My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on January 29, 2013

One of my favorite automotive sites Autoblog mentioned that the long awaited (2011 post) Chevrolet Cruze diesel will be making an appearance at the Chicago Auto Show as a 2014 model. According to reports it should compete handily in the fuel efficiency area with the Volkswagen Jetta TDI … although I’ll be anxious to see if it resembles the normal Chevy econoboxes in interior finish and driving characteristics? Some time ago Scott Burgess declared it needed some tweets.

Comment from Autoblog:

Earlier reports have indicated that the diesel Cruze will be able to achieve fuel economy numbers in the range of 50 miles per gallon. For comparison, the similarly sized Volkswagen Jetta TDI is rated at 30/42 mpg city/highway, but as we found out in our long-term test of the 2011 model, hitting 50 mpg was a piece of cake.

Official specifications will be released at the time of the 2014 Cruze’s unveiling, though reports have stated that the sedan will be powered by a reworked version of the 2.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-four found in the Holden Cruze CDX overseas. In that application, the four-pot oil-burner produces 160 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque – increases of 20 hp and 29 lb-ft over the 2.0-liter engine used in VW’s Jetta TDI.

Autoblog and more photos

Category: Automotive, Diesel, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Tags: Chevrolet, Cruze, diesel

Posted By RichC on January 28, 2013

Butler County Ohio’s high profile local Sheriff Richard Jones is addressing the recent hot button topic school security with a “two for one” idea by putting trained retired police officers in school buildings as substitute teachers.

Many of our local schools once had resource officers in the schools, but budget constraints due to the slow economy has forced cuts in spending. This creative solution could be a win-win solution to improving a school’s ability to respond if the circumstances should ever arise. It may not answer all the concerns of parents and teachers, but using trained retired veteran officers as substitutes is the best idea I’ve heard so far. This will no doubt be considered by school boards and districts across the country needing to stretch dollars and improve school security. Kudos to Sheriff Jones and Butler County.

Sheriff: Place armed ex-cops in schools

Butler County school days may soon include armed substitute teachers watching over students under a proposal that is the first of its kind in Ohio.

Under the plan announced Thursday by Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, retired police officers could volunteer to be trained to work in schools as substitute teachers – teaching in any of the county’s 10 school districts or private schools.

The idea, which Jones said may be a first in the nation, would put armed, trained veteran police officers in school buildings throughout the county at no more cost than districts now pay – about $75 per day – for substitute teachers.

“I assume every school district in Ohio will be looking at this, if not the nation,” said Jones, who credited retired Mason Police Officer Scott Miller – who joined him at Thursday’s press conference – with the idea.

“It’s two for one, and it’s cost-effective,” Jones said.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said he expects many of Ohio’s 614 public school districts and hundreds of private schools to consider it.

“It’s a decision to be made by each local school district, but I think some will approach it,” DeWine said. “If I was on a school board I’d think of having someone in that school who was a trained person … who had access to a gun in the school.”

Lakota school parent Wendy Goldfinger likes the idea.

“I’ve heard enough stories in other states where a principal or somebody in a school with a gun stopped a shooting, so I would not be opposed to this,” she said.

Read full article at Cincinnati.com

Category: Education, Local, News, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: butler county, gun control, schools, security, sheriff

Posted By RichC on January 27, 2013

While we wait for the production version of the Mazda 6 Skyactiv diesel sedan to arrive at dealers in the U.S. later this year, Mazda is busy giving 3 of their diesels a workout at the #Rolex24 hours of Daytona race this weekend. Unfortunately they were not overly prepared to race and found all three cars unable to run at full power. A few hours into the running, they headed for the garage due to production quality failed parts. Still it was interesting to see them giving a 4 cylinder diesel a shot at running hard for 24 hours. "It’s actually a miracle we are even here with the three cars," says Doonan. "Of the three, one didn’t even exist a week ago. We’ve had about five test days. Double that would’ve been nice."  Article

For Mazda, It’s Diesels at Daytona

When three Mazda 6 sedans roll onto the starting grid for the Rolex 24 endurance race on Saturday, they’ll be packing a technology the company says has never before competed at the Daytona International Speedway: diesel engines.

Mazda is no stranger to the annual 24-hour event, the traditional kickoff for the sports-car racing season in the United States, having won its class there 23 times. But its debut with diesel-powered sedans will come as a surprise to many of the automaker’s fans, who are used to seeing RX-7 and RX-8 sports cars, with their earsplitting rotary engines, take the checkered flag.

The new racing program, supported by Mazda engineers in Japan and North America, aims to publicize a 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine that is one element of the company’s Skyactiv strategy to improve efficiency. The plan lifts a page out of the playbook that Audi has used so successfully at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: using racing to demonstrate the engine’s mettle and to increase awareness of diesel’s benefits.

“We think diesel, with its great low-end torque, durability, performance and fuel economy, fits the Mazda brand’s enthusiast reputation — and we hope the racing program will demonstrate that,” said Jim O’Sullivan, chief executive of Mazda North America.

Read Entire NYTime article

Category: Automotive, Diesel, Mazda | 1 Comment »
Tags: daytona, diesel, mazda

Posted By RichC on January 27, 2013

Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers continue to promote their talents as road performers on YouTube while touring which makes for enjoyable viewing and listening (here’s last year’s post). I regret missing their show during their two stops in Ohio last year, but think their Van Sessions exhibit more of their raw talent than any studio recording or live stage performance ever could. Maybe its just the way they play the old familiar music, but their stuff is hard to beat. Keep the live recordings and YouTube clips coming. 

Category: Music, Video | 1 Comment »
Tags: Music, nicki bluhm, van sessions

Posted By RichC on January 26, 2013

This artist sure “one ups” the often seen “wash me” scribble on a dirty car, and on a Volkswagen Golf TDI no less — impressive!

Posted via email from RichC’s posterous

Category: Misc, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Tags: Art, tdi, vw

Posted By RichC on January 26, 2013

It is great to see the entrepreneurial spirit alive and well in the niche publishing of local “paper-based” magazine, Domestica (Domestica Magazine). This venture is somewhat close to home seeing that it is local … and edited by Rachel Kirkwood, a friend of our family. She started the community oriented publication using Kickstarter last year and as  editor focuses content on topics of interest to those living in urban neighborhoods surrounding Cincinnati. Check out the WVXU public radio interview with Rachel.

WVXU (mp3) Rachel Kirkwood talks about Domestica Magazine

Category: Audio, Business, Local | No Comments »
Tags: cincinnati, domestica, magazine, rachel kirkwood

Posted By RichC on January 25, 2013

OpenSignal.com offers a free online tool that compares cellphone networks in given markets. Obviously my choice of Sprint isn’t giving me the best service in south-western Ohio, but does improve when I drill down to my exact location … although I question the tested download (.81 Mbps?) and upload (9.03 Mbps?) speeds (below)?

I’m still crossing my fingers that once their 4G LTE service is up and running numbers and rankings will go up? How does your carrier in your state/zipcode look?

Category: Cellphone | No Comments »
Tags: Cellphone, opensignal

Posted By RichC on January 25, 2013

In order to resolve my ongoing “up the mast” electrical issues when it come to anchor lights, I’ve picked up a portable low-draw 12 volt anchor light for Encore. The Davis MegaLight gets reasonable reviews from those needing a simple way to be legal when mooring or anchoring their boats.

According to the information, the draw is “about 1 amp-hour per night” and has an automatic light sensor to turn the anchor light on and off. I’ve been testing it at home and it unfortunately requires bright daylight in order to turn off … which leave it on quite a few extra hours if it is not manually disconnected. The cord is also a bit short (15 ft) for my use, but it is suppose to be bright enough to be seen the legal 2 nautical miles … dubious??? My plan is to hoist it up the babystay as high as the cord will permit and use it for a low-draw back up anchor light.

Mega Light Utility

Mega-Light energy efficient lights consume very little current. At just 0.110 amps (approximately 1/10th amp), battery discharge is about one amp hour in a 12-hour period. Your batteries will hardly know it’s on.

Mega-Light Utility features a light sensor that automatically switches on at dusk and off at dawn. It sports a dual-function Fresnel lens that projects light for up to two nautical miles (3.7 km).

Comes with two easy-to-change light bulbs. One bayonet-type bulb draws just 0.110 amps and can be seen for up to two nautical miles (3.7 km). The other bayonet bulb draws 0.320 amps (approximately 3/10th amps) and is more than twice as bright. Includes a standard lighter plug and 15 foot (4.5 m) cord with easy hanger.

PDF Instructions | Replacement parts

Category: Sailing | 2 Comments »
Tags: anchor, encore, light, saiboat

Posted By RichC on January 24, 2013

Hmm, not much in the immediate future to put a smile back on shareholders’ faces. If Tim Cook has something up his sleeves, it might be a good time to turn on the magic. ($AAPL trading at $450 down 12% Thursday morning) 

Posted via email from RichC’s posterous

Category: Financial | 1 Comment »
Tags: aapl, apple

Posted By RichC on January 24, 2013

It may be 15 degrees outside, but that doesn’t keep my firebug wife from heading out to burn landscape grasses and who knows what else. She asked if I had a larger fire blanket (I gave her a small one for Christmas this year), and since I didn’t, she settled for a 5 gallon bucket of water and sopping wet painters tarp in order to protect the fence (the one she burned last year!) I suggested that we cut the grasses like everybody else, but it is obvious that she would rather burn them down. Where’s “global warm-ite” Al Gore when you need him?

Category: Personal, Photos | No Comments »
Tags: brenda, dadh, firebug