RichC | August 31, 2006
Lately I’ve been looking for excuses to click a photo or two with my handy dandy Palm Treo 700p, so today spotted an unusual Volkswagen for North America: a VW Gol – Pointer “City” 5 door station wagon. The Volkswagen Gol (not to be confused with Golf) derived its name from the Portugese word ‘Golo’ […]
RichC | August 30, 2006
Rain but not all that much wind in Delray Beach just north of Fort Lauderdale, Florida this morning as Ernesto makes itself known throughout the state. The winds are tropical storm force at a sustained 35mph and moving north at about 10mph. Not all that much fear from the wind but the rains are heavy. […]
RichC | August 29, 2006
After beginning to move Atlantis toward the assembly building this morning at 10am, NASA officials have changed their mind due to tropical storm Ernesto’s westernly path. They are now returning the Shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39B. By around 8 p.m. EDT tonight the move back to the pad should be complete and and “mission […]
RichC | August 29, 2006
I’ve been planning to write down some thoughts and include some personal photos from our recent family vacation to Hawaii. We enjoyed near perfect weather on our entire trip, both on a cruise ship, NCL(A)’s “Pride of Hawaii,” and the time spent with my nephew David and his wife Gillian who live on Kauai — […]
RichC | August 28, 2006
Adem Ruden, from the University of Minnesota, updated a previous post from July in regard to the UMN Solar Vehicle Project competing in Tawain. I’ll post directly from his email. Keep us posted … we’re pulling for the team! (Interesting fact: GeekSquad founder ‘attended’ UMN, but dropped out as a Junior because of cost … […]
RichC | August 27, 2006
As the friends and family gather today in Lexington Kentucky, the media continues to stress that it is too early to speculate on the crash of ComAir Flight 5191. Emotions are running high as family gather and the local community lends every bit of assistance it can. Stories like the local Rite Aid employees buying […]
RichC | August 27, 2006
Every once in a while I enjoy posting something that tickles my funny bone. The Crab vs. Element clip is definitely a cute 30 second commercial. Honda would be smart to bring the creative Element and Friends TV “Crab” TV commercial to a few select markets … if not nationwide. I think it would be […]
RichC | August 26, 2006
I’ve been following the rumor sites in regard to the new Palm Treo … the antenna-less model. Besides the missing ‘stub,’ the new version looks to be a bit more streamlined and places the SD slot on the right side leaving only the ringer/vibrate switch on the top. In the US, it has been commented […]
RichC | August 25, 2006
Yes … in Cleveland, Ohio. The Visitor Center Audutorium at NASA’s Glenn Research Center will be open to the public for Sunday’s scheduled launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-115). The center will open its doors at 1:00 pm for the 4:30 pm launch of STS-115. Four members of Glenn’s Electric Power System Management Team, […]
RichC | August 24, 2006
Pluto was stripped of its status as a planet today by scientists from around the world who have redefined it as a “dwarf planet.” (see MSNBC link) This leaves our solar system with just eight classical planets … better rewrite that Trivial Pursuit card. Pluto was discovered in 1930 and has traditionally been considered the […]
RichC | August 23, 2006
They did it! Another extreme diesel follows the footsteps this past year of the Dakar VW Touareg TDIs, Audi’s LeManns V-10, the Darpa Diesel VW Touareg named Stanley. This time it was the JCB DieselMAX team from the UK and they came to the Bonneville Salt Flats of America to race their twin engined ‘diesel’ […]
RichC | August 22, 2006
While on vacation I did keep my eyes on alternative fuel ‘happenings’ in Hawaii. (to the embarrassment of my family) Not many locals were aware of anything except that gasoline was about a buck more per gallon than on the mainland. The Maui rental fleet of VWs (Bio-Beetle.com) were not spotted, although we were not […]
RichC | August 21, 2006
Our final day in Hawaii has been a wonderful one. We enjoyed one last leisurely meal while on vacation at Stinger Ray’s listening to island music. (which is beginning to grow on me) The boarding time for our flight is still an hour away so figured one last photo of the flag over the USS […]
RichC | August 21, 2006
As we rest in the shade before riding the tender out to the Arizona memorial, we sit somewhat somber as the displays portray the terror unleashed by the Japanese bomber during a sleepy December Sunday 65 years ago. The harbor view is a quiet place this Monday morning … thankfully, but I can help but […]
RichC | August 21, 2006
Heading to the airport on the bus. We are hoping for enough extra time before flying back to the mainland so as to be able to drive to Pearl Harbor. Crossing our fingers we can fight this heavy, heavy traffic. Later.
RichC | August 20, 2006
Head out and circling Kauai back to Honalulu.
RichC | August 20, 2006
Looking out in the harbor this morning I’m realizing a vacation is coming to an end. We will be circling by helicopter today … Then off for Honolulu.
RichC | August 20, 2006
Hanalei, Kauai with David and Gillian. The guys wait while the girls visit Gillian’s dress shop. I can’t wait to post a photo of jumping off the cliff and rope swing. Very exhilarating!
RichC | August 20, 2006
Our ship “The Pride of Hawaii” leaving Kona and the big island of Hawai’i behind as we sail for Kauai tonight. This will not get sent until the next Sprint service — we’ll see how that is on Jurassic Kauai. 🙂 I have some negative comments to come on the NCL management of the American […]
RichC | August 19, 2006
We must be nuts … its early and cold! 🙂 Who in their right mind gets up at 2am to catch a van to the 10,023 foot extinct volcano just so they can see the sunrise above the clouds … and yet can still come away saying that it was well worth it. Yes … […]
RichC | August 18, 2006
Kids are out on jetskis and we’re just enjoying a morning at a cafe in Kona, Hawai’i. Breezy and beautiful … wish you were here. 🙂
RichC | August 18, 2006
Since I have my Treo ‘tethered’ to my notebook computer in Maui I’ll put a couple more photos up rather than using the cellphone camera. (Sprint EVDO service here) We sailed over to the smaller island of Lanai (from Maui) which was something I love to do. The trip over in the morning was under […]
RichC | August 17, 2006
Two days, two different volcanic summits. The first was on the ‘big island’ of Hawai’i and rises from the seafloor some 33000 feet of which 13,796 feet as see from the geological marker. Its the first time I’ve climbed to that altitude and was amazed at how thin the air is hiking at that level. […]
RichC | August 16, 2006
By the time you read this, you will realize we did not have Sprint EVDO service on Hilo, Hawai’i so yesterday’s quick messages were sent this morning at Maui. It is a beautiful morning sitting on the deck of the NCL ship ‘Pride of Hawaii’ eating breakfast. Last nights sail an view of the lava […]
RichC | August 16, 2006
Outside Hilo, Hawai’i we stopped for photos at the Rainbow Falls on our way up the 14796 foot Mt. Mauna Kea. We enjoyed hiking except the final distance from the observatories on top of the volcanic mountain. Beautiful and cold at the summit. (photos of observatories to come.)
RichC | August 16, 2006
As we continued our day trip up the 12 astronomical observatories on Mauna Kea on ‘the big island,’ we came across an alter used by some traditional Hawaiians in worship to their gods in this volcanic land. The views along this unbelievable climb from sea level to the Summit at 14796 feet were unusual. From
RichC | August 14, 2006
Beautiful day to arrive in Hawaii. Great flight for one that last 9.5 hours and changes 6 time zones! In the bus and checking out EVDO cellphone service. Hopefully the direct to blog is working?
RichC | August 14, 2006
By the time you read this post, my family and I should be on our way to Hawaii. My daughter completed her undergrad schooling this past month (graduating summa cum laude — proud dad here), so as a graduation gift to all … we’re celebrating together. I’ll not be posting the regular daily ‘desultory posts,’ […]
RichC | August 13, 2006
A friend of mine sent me an article in Wired Magazine’s blog section on a mild hybrids, but the link that caught my eye was the BMW 2007 X5 preview article in Edmonds. I suppose I’m just dreaming that someday such vehicle with a diesel will be in the US? From what I’ve heard, RL, […]
RichC | August 12, 2006
According to an Associated Press article forwarded to me from the Northwest Florida Daily News, Ford has indicated that it intends to eliminate the gas cap. The first model that will receive the ‘pressure flap’ will be the 2008 Lincoln MKS model according to an announcement made at a Michigan automotive conference. Eventually all Ford […]
RichC | August 11, 2006
I recently read that the responsibility for inspecting rides at amusement parks and fairs in Ohio falls on the Department of Agriculture. This surprised me when reading about a recent popular roller coaster accident at Kings Island Amusement Park. (outside of Cincinnati, Ohio) Hmm … been there a few times. See Cincinnati Enquirer story.
RichC | August 11, 2006
Although I heard about this when it happened, it wasn’t until I saw the photo above (click it for full size) taken by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Nathan Laird made me want to include the bit of history in my blog. I grew up with a secret desire to be a Naval officer and […]
RichC | August 10, 2006
Traveling through Columbus, Ohio yesterday I missed the hubbub on Interstate I-70, but even caught up in it would have been as clueless as the police. On after a chase, resisting arrest and physical cuffing did police realize they had the former star Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett in their custody. As an article in […]
RichC | August 10, 2006
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
RichC | August 10, 2006
Keith Olbermann, in his nightly news program on MSNBC called “Countdown with Keith Olbermann,” has taken to delivering a Nazi “Sieg Heil” salute this past year while placing a cardboard cutout mask of FoxNews counterpart Bill O’Reilly. The Anti-Defamation League has voiced opposition to Keith Olbermann using the Nazi reference and has written a letter […]
RichC | August 9, 2006
In preparation for my upcoming vacation, I dusted off my Canon Rebel XT Digital camera both to charge the battery and make sure everything was working and stored in my camera bag. As I looked for a subject (aka: victim) to be in my test photo, I took a macro photo of a ‘bee’ being […]
RichC | August 8, 2006
I’m posting a press release directly from New Zealand’s Maurice O’Reilly and his engineering team today as they reported yet another Volkswagen 1.9 liter TDI record. This time it is a 1, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hour record which covered a record 2,642km/1642miles. (They also set a ‘speed record‘ for a 1.9 liter diesel […]
RichC | August 8, 2006
Although I’m not a Joe Lieberman supporter (Democratic Senator from Connecticut), I was disappointed to hear Ned Lamont winning the primary in Connecticut tonight. There were some interesting ‘tech’ stories surround this bitter primary, one is that ‘someone’ has taken down the ‘Joe2006.com‘ website. November should be as interesting as today when Joe Lieberman promises […]
RichC | August 8, 2006
Sometimes it just too easy to kill a hour or two reading off the wall Popular Mechanics style projects online. I occasionally read a fairly new online publication called Makezine. I couple of projects stand out for their innovation and their craftmanship. The first one is a “lighter than air” electrically powered (eventually) airship call […]
RichC | August 8, 2006
This is just a photo from a previous post that I’m attempting to polish for an upcoming vacation … ignore the post if you’ve seen the photo before. Note: Clicking on the smaller photo will bring up a larger photo if I have the post correctly updated.
RichC | August 7, 2006
Breaking news on the crude oil front … just what US oil doesn’t need: Crude Oil Rises After BP Shuts Alaskan Field, Largest in U.S. Aug. 7 (Bloomberg) — Crude oil rose after BP Plc shut Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay field, the largest in the U.S., because of corrosion in a pipeline. An inspection completed in […]
RichC | August 6, 2006
Ford is running a series of “bold moves” promotional video clips marketing it changing ways. Episode 7 points to alternative fuels. (particularly ethanol) The video clip uses a new all ‘alternatives’ fuel station run by Bill Smith in Southern Pines, North Carolina to show that it might be possible to rotate away from ‘all’ petroleum […]
RichC | August 6, 2006
Here’s a post which is probably of interest only to gadget lovers. The mobile phone sites have been posting photos of a rumored new slimmer Treo for months. This one, currently referred to as the “Nitro,” looks to have a few more serious watchers checking it out. It has been suggested that Cingular will be […]
RichC | August 5, 2006
A friend of mine sent me an update article from Wired Magazine about the JCB Dieselmax streamliner that will attempt a run for the diesel land speed record. (I had forgotten about it) The record is currently 236mph but driver Andy Green will be shooting for 300+mph. On August 1st before leaving the UK they […]
RichC | August 4, 2006
For those of us fortunate enough to be using cell phones with high speed data from Sprint, there is some good news. Sprint announced it is ahead of plan for the expansion and evolution of the Sprint Power Vision(SM) network that allows users to access audio, video and data applications with handheld and connection card […]
RichC | August 3, 2006
There have been several reports over the last few days talking about the Tesla Motors all-electric Roadster. (see Autoblog.com) From its unveiling in California with Governor Schwarzenegger present at the Santa Monica airport hanger to the youtube video included below, this is an impressive electric vehicle. According to Tesla chairman Elon Musk, the $80-$100,000 hand-built […]
RichC | August 3, 2006
I spend several days week on the road and have been getting a little better at finding internet access (hot spots) in order to upload files, manages sites and retreive email. This week I’m staying at a Radisson hotel that normally has wireless access for my evening connect, but unfortunately the service has been up […]
RichC | August 2, 2006
The FoxNews program “The O’Reilly Factor,” hosted by Bill O’Reilly, interviewed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday evening. The interview made clear the position the United States is ‘not’ forcing a cease fire between Israel and Hezbollah, but is working to back the government of Lebanon in controlling Hezbollah within their borders. Condoleezza Rice was […]
RichC | August 1, 2006
Here’s an update on Maurice O’Reilly’s high speed record attempts with a Volkwagen Jetta 1.9 liter TDI diesel. On Saturday and Sunday (July 29 & 30th) he set four records at Goudies Road in Rerewhakaitu New Zealand according to reports. The previous diesel record for this run was topped by 40km/h and is now Mr. […]