How about meeting at the beach under the umbrella?
Posted By RichC on June 30, 2012
Don’t you love going to the beach in the summer … watch out for floaters! Hmm, maybe I’ll just stay home. (Do you think they all use the restroom before arriving?)
Solid day of market gains to closes the quarter
Posted By RichC on June 29, 2012
Markets were up strong today inching closer to Dow 13,000 on news from Europe … and after sleeping on the Supreme Court Obamacare decision yesterday; I do think that Chief Justice Robert’s position left many on Wall Street stymied (my opinion).
For most part, traders and investor were back buying today which help closed the quarter with a positive feeling … even if the long term prospects are clouded. Most of the professional money managers I’ve listened to are not expecting the climb to last through the year and advise caution. They don’t believe that congress and the president will agree to policies that will be positive for our economy. For now, relish a day of gains if you are long … but consider being conservative during the second half of the year.
Looks like a nice tablet: Nexus 7 review | The Verge
Posted By RichC on June 29, 2012
Read this review and thought: “I sometimes pay this much for a software update?” Hmm … now give me a phone this nice without a contract and I’m interested.
Google’s Nexus 7 tablet is not exactly a surprise. Nor is the fact that I’m able to work on a review of the product just hours after the device was announced. For years now, Google has had the uncanny habit of not only making big announcements at its I/O events, but then immediately sharing what it has shown off with developers and members of the press.
This year was over the top. Not only did Google hand out its new, 7-inch, $199 Nexus 7 tablet, but it also introduced a new version of Android (4.1) called Jelly Bean, upgraded its flagship phone, and… rolled out the Nexus Q. Perhaps the most odd of all, the Q is a spherical media player / amp which functions as a wired audio and video output for all of your Google content.
But the main course is obviously the tablet — a stock Google experience with a price point clearly meant to put a hurt on Amazon’s Kindle Fire, and sway potential buyers of Apple’s lower-end iPad 2. Android as a tablet platform has stumbled thus far — can Google finally begin to make an impact in an increasingly crowded market? Read on for my full review to find out.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/29/3125396/google-nexus-7-review
Congress has the power to tax, be it for revenue or behavior
Posted By RichC on June 28, 2012
It was a big news day on Thursday and by now all who were interested in hearing the Supreme Court’s conclusion are no doubt tuning-out the overwhelming amount of news and opinion … that is unless you are celebrating this as a victory. I personally was surprised by the court’s ruling and am now wondering where the power of BIG government ends? What’s next …
Chief Justice Roberts, who ultimately ruled in favor of Obamacare for the most part, determined that congress has the power to “tax” and it didn’t matter if the reason was to force citizens to purchase health insurance or raise revenue; they can choose “taxing” for the purpose of raising revenue (income tax) or controlling behavior (as in sin taxes like tobacco). Unfortunately this interpretation give government even more power that may of us thought … which I suppose could be taken away at the ballot box. November will definitely have clarity for those wanting to limit the reach of our federal government and those wanting to expand it role in social programs.
Steve Moore of the WSJ editorial board had an interesting commentary:
Talking and looking at Volkswagens
Posted By RichC on June 28, 2012
It was great to see a couple Volkswagen friends last night for a couple hours, even if we didn’t actually solve any of their problems. We used the computer and Vagcom software to pull codes on a Passat 2.0 turbo and Passat 
TDI to hopefully diagnose the reason for the check engine light, but both were intermittent and the codes readings didn’t point to any particular problem. I did a reset and we’ll see what happens.
The ‘gasser’ Passat also had a nasty squeal that for the life of us couldn’t be pinpointed. I’m hoping to get some feedback if only to eventually find out what was making the noise – we ruled out everything that runs off the belted systems (unless there is something that continues to spin?) and the two radiator cooling fans. I don’t think it is the turbo but am curious as if there is some other electrically powered motor that spins a small flywheel or something???
On a totally different note … I loved this Wyatt Gooden Racing magazine photo.
Kudos to a well run Cincinnati area airport taxi service
Posted By RichC on June 27, 2012
A change in schedules had me flying into CVG (Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport) on Tuesday and stuck without a way home. I didn’t park my car this trip and expected that “someone” would be available to pick me up and drive me home – NOPE!
Anyway this gave me an excuse to look for another way home and I decided to try the
TristateAirportTransportation.com taxi service. A quick call to 513-546-3608 put me in touch with someone who efficiently scheduled a pickup upon my flight arrival … I had my doubts. Sure enough, like clockwork a pleasant driver in a Chrysler 300 (not the canned rickshaw photo) was waiting at the passenger pickup as soon as I called. The drive home through downtown traffic and construction was uneventful and I was dropped of to my door for a flat $56 plus tip. Personally I thought this was a little low since the last few taxi rides were about $20 for trips far shorter — less than 15 minutes and about 10 miles. Considering the amount of gas and time for someone to drive down to the airport and back (or airport on or offsite parking charges), I may opt for this service again.
Encore out of the water and in need of some TLC
Posted By RichC on June 26, 2012
Let’s start with the good news … Encore is safely out of the water, block and safely in the boatyard. Her bottom ablative bottom paint sort of did its job, but was completely used up. A strong power washing took care of the slime and some of the growth and left a few barnacles glued to the hull and prop. Unfortunately the cleaning brought to light blistering … something all too common to aging fiberglass hulls (West System PDF). In Encore’s case, there are many … MANY … all small but too plentiful for the normal DIY West System patching technique. This brings me to my next dilemma –what do I do next?
The right way to go would be to hire a soda blaster and strip the below surface area so as to open all of the blisters so they can dry out (approx $2500). After this “heavy striping of the bottom,” a filler coat can be applied before laying up several barrier coats (four coats according to Joe Valenza at Whiticar Boat Works) … then apply both a hard antifouling bottom paint of one color and an second ablative antifouling coat of another color. Of course even all of this labor intensive work would not be enough since the iron keel needs to be treated differently as it is showing signs of rust (something I knew about). All I know is that the cash register will be ringing if the repair is done the right way.
There is always the “wrong way” and the questionable in between way to repair the bottom. I could move the boat to the do-it-yourself area (a charged of course) and just slap new ablative antifouling paint over everything and wait another year. Or I could sand and grind the bottom down myself, attempt to patch multiple 100s of small blisters and repaint the hull knowing this will not solve the problem long term but give me several seasons.
Hmm, something to sleep on and delicately talk with Brenda about in a year we are planning a wedding ($$$) … gulp!
Well at least my task for the weekend was accomplished. Sail and canvas stripped and Encore out of the water for the next few months.
Dealing with the fringes of tropical storm Debby
Posted By RichC on June 25, 2012
Encore is out of the water, but not necessarily dry at the moment. No doubt I picked a lousy weekend and Monday morning to schedule for our haul-out. It has been a planned move since my failed attempt in May for coming out of the water for the 2012 hurricane season and much needed bottom work (but that’s another post!)
Archiving thinkering and items for insurance purposes
Posted By RichC on June 25, 2012
Archiving a few Encore “thinkering” photos so as to begin searching for upgrades. The four smaller reading lights are currently halogen and draw too many amps and create too much heat for the boat. I’m hoping to be able to replace them with warm-white LED bulbs as they improve and come down in price. ( LED Wholesale )
I would really prefer to purchase new fixtures from AlpenGlow but that would be costly; I do intend to replace the two lights above the table with one or two though(photo below). They are expensive others who have installed them are happy that they did.
Since our trips have been minimal there hasn’t been a need to run the little Honda EU 2000i generator aboard just yet, but since I’m moving the boat ashore decided to take the little power plant to the storage locker for the season and take a photo for insurance purposes. (besides I’d like to run it a bit too)
One boat project done and a couple more show up
Posted By RichC on June 24, 2012
The list of boat related projects continues to grow. Just as I knock a couple off the list, a few more pop up. First the “stop engine” cut-off cable broke and although I can climb to the bilge and manually move the lever to choke of air, it is much more convenient to do it from the helm. 
That said, I was able to shorten the existing cable enough to get the old cable to work again, but it began the thinking process regarding the existing engine gear control lever and throttle. It is well pitted and the rubber is cracked. Yes it still works, but then so did the stop lever until I pull on it a little hard. Perhaps it is time to start looking around for replacements (cable too.) A quick Internet search pointed me to Teleflex/Morse controls looks like it might work since I couldn’t find Technoflex control parts on the web.
As for a few other project before putting Encore on the hard, I replaced the Spinlock line clutched that I repaired at home (previous post 1 and post 2). Besides that, a few electrical issue hard me rewiring the fuse that runs to the meter that measure output (it gets a little too hot???) and the manual switch and fuse for the electric bilge pump (and after fiddling down there, looks as if I’ll be doing a little bilge cleaning).
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.