sunny blue skies and cool dry nights … although I know the humid weather is probably only a few weeks away. While cleaning up the yard we’ve been piling up debris and building a monster pile in the backyard. My […]
RichC | June 4, 2006
Terry Hessler of Hessler Machine Tool gave an interesting lecture and then demonstrated his detail study and reproduction of an early Wright Brothers aircraft engine. His endeavor was covered on a History Channel TV special and DVD detailing the Wright Brother’s technology and first flight. We learned not only that Charles Taylor, the builder of […]
RichC | June 3, 2006
Daryl Hannah is tree sitting with a few other notables (Julia “Butterfly” Hill and John Quigley) in hopes to save 14 acres of produce producing land known as South Central Farms. These acres are located at 41st and Alameda Streets in Los Angeles, California, not an area you would expect to see a productive farm […]
RichC | June 2, 2006
I heard about Bob Hoover’s engine out aerobatics and pouring tea while doing a barrel roll on a BBC program and thankfully was able to find it on … you guessed it … youtube.com. (amazing place … one could really waste time there!) The twin-engine performance flying is impressive enough until you consider he does […]
RichC | June 1, 2006
With players like Chevron entering into the biodiesel production business with a 22% ownership in Galveston Bay Biodiesel (GBB), the US could see far more ‘grown’ fuels entering the figurative oil pipeline. Currently the Houston based GBB company is building a facility in Galveston that should be completed by the end of the year. This […]