RichC | February 28, 2007
Fuel prices have jumped this past week and a comment over at CinciTDI has me wondering if this is a short term trend or if it will continue into spring and summer. Psychologically, I’m finding my own personal limits are being challenged again, although I’ve come to accepted $2.50 for ULSD or biodiesel. (maybe it […]
RichC | February 28, 2007
Alain Thebault’s radical sailling trimaran Hydropteré broke the 50 mile per hour mark at 47.2 knots (54 mph) in a 25 knot wind — that’s twice the speed of the wind! The recorded, according to World Speed Sailing Record Council, is 48.7 knots, but then that was a windsurfer; its hard to compare the two […]
RichC | February 28, 2007
I’ve been signed up, but not been offered a beta of the Slingplayer Palm OS software to install on my Palm Treo 700p … would like to give it a try though. For those of you unfamiliar with the Slingbox/SlingPlayer, its a hardware device that plugs into your computer network and broadcast your television signal […]
RichC | February 27, 2007
According to the Treehugger website, the Discovery Channel will air a FutureCar episode on Wednesday, February 28th … it might be worth recording. One of the cars worth considering is the Opel Eco Speedster. Its a concept car, but shows just was a sleek high performance diesel is capable of doing. The powerplant is a […]
RichC | February 26, 2007
As the momentum builds toward the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2007, teams from twenty universities are ‘gearing’ up (poor engineering humor) towards the goal of designing, building, and operating a highly energy-efficient, completely solar-powered house. The judging will take place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., October 3 – 22, 2007 and be […]
RichC | February 25, 2007
The beauty of having a ‘non-topical’ blog is that posting something off-topic is ‘okay’ … so here ya go: Brenda‘s Butchered Buffalo Wings. 😉 While our family was enjoying a meal out at a local Chili’s restaurant, my wife proceeded to nibble her buffalo wings naked. Its just wrong! When I pointed it out that […]
RichC | February 23, 2007
Firefox2 is my favorite browser to date, and suspect many of you feel the same way. One big plus are the many “add-on” extensions available by third-party developers. One of my favorite is an small RSS client call Sage, but an add-on that I find more essential is IE Tab by Paul Roub. IE Tab […]
RichC | February 22, 2007
Although Corning Incorporated provides display technologies and telecommunications glass substrates for liquid crystal displays and fiber optics, they are also a 30 year player in ceramic emission products too. If diesel use grows in the US as some believe, Corning stands to gain the lion share of the new pollution control filter market. Currently their […]
RichC | February 22, 2007
NASCAR has had its share of pluses and minuses over the years, and although the 2007 season started with one of those minuses (fuel tampering), it finished on a high note with a pedal to the metal scramble for the finish line of the Daytona 500. It could not have been much better. Sadly as […]
RichC | February 21, 2007
The fog didn’t really disappear until about noon today during my careful drive up I-71 — no comments Tim. Thankfully by the time I was to exit 151, between Columbus and Cleveland Ohio, the sun was almost out and fog about gone. I couldn’t resist taking a photo of the fog while driving since I […]
RichC | February 20, 2007
Daniel Fisher in the February 26th issue of Forbes wrote an ‘investor beware’ article titled “Kissycat and the Magic Diesel.” (Marketplace.org MP3 audio interview with Dan Fisher here.) The article points out a new capital generation favorite of penny stock pushers … “Renewable Energy Companies.” Everyone loves this new alternative energy market, from President Bush […]
RichC | February 20, 2007
Motorweek showcased the new 2007 BMW 335i on its program in this weeks broadcast. Their first impression was the usual for the BMW 3 series … they liked it … me too. From the improved economy (staff recorded 30 mpg on a road trip — premium fuel) in a car that can comfortably cruise twisties […]
RichC | February 19, 2007
According to the holiday (Presidents Day) business news , Sirius and XM satellite radio companies are set to announce their merger today. Industry experts have been anticipating this announcement for some time now and according to an article in the NYPost, the “two sides were locked in negotiations over the weekend trying to hammer out […]
RichC | February 19, 2007
Hmm … haven’t we seen this before? A movie perhaps — “Armageddon?” According to a group of scientists that met this past weekend in San Francisco, an asteroid (Apophis) will pass uncomfortably close to the earth in 2029. Then only 7 years later will be even closer with the potential for impact. The probability of […]
RichC | February 17, 2007
Similar to Big Brother utilizing traffic light cameras to photograph and ticket cars going through red lights, here’s another item which is a little more personal. Big Mother … I mean … DriveSync monitors “your car’s” driving habits, or depending who “you know” is behind the wheel … the driver’s habits. Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. […]
RichC | February 16, 2007
Here are couple more photos (click for larger) while heading up Interstate 71 just south of Columbus Ohio this past week. The storm was pretty impressive as it first coated roads, trees and house with a thick coat of ice followed by snow. From Columbus south the February 13-14 front started with ice and then […]
RichC | February 15, 2007
After purchasing a highly rated iGrip Palm Treo holder over at Treonauts, I decided to try it our with my Treo 700p on my trip from Cincinnati to Northeast Ohio this week. One of the features that intrigued me was that the camera lens was not covered, so I tried it as a dashboard video […]
RichC | February 14, 2007
Security on personal computers could be under more risk that most of us assume, if a recent Dark Reading article is correct. A study by the University of Maryland reports that the average computer on the Internet is attacked every 39 seconds. Interestingly most of the attacks are of the brute force style, looking for […]
RichC | February 13, 2007
I’ve been posting Donna Lange updates into Google Earth since she started her solo sail toward Rhode Island from Cape Horn. If you are interested in seeing her progress, visit the Google Earth Community forum and look for Donna Lange in the Current Events section. (debated if it should go in a different section but […]
RichC | February 11, 2007
A local Trenton Ohio school and weather related story made national news this weekend; Trenton is a small town only a few miles away, so it caught my attention. FoxNews reported that two teenage girls posted a fake weather closing last Monday on the Edgewood City Schools website, something Matthew Brodericks’ characters could be seen […]
RichC | February 10, 2007
Martin Winterkorn, former head of Volkwagen Audi division who is now CEO of Volkswagen AG, proposed the “design and development of a new, very small, model below the Fox.” He described the car as an affordable everyday car that would be attractive and aimed at markets worldwide. Winterkorn commented that unlike DaimlerChrysler’s Smart, the new […]
RichC | February 9, 2007
How capable are the Mercedes clean diesels? To answer this, Mercedes-Benz might tell you to take a look at the October – November 2006 Paris to Beijing Rally it called the E-Class Experience (previous post), or perhaps to the recent report on Motorweek. (below) Over 300 drivers made the trip in 28 days. The over […]
RichC | February 8, 2007
I feel fortunate to be communicating daily with Donna Lange and I enjoy including posts about her … and from her … on my blog as she sails her way NNW heading for home. Although home is a long way off, about 6200 nautical miles, from her log and emails I can tell that it […]
RichC | February 8, 2007
Volkswagen of America announced the high performance version of the GTI known as the R32 which boast a 250 horsepower narrow-angle 3.2L V6. This unique powerplant will be mated to the six speed dual clutch transmission (DSG) and shift paddles on the steering column. The 0-60 times are said to be in the mid-6 second […]
RichC | February 7, 2007
With the day at home, I’m playing catch up and reading reports on the National Biodiesel conference which is underway in San Antonio Texas. I’ve posted two of the audio links in my sidebar (to the right) and will include a blog link commenting on the ‘daily goings on.’ Note: You can’t hear the questions […]
RichC | February 7, 2007
I’m using the 6+ inches of fresh snow and cold weather as an excuse to stay home today. The local schools closed and so after sleeping in my son is taking off to go sledding with his buddies. Mt. VOA is a favorite place, but is hardly a “Mount” … to understand you would have […]
RichC | February 7, 2007
Several years ago while living and working in a suburb of Akron, I made the acquaintance of Dr. Warner Mendenhall, Jr. (but he’s the senior for this post) … I did some work on his mayoral campaign. Besides being a kindred spirit in our ability to discuss sailing, he was a good customer and became […]
RichC | February 6, 2007
Here in the mid-west we’ve been cold for about a week and there is little sign that winter is abating. (photo above is a black and white from my Palm Treo 700p smartphone) The snow has started in earnest and has curtailed my trip from Cincinnati to Cleveland this week. Notwithstanding, technology is keeping me […]
RichC | February 5, 2007
Although I’m a wind power guy and prefer sailing, I’m impressed with an Ocean crossing solar powered Swiss-made catamaran called the Sun21. The unique boat became the first solar-powered boat to cross the Atlantic and was able to log 107 nautical miles per day. The 41 foot catamaran sailed a similar route to that of […]
RichC | February 4, 2007
Colder weather has settled around much of the mid-west this past week as were in the single digits in and around Cincinnati. Thankfully we are only dealing with what is expected — winter, other are not as fortunate; my heart goes out to those dealing with the severe storms, the destruction and deaths in central […]
RichC | February 3, 2007
Yet another update from Donna Lange; she has encountered a significant amount of heavy weather. I received and update this morning on her condition (which is upbeat) and that her 28 foot Southern Cross sailboat is handling the 40 and 50 knot winds being dished out in the southern Atlantic. Thanks to her sailing and […]
RichC | February 3, 2007
The Wall Street Journal published an article today (Is $34.06 Per Hour ‘Underpaid’?) that is bringing attention to how much public school teachers are paid. This kind of study will bristle the hairs of many in the education field, but since the common perception is that teachers are underpaid, it seems appropriate that a comparison […]
RichC | February 2, 2007
Volkswagen of America, Inc. may import the VW Polo to the United States around 2010. It will compete head to head with the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Smart. eGMCarTech predicts that the gasoline version will probably come first and and possibly be followed by the BlueMotion three cylinder 1.4 liter direct injection turbodiesel. Polo […]
RichC | February 2, 2007
Last month I included a blog post on an autobiographical book by Daniel Tammet; he is a unique 27 year old Autistic Savant living in England. (Born on a Blue Day) He seems to have a normal functioning personality and understands the curiosity people have with his unique talents. Most who here him have an […]
RichC | February 2, 2007
Updating the progress from Donna Lange’s online log … per request. 1024UTC 0724local 0430NY 2324NZ Feb 2,2007 Friday Good Morn hugs!! It is Warming!! 55*f this morn. position: 47*41’S 50*33’W winds: w 30+kn sp: 5kn COG: 042 Seas: 10′ point of sail: broad reach sails: 1/3jib miles sailed: 130nm! miles to go: 6749nm to RI […]
RichC | February 1, 2007
Posting a Mt. Gilead I-71 renewable fuel pricing update this afernoon. The Sunoco station is an easy interstate on and off at exit 151. EDIT: Petroleum Diesel = $2.29; Regular Unleaded = $2.29 Diesel in Southwestern Ohio today 2/3/2007 is priced the same at gasoline. How long has it been since you’ve see that???
RichC | February 1, 2007
Here’s and interesting look at what it is like to drive around in Iraq … the short video clip speaks for itself. VIDEO MISSING