Posted By RichC on November 30, 2009
I’m archiving — and sharing — a good sailing advice blog and video series by shipwright and rigger Jerr Dunlap (@myboatworks) out in Marina del Rey, California — thanks Jerr. He has several great video “how-to” clips … here are two on how to fit a Norseman Fitting.
Posted By RichC on November 29, 2009
I’ve blogged couple times on identity theft and credit reports and I thought was relatively up-to-date on on how credit reporting and ‘credit scoring’ works … but I was wrong. I didn’t realize that the three major credit collecting and reporting companies all have their own “credit scoring system” on top of the relatively popular Fair Isaac Corporation’s “FICO” score (300-850) that most of us are familiar with. The fact that they do have their own ‘scoring’ systems which have different scales make it all the more confusing. (credit tracking) If that’s not enough, the three companies have also collaborated to create a VantageScore (501-990) which has a different scale as well.
This was particular interesting since when viewing a yearly annual credit report in order to monitor for identity theft. One of the optional choices available when ordering a ‘free’ credit report (for an added fee) is your credit score. These are the numbers most companies use in order to evaluate instant credit. Unfortunately unless you are requesting the FICO score (estimate your FICO score), you could be getting individual TransUnion, Experian or Equifax number … or the newly adopted VantageScore. Although all give a picture of credit health, the number doesn’t necessarily mean all that much if you’re not familiar with the scale.
The FICO’s scale is a 300 to 850, while the VantageScore goes from 501 to 990 and is graded A to F:
A: 901–990 | B: 801–900 | C: 701–800 | D: 601–700 | F: 501–600
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More Information:
Posted By RichC on November 27, 2009
My buddy and I have plotted our lunch driving today, and hopefully have MapQuest our route avoiding the day after Thanksgiving hoards … Black Friday. I think we’ve found a lunch spot and route free from retail stores …
🙂
Why is it called “Black Friday?”
It is the day retailers hope that they will move from red into the black, or begin turning a profit. It will be challenging this year … I wish them well.
Posted By RichC on November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving and safe travel to my friends and family on the road.
We are enjoying a day of turkey and tasty food at my brother and sister-in-law’s house today, which is becoming a tradition. Although I don’t say it often, I couldn’t ask for a better brother and if ask what I’m thankful for this year, it will be that “I have a brother like Ron.”
Thanksgiving in our house like many includes watching a little TV … particularly football … and although commenting on Clicker.com has little to do with football, it is a website suggesting for finding television programming 
on the Internet. So if you are searching for a particular show and can deal with watching it on the computer (I rarely do this), go to Clicker.com first to search for the program.
Posted By RichC on November 25, 2009
The Discovery Channel is active in reviewing science research in alternative energy and can usually dice apart the ‘self-promotion’ of company researcher as well as combat the establish energy industry’s lobby efforts. One industry that I advocate is ‘algae to biofuel fuel’ research. The benefit in using algae as a feedstock for biofuels is that it is not a food based product and generally can be produced in areas unproductive for food or grazing. 
Most of the research I’ve read have proposed desert locations or high density vertical rigs. Still, we’re not all that much closer to producing anywhere near the millions of gallons inexpensively enough to to compete with comparable traditional biofuels, existing petroleum oil or the latest in grid-charged electric vehicles. The potential is huge considering the carbon-neutral nature of growing and using biofuels as well as using existing diesel technology and an algae-biodiesel to petroleum diesel blend. Although other technologies are focused primarily on personal transportation, a biodiesel fuel made from algae could be adopted with minimal infrastructure change and little to no change in diesel technology. That said, the challenges in finding an optimum strain of algae and growing medium to scale to the size of our energy appetite is challenging — so how about growing the algae we need for fuel in the ocean?
Could cheap algae oil power our energy future?
Production on land is expensive, but costs could go down if brought to sea
By Cristen Conger, Discovery ChannelAlthough algae is currently the most energy-dense biofuel source, the cost of producing algae oil is prohibitively expensive.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the biofuel would cost around $8 per gallon at the pump. Other experts have even projected prices of more than $50 per gallon because of inefficient production and harvesting methods.
However, a team of engineers plans to investigate whether algae commercially grown in the ocean on specialized platforms could reduce the high costs of biofuel production, potentially bringing our energy economy one step closer to shifting from fossil fuels to renewable resources.
Kansas State University engineer Wenquiao Yuan and his colleague think that growing algae on floating, acre-sized platforms in the ocean could dramatically reduce expenses associated with algae oil production by providing free sources of sunlight, nutrients, controlled temperature and water.
"I think the major reason (to grow algae in the ocean) is cost," said Yuan. "Right now, on land, in ponds or photobioreactors, algae-based biofuel is just too costly."
To start, the engineers must find an oil-rich algae strain and the right type of surface material and texture to promote maximum growth.
"Algae naturally attach to some substrates; however, for cost-effective production, that’s not enough," Yuan told Discovery News.
Unless the platform can grow algae several millimeters thick, it would be too difficult to scrape off the biomass for processing into oil.
So far, the algae have responded well to dimpled stainless-steel. But the engineers still don’t know why algae grow differently, depending on the type of material and surface texture.
Understanding those "mechanisms of attachment" is the goal of the first portion of the research, which is funded by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). From there, the engineers will likely test their platform system in a smaller pond environment and then take it offshore.
However, the ocean environment could present some unavoidable problems.
"As far as growing algae in the ocean — if they’re in a containment system — the biggest problem is going to be weather," said Richard Sayre, a leading expert on algae biofuels and the director of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis.
"If you have a storm, how are you going to prevent that system from being destroyed, essentially?" Sayre asked. "There’s virtually no place in the world that’s free of storms."
Yuan said that storm-proofing the system is a problem he has yet to tackle. But considering that the algae biofuel industry is still 10 to 15 years away from offering high volumes of affordable biofuel, the Kansas State engineers should have ample time to work out the kinks.
"Given the state of where we are right now with very small pilot plants and demonstration facilities, the biggest hurdle we’ll have to get over is: Will a large-scale demonstration plant be able to hit its target of the $2 to $4 gallon of oil?" Sayre said. "If we can achieve that, I think it’ll take off in a very real way."
© 2009 Discovery Channel
Posted By RichC on November 24, 2009
Although I’m not complaining about fuel prices considering our weak dollar — especially as we roll into a week of heavy travel — I did find it shocking that regular unleaded gasoline prices are nearly 40% higher today than they were last year at this time. (photo left taken 11/23/2008 in Monroe, OH)
Of big concern is that the over $4.00/gallon gasoline highs (nearly $5.00/gallon for diesel) 
during the summer of 2008 triggered the current recession, is that we have done little to prevent a repeat. We can only hope that it’s petroleum again … it could be a different commodity … the U.S. dollar.
Interestingly the extreme fluctuation in commodities are excellent opportunities for those with high risk tolerance to make money, at the same time the commodity uncertainly can be challenging for those who are investing conservatively and have savings pinned to the value of the dollar.
Posted By RichC on November 23, 2009
John Matras, Auto Review Examiner, posted a great write up on his Road Test of a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI. It’s an enjoyable and informative read highlighting a few lessor known features on Volkswagen vehicles.
“The Jetta SportWagen’s front seats must be moved forward to lower the rear seats but then can be moved back into the regular driving position. The front seats, however, have an odd semi-power operation. The seats slide forward and aft manually but have power tilting seatbacks. It’s a theme reprised in the heating/air conditioning controls. Unlike fully automatic temperature controls which regulate temperature and fan speed, only the temperature can be maintained automatically on the Jetta’s HVAC system. The fan speed is set manually.“
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Posted By RichC on November 22, 2009
Relatively new EFE Gazebo – replaced after Hurricane Ike in 2008
While enjoying a calm and warm November afternoon, I visited with my neighbors and envied watching the helicopter land and takeoff in their backyard. He mentioned (and chuckled) that since he saw the life-flight land and take off a few days ago that it must now be acceptable …
Posted By RichC on November 21, 2009
Belated adding of an update regarding biodiesel fuel prices from my trip to New York last week. This Sunoco is a favorite renewable fuel station even though I’m no longer driving a diesel vehicle. The current price is and has been higher than regular unleaded gasoline ($2.51), so it doesn’t bother me too much; the prices also continue to and remain higher than petroleum diesel and suspect it will continue. I’ve previously posted pricing from this Mt. Gilead Ohio Interstate 71 Sunoco station — LINKs or a LINK from a while back with both my daughter’s and my Volkswagen Jetta TDI.
Posted By RichC on November 20, 2009
Neither Palm or Sprint can be happy seeing the recently released (11/15/2009) Palm Pixi being heavily discounted by big box retailers who are handling their new “mass appear” smartphone product. The struggling Palm has had good press and reviews for its sleek Palm Pre and was no doubt hoping to build on the buzz with its new lower priced model the Palm Pixi. (see WSJ article)
Unfortunately the smartphone market, dominated by the AT&T marketed Apple iPhone, has become crowded in recent months as other companies look to capitalize on the trending higher powered handheld devices. Many question if there will be enough room for all the players and multiple platforms to survive. The coming year will more than likely mean sink or swim for Palm … or perhaps a Nokia takeover?