Posted By RichC on October 17, 2013
A sad, sad day for this little Volkswagen TDI diesel engine transplanted in a VW bus. VWWestyman posted a couple photos of his “toasted” engine on TheSamba.com forum and explained that this is what happens when the engine loses all the coolant but keeps chugging along … well, until it doesn’t. 
Posted By RichC on October 16, 2013
EDIT: I’ve added a small recording “app” to the iMac called eXtra Voice Recorder. In the old Mac days we would call these small apps “DAs”(Desk Accessories). If you’re a pre-X Mac user, do you remember them? Below is the audio test.
| Reading Cleaning out the family farmhouse and barn in New York (mp3) |
Brenda and I stretched out this past Columbus Day weekend and towed a U-Haul trailer up to Jamestown, New York in order to begin cleaning out her parent’s farmhouse and barn – it is tough closing the chapter on a lifetime of memories.
Most … no ALL of my time was spent in the barn and workshop. The neglected outbuilding was in serious need of cleaning, sorting and organizing since caring for it was no longer something Brenda’s dad was able to do in his later years. He had collected a lifetime of tools and treasures from his youth, World War II and 40+ years as a dentist; he had a pretty healthy collection of scrap and salvaged wood along with the miscellaneous items that many of us find too easy to keep and store when you have a small barn. (check out mud nest! – photo right)
Brenda’s mom and her sister and brother-in-law were there for the “fun” too. Chris and Jerry’s oldest son David and his girlfriend Rachel (now fiancé) arrived and found room on the couches (thankfully still there) – the big surprise was that he proposed on Monday morning … and did it by hiding a ring in the built-in cabinets in the farmhouse stairway. Very nice touch!
There were a few sisterly disagreements, but all in all we had a nice time together and accomplish a lot – still a lot to do. I only wish more of the family would have been there to sort through the memories and help line little things up for the family lottery. We talked about having one more family gathering and trip to Peek’n Peak over the holidays … something we have done for most of 30 years. We’ll see?
Posted By RichC on October 15, 2013
Posted By RichC on October 14, 2013
Since I’m looking to bring my son home from North Dakota over Christmas, I figured it might be time to archive a list of shopping tips I copied and saved in a document a few years ago … can’t remember where I found them? I can’t vouch for the current accuracy, but I’m using the 4 tips as a starting point in shopping. (Hopefully experience travelers will be able to update the tips in the comment section below — my friend Steve is a big advocate for Matrix its Software and as a traveler and aviation expert, he always have helpful tips)
#1: Shop for domestic airfare Tuesdays at 3pm EST. The best day to shop is Tuesday. An airline will typically kick off an airfare sale late Monday. Other airlines join in to stay competitive. Price matching is usually complete by early Tuesday afternoon. Newly discounted airfares hit reservation systems by 3pm EST.
#2: Don’t buy airline tickets earlier than 3 ½ months before departure. Airlines don’t begin actively “managing” prices until three or four months before departure, and if you buy any earlier than that, chances are good you’ll pay too much. Airlines typically have as many as 10 different prices points on a single plane. Knowing when to buy and when not to buy is key to getting cheap plane tickets.
#3: Don’t buy too early, but don’t buy too late, either. Airfare prices can rise dramatically within 14 days of departure. When it comes to most legacy carriers (which include American, Delta, United and US Airways), airfare prices can rise dramatically inside the 14-day before departure window; with discount or low cost airlines, that window is usually 7 to 10 days before departure. This is to take advantage of the last minute business traveler who often doesn’t know his/her travel schedule much in advance and is willing to pay higher prices.
#4: The cheapest days to fly are usually Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Most people want to squeeze as much time out of a vacation as possible which is why flights on Fridays and Sunday are so popular. However, the airlines know this and they usually charge more for flights on those days. The cheapest days to travel are the least popular days to fly: Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday. Fly these days and you’ll almost always save on airfare.
Posted By RichC on October 11, 2013
When information on Buzzy came to my inbox, I had to forward the URL to my daughter just in case she wasn’t aware of it as won’t be long before she’ll be finished with her residency. She is currently in her third year at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus and will soon be joining or starting a practice. Buzzy might be just the thing to improve a doctors’ bedside manners and keep patients returning and passing along positive comments.
Buzzy is a reusable and inexpensive device that provides natural pain relief. Gate control is the basis for the device and it works by confusing the body’s own nerves and distracting attention away from the poke. The stimulation dulls or eliminating sharp pain from shots, itching, or burning from medications. It has been independently verified by research and can be used for dentistry, immunizations, splinter removal, flu injections, etc.
Buzzy®’s contoured design tucks under a standard tourniquet, or fits easily in the hand to deliver powerful pain blocking right where you need it. This more compact Buzzy® optimally delivers vibration, even for smaller hands or locations. Buzzy® leaves fingers free to help with needle procedures. Durable design. Comes with 2 reusable single-patient slip on Softies Wings, comfort strap, instructions, and batteries. Single screw makes replacing AAA batteries simple!
Check it out — buy a Buzzy.
Posted By RichC on October 10, 2013
A long time friend and fellow EAA284 chapter member Ken Miracle passed away last week and his family will be holding a gathering and a memorial service this Friday evening (10/11) and Saturday morning (10/12). I regret being unable to attend.
Ken was one of the first EAA guys to befriend me when I joined the local aviation chapter many years ago and he continued to be my buddy whenever we’d work on chapter projects. He is the man I think of when I hear someone called a “gentleman” … 
he was perhaps the most “gentle” man I have ever know (those who have met him will know what I mean). I will miss working with Ken … be it tinkering on hanger projects or flipping pancakes at the Taildragger Fly-in.
Bob Luken shared a comment from his wife Barbara: “In July, our daughter took us down to the Waynesville Airport … on a Saturday. A beautiful day…. sunny with beautiful white clouds … Ken sat in the SUV with the windows down and enjoyed watching all the action. Lots of planes coming and going and he would tell us about each one. That was a good day for him! We had ice cream at McDonalds in Waynesville before taking him back to the nursing home. A good memory.”
Ken Miracle
Kenneth F. Miracle, age 80, of Xenia, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at the Greene Memorial Hospital. He was born March 13, 1933 in Manchester, Ohio the son of Silas and Opal Miracle.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother: Robert Miracle.
Ken was a proud graduate of Lockland High School, Class of 1952. He was a four year veteran of the US Air Force in the air-sea rescue. A graduate of Miami University, he taught at Springfield North and Xenia High School, before retiring from Greene County Career Center. He loved flying and was a private pilot and club member at the Waynesville Airport. A faithful Christian at First Church of Christ, he loved serving in the area of Missions, and was helpful on many other projects.
He is survived by his wife of 53years, Barbara (Poll), sons: Kenneth S. (Terri) of San Diego, CA; daughters: Lisa (Rich) DeWees of Macon, GA; and Lori (Russ) Lawrimore of Jacksonville, FL; grandchildren: Kyla and Colter DeWees, Nicholas and Sam Lawrimore; sisters: Mildred Bollmer, of Mason, OH, and Joan (Mike) Foster of Jacksonville, FL; brothers: Ric Miracle of Bradenton, FL and Don (Chris) Miracle, of Denver, CO; as well as several nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.
A Gathering of Friends will be held 6-8 pm Friday October 11, 2013 at First Church of Christ, 441 Ledbetter Road, Xenia. A Memorial Service will be held 11 AM Saturday, October 12th at First Church of Christ. Interment will be in Arlington Memorial Gardens in Cincinnati. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Church of Christ, Missions Fund, 441 Ledbetter Road, Xenia, 45385.
Posted By RichC on October 9, 2013
Posted By RichC on October 9, 2013
The Australian space photographer beat out more than 1,200 other entrants in this year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest and the rest of Mark Gee’s Flickr collection are equally impressive.
“I love the tranquil combination of sea and sky in this beautiful image, along with the comforting human element of the cliff-top lighthouse,” stated Marek Kukula, a competition judge as well as the Royal Observatory’s public astronomer. “This view from the shores of New Zealand makes me think of the long voyages the Maori’s ancestors made into unchartered oceans, guided by the stars. We’re in a similar situation today, as we set out to explore the universe.”
Posted By RichC on October 8, 2013
I ran across a “Packard: An American Classic Car” documentary on You Tube the other day and know it is something my dad will enjoy watching. 
I downloaded a copy to my iPad (using McTube Pro) and am archiving the 44 minute clip to my blog — might purchase the DVD as it would make a great Christmas gift?
If you like cars, the Packard story is a great one … but the companies downfall is pitiful and walking through the old Detroit Packard complex even more depressing for this great American nameplate.
Posted By RichC on October 7, 2013
