Posted By RichC on October 25, 2011
Compression on all four cylinders is good after machining the head (photo with Kodak Zx5)
I’m still trying to figure out why I’m having a problem with the MGB idle and setting the carburetor. After finally calling Bob at Brit-tek, I thought I would send a video (below) which helps to describe my Weber carb is setting and what is happening.
Posted By RichC on October 25, 2011
Sunrise and sunset photos have always been favorites of mine … this one taken by astronaut Ron Garan from space and posted on G+ is no exception. His photos of meteors plunging through the earth’s atmosphere were made even more interesting with the addition of sound … although kind of eery (video below).
Posted By RichC on October 24, 2011
The loss of subscribers was not a surprise to those angry with
the boneheaded decisions from Netflix management (2) … but I think even those who “modified” their plans are surprised at the shear numbers who left in the 3rd quarter – 810,000 subscribers! Ouch … a painful loss after hours Monday for those stock owners who continued to hold shares.
Netflix Inc. said it lost roughly 810,000 subscribers in its third-quarter and forecast fourth-quarter earnings below expectations following an exodus of users unhappy with a subscription pricing change in the summer.
The movie-rental company also projected that it will begin losing money for a few quarters starting in the first period, due to costs associated with an expansion in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Netflix said it ended the quarter with nearly 23.8 million U.S. subscribers, falling short of its own expectations of 24 million. The poor results spooked investors and led to a sell-off that chopped more than 27% off the share price, to $86.30 in after-hours trades.
Posted By RichC on October 24, 2011
This past weekend felt like I was spinning my wheels and wasting time. A little cleaning around the house, watching some football and rugby (below), some brief tinkering with the carburetor on the MGB (which is still not right) and finally assembled Brenda’s “inversion machine” – don’t ask. The latter took most of Sunday afternoon … it contained more parts and require more assembly than I expected. Of course I had to test it when finished … an instant headache and queasy stomach. It is a good thing I’m not an aerobatic pilot or astronaut … maybe it takes some getting use to?
I also have to admit that I’m finally tuned into the World Series after thinking 2011 may go by without watching a single game. I tuned in thinking that St. Louis might take another game and found myself cheering for the Texas Rangers … they won game four, 4 – 0 and go into game five tied at 2 games apiece.
As for rugby, I watch the beat up, tired and injured New Zealand All Blacks struggle to defeat the solid play by France. In the end, the All Black won 8-7. (enjoyed texting back and forth with my rugby playing son all the while … and reminiscing!)
All Blacks edge France 8-7 in final, end New Zealand’s 24-year wait for World Cup victory
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The wait is over. New Zealand is back on top at the Rugby World Cup.
The All Blacks survived the last in a string of flyhalf injuries and beat France 8-7 in a gripping final Sunday to become the third two-time champion.
Despite being the perennial favorite, New Zealand hadn’t won the World Cup since hosting and winning the inaugural tournament in 1987. Two of its biggest losses in knockout matches in the intervening 24 years were to France.
This time, the All Blacks held on.
“It’s something we’ve dreamed of for a while,” New Zealand coach Graham Henry said. Now, “we can rest in peace.”
The French had been written off after an inconsistent tournament, but produced one of their finest World Cup performances.
Posted By RichC on October 23, 2011
The new CPI numbers (Consumer Price Index) released by the government verify what most balancing family budgets already know … inflation is taking a bigger bite out of incomes. Most private sector workers feel fortunate just to be employed and have seen their take-home pay and benefits stagnate or retreat. Everyone I know has had their out of pocket healthcare cost go up significantly along with the cost of a post secondary education for their children. Those who work for the government seem to have been insulated from the downturn and are actually capitalizing on better salaries along with their generous healthcare benefits and pension plans (not to mention excessive vacation days and potential for earlier retirements).
The changing balance in compensation between the private sector and public sector has been a target of criticism this past year and is rearing its head once again as the Occupy Wall Street crowd rails over the high pay and control bankers have in our economy (among other incoherent issues). I have wondered why the focus is on those on Wall Street instead of on those who actually “bailed” out the banks and select companies? One would think that the real anger would be directed towards those who leech lucratively off the taxpayer, take the campaign contributions from the fat cats and divvy out loans, incentives and tax breaks based on lobby clout? Unfortunately the anger from protestors seems misguided.
For my fault in pointing out the public vs private worker warfare, this isn’t good for the country either. The continuing divide isn’t helpful in bringing back our economy or gaining control in our addition to borrowing and spending – both personal and government. I do think that all agree that the problem improves with a growing economy … unfortunately few agree with what the government can or should do to expedite our economic recovery.
Inflationdata.com chart showing inflation in the past decade (click for larger)
For now, we are faced with the real issue of rising prices. Some suggest that price increases are a sign that the demand is up and that the economy is improving. Other say that we aren’t on a growth path and that this is more than likely stagflation and based on placing a higher value on commodities than the U.S. dollar. Frankly, I’m not the only one pointing to our heavy borrowing (40 cents of every dollar the government spends) as a reason to be concerned. That said, if you haven’t noticed that fuel prices remain well above $3 gallon for gasoline and most necessities in the grocery store are much higher than last year while salaries and wages in the private sector remain flat, take closer look. (FBN/CPI Food inflation numbers in illustrations below).
Posted By RichC on October 22, 2011
Since I go back a few years in photography (pre-digital by a few years) and did my share of dodging, burning and sandwiching with film and paper in the darkroom, I’m well aware of what photographers did to enhance photos … but here was one I must not have remembered.
The Life Magazine photo during the height of the Vietnam War protests at Kent State University in 1970 is iconic. What most didn’t know was that it was manipulated for artistic clarity … the fence post behind Mary Ann Vecchio head was removed before printing (correcting a major faux pas in photographic composition). (Link to a few more)
Posted By RichC on October 20, 2011
While traveling this week, (and watching out for wild, exotic animals) … I stopped to visit with a car friend I met online and to see his 1966 MGB. He has been sitting on his little British car since the 1980s and wondered what I thought it would take to get it back on the road. I think he really would like to sell it, but may also think it is worth more that it really is? It was in halfway decent shape, but knowing what I now know, his project is going to require quite a bit of work. Still it was nice finally meeting another MGB guy and the chance to see his car.
Posted By RichC on October 20, 2011
After 42 years of dictatorial power, the Libyan people look to be finally free from they dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Claims, photos and shaky video on Thursday show a dead Gadhafi as he an his fighters made a final hometown stand according to rebel leaders in the battle weary north African country. Although the end was inevitable, those seeking change in this country are another step closer to beginning a new chapter for Libya.
Col. Moammar Gadhafi Oct 20, 2011 and when he seized power Sept 27, 1969
I’d like to be confident that the next 42 years will be better, but with radical groups of all kinds looking to the overthrow as a way to gain power, I’m not holding my breath. Who knows if instability is going to be any better than dealing with a military dictator?
Posted By RichC on October 19, 2011
Never a dull moment in my Ohio travels as today I’m on the lookout for wild “exotic” animals. Well, probably not where I’m driving at the moment, but it is an interesting national story just the same.
Police hunting escaped exotic animals in Ohio
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The owner of a wild animal preserve released dozens of animals from their cages before he shot and killed himself as officials Wednesday continued to search for a mountain lion and grizzly bear still roaming the area.
As daylight came to Zanesville, a rural area 55 miles east of Columbus, people were being told to stay inside. Officers with assault rifles patrolled the area looking for the two animals and a monkey. An estimated 51 animals ranging from tigers and lions to cheetahs and bears had escaped the compound.
"It’s like Noah’s arc wrecking right here in Zanesville, Ohio," said Jack Hanna, celebrity zookeeper and Director Emritus of the Columbus Zoo who attended a morning press conference with officials.
Zanesville Mayor Howard Zwelling said he got a call from the city’s safety director around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday that Terry Thompson, the owner of the farm, had set the animals free and then shot himself.
No suicide note was left. Officials said Thompson cut the gates on the pens so the animals could not be put back inside their cages.
Sheriff Matt Lutz painted a terrifying scene of animals running wild when authorities arrived at the preserve Tuesday night.
Many had gotten outside the fenced area around the property.
"Deputies were shooting animals at close range with sidearms," he said. He said deputies did not have tranquilizer guns.
Lutz said safety was his primary concern because it was getting dark outside and "we could not have animals running loose in this county."
Officers were on the interstate shooting animals to prevent them from getting into subdivisions. One cat was reported hit by a car on the interstate but still alive and officers were on their way to put it down.
Once officials arrived with tranquilizer guns "we just had a huge tiger, an adult tiger, estimated at 300 pounds that was very aggressive," he said. They "got a veterinarian close enough to get a tranquiilizer in it" and the tiger went crazy and headed to a wooded area "and our officer had to put it down."
Lutz said the department had been aware of the preserve for a number of years and has handled numerous complaints, brought in professionals to make sure the farm was safe and checked to make sure Thompson had legal permits.
He said the department has had about 35 calls since 2005 that were all checked out, "from animals running at large to being not treated properly."
"This has been a huge problem for us for a lot of years," he said.
One person who tried to steal the body of a dead cat Tuesday night was arrested and will be charged.
Tom Stalf, CEO of the Columbus Zoo, said the rough terrain and wooded area made it hard for officials to catch the animals.
"When we’re using tranquilizer darts we have to have a clear area to sedate the animal and once the animal is injected with the dart it still takes up to eight minutes for the drug to take effect," he told CNN.
Lutz earlier described the animals as "mature, very large and aggressive" but said that a caretaker told authorities the animals had been fed on Monday.
The preserve had lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves, giraffes, camels and bears. The biggest concerns were grizzly and black bears, lions and tigers.
Chimpanzees and an orangutan were found alive in pens inside the house. A black bear and a wolf made it to a field near Interstate 70 along with a large mountain lion.
Thompson was sentenced to one year and a day in prison in October 2010 for two federal counts of possessing illegal firearms and recently had been released. Thomas was charged after agents with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives served a search warrant at his home in 2008.
Three school districts in the region were closed and some private and special schools canceled classes. Flashing signs along area highways told motorists, "Caution exotic animals" and "Stay in vehicle."
Tuesday night, more than 50 law enforcement officials — including sheriff’s deputies, highway patrol officers, police officers and officers from the state Division of Wildlife — patrolled the 40-acre farm and the surrounding areas in cars and trucks, often in rainy downpours. Neighbor Danielle White, whose father’s property abuts the animal preserve, said she didn’t see loose animals this time but did in 2006, when a lion escaped.
"It’s always been a fear of mine knowing (the preserve’s owner) had all those animals," she said. "I have kids. I’ve heard a male lion roar all night."
Lutz said Thompson’s wife, who was not at the home, had been contacted.
Lutz said his office started getting phone calls at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday that wild animals were loose just west of Zanesville on a road that runs under Interstate 70.
He said four deputies with assault rifles in a pickup truck went to the animal farm, where they found the owner Thompson dead and all the animal cage doors open.
He wouldn’t say how Thompson died but said several aggressive animals were near his body when deputies arrived and had to be shot.
"He was in hot water because of the animals, because of permits, and (the animals) escaping all the time," White said. A few weeks ago, she said, she had to avoid some camels which were grazing on the side of a freeway.
Bill Cooper, who lives on Whites Road, said he was concerned for his cattle and calves on his farm when he first heard about the animals being loose. He said he didn’t see any animals out but he and his wife heard several "pops."
He said in the past he had heard animals moaning on the property and always thought something should have been done about it.
At a nearby Moose Lodge, Bill Weiser remembered Thompson as an interesting character who flew planes, raced boats and owned a custom motorcycle shop that also sold guns.
"He was pretty unique," Weiser said. "He had a different slant on things. I never knew him to hurt anybody, and he took good care of the animals."
Weiser said he regretted that the escaped animals had to be killed. "It’s breaking my heart, them shooting those animals," he said.
Bailey Hartman, 20, a night manager at McDonald, also said it saddened her that the animals were being shot. But, she said, "I was kind of scared coming in to work."
Hartman said Thompson’s wife, who no longer lives with him, was her teacher in middle school and used to bring small animals such as a monkeys, snakes and owls to school. "It was a once-a-year type of thing, and everyone would always get excited," she recalled.
Ohio has some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.
In the summer of 2010, an animal caretaker was killed by a bear at a property in Cleveland. The caretaker had opened the bear’s cage at exotic-animal keeper Sam Mazzola’s property for a routine feeding.
Though animal-welfare activists had wanted Mazzola charged with reckless homicide, the caretaker’s death was ruled a workplace accident. The bear was later destroyed.
This summer, Mazzola was found dead on a water bed, wearing a mask and with his arms and legs restrained, at his home in Columbia Township, about 15 miles southwest of Cleveland.
It was unclear how many animals remained on the property when he died, but he had said in a bankruptcy filing in May 2010 that he owned four tigers, a lion, eight bears and 12 wolves. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had revoked his license to exhibit animals after animal-welfare activists campaigned for him to stop letting people wrestle with another one of his bears.
Mazzola had permits for nine bears for 2010, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said. The state requires permits for bears but doesn’t regulate the ownership of nonnative animals, such as lions and tigers.
The Humane Society of the United States on Wednesday urged Ohio to immediately issue emergency restrictions on the sale and possession of dangerous wild animals. "
"How many incidents must we catalogue before the state takes action to crack down on private ownership of dangerous exotic animals," Humane Society Wayne Pacelle said in a statement.
Contributing: Cauchon reported from Zanesville; Carolyn Pesce, McLean, Va.; Brian Gadd, CentralOhio.com; Associated Press
