What can Hurricane Ike do to U.S. Oil interests?
Posted By RichC on September 12, 2008
More on potential for petroleum interruption and platform damage along the Texas/Louisiana coast. (click for larger image)
Remembering 9/11: The Day America Changed
Posted By RichC on September 11, 2008
As December 7, 1941 was for the Greatest Generation, the September 11, 2001 attack on our nation will live “in infamy” for generation remembering 9/11. Today as our country reflects on those tragic events, and the loss of so many of our citizens in New York City, the Pentagon and in Shanksville Pennsylvania, I recall where I was and what I was doing. (Sen. John McCain above speaks on 9/11/2008 in Shanksville Pennsylvania)
My wife had already left for work, my daughter was in school and I was getting my son ready to catch the bus for elementary school. The television was tuned to CNBC to get the morning business news and I glanced over when a “small plane” look to have hit a building in New York City. I called Taylor over and we watched the first few moment unfold thinking it must have been a traffic plane or someone in trouble. He headed off to school with those images in mind and asked the teacher if they could turn on the television. (they didn’t tune in) I continued to watch in shock as the second plane hit the towers and announcers began to speculate that this was a deliberate act and could be terrorism. I was on the phone to my wife a few moments later and she tuned in at work. By the time the third plane hit the Pentagon, I started to grow concern for the safety of my own family wondering where the attacks would stop.
The music video “WTC – 9/11” was created and produced by Alex Johnson to commemorate the 5th Anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City on 9/11/01. It is dedicated to the memories of those who were killed in the attacks, their families, and to the thousands more who were injured.
Hurricane Ike update and oil platform map
Posted By RichC on September 10, 2008
Hurricane Ike is growing stronger as it heads across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday after killing at least 80 people in the Caribbean and toppling aging building in Havana Cuba. Forecasters said the Category 1 storm could grow into a major Category 3 or 4 before targeting somewhere along the Texas coastline or northern Mexico on Saturday. Texas put 7,500 National Guard members on standby and urged coastal residents to stock up on supplies and at least one coastal community has issued mandatory evacuations. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management agency still was uncertain about the timing of evacuations along the coast.
Ike’s possible threat to Gulf oil installations didn’t keep crude oil prices from dipping to US$102.40 a barrel in Wednesday morning trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. I took a look at the oil platform map of the Gulf of Mexico and it shows just how precarious U.S. Oil industry interests are with a hurricane bearing down on the area. Most experts agree that the current track puts the strongest winds south, but even the smallest wobble could move Ike north and into the heart of the Texas and Louisiana platforms. As I post this, Ike is moving northwest at 8 mph and is 220 miles west-southwest of Key West Florida; sustained winds near the ‘well formed’ eye are at 90 mph or a Category 1 storm.
McCain and Palin visit Lebanon Ohio
Posted By RichC on September 10, 2008
On Tuesday both campaigns, Obama and McCain made swings through Ohio — we must be an important state?
😉 (photo above and video below from Cincinnati.com)
Nevertheless the McCain/Palin campaign were in the town next door and they were greeted by much larger groups than McCain alone. There is certainly something that attracts people to this new woman VP candidate? She does seem to bring a unique twist to politics and is certainly the wildcard as we roll into November.
I like the new Red TDI badge
Posted By RichC on September 9, 2008
During the TDIFest OH8, I put my daughter to work logging in names and tabulating times during the “timed drive” Road Rally. A fellow planner and friend gave her a new ‘red’ badge for her TDI which she installed this past week. She sent me a photo and I thought it looks pretty nice.
Enjoying our new Panasonic Plasma HDTV
Posted By RichC on September 8, 2008
After going a couple weeks without a television (well Slingbox on my notebook computer doesn’t count), it was nice to have a TV back in our bedroom. Besides being busy with the Taildragger Fly-In and TDIFest last weekend, I’ve had trouble deciding on just what flat panel technology and brand to purchase. I had convinced myself that a ‘bright’ LCD set like the new 120Hz models by Samsung were the best sets available, but considering that I’m putting it in a not-so-bright bedroom and that plasma screens are cheaper and great for both movies (dense blacks) and sports (very little blur) … I opted for the later. The biggest advantage was that I was able to buy a slightly larger screen size, add a Blue-Ray DVD player and middle of the road surround sound set up for about the same cost as Samsung 46″ LCD 120Hz series 7 HDTV.
I also wanted to purchase locally, as I’ve heard a few comments about dead pixels and didn’t want to have to repack and ship. So headed to the Best Buy and then Circuit City where both salesmen proceeded to tell me that I should look at the Panasonic branded plasma HDTVs. When all was said and done, I walked out with a 50″ Panasonic 1080p HDTV (TH50PZ80U) from Circuit City and the Panasonic Blue-Ray player/surround sound system. You now probably know what I did the rest of the weekend? (photo above of actual set taken with Palm Treo 700p)
😉
The only negative was that the wall-mount for this TV was out of stock and that I had to use the top of a chest of drawers until I can find the correct mount — but the picture quality even without HD cable service is excellent (I can still tune in a couple HD stations).
Can you do this with a Yo-Yo?
Posted By RichC on September 7, 2008
Friends and family regularly forward me ‘cute’ things on the Internet, although I rarely post them on my blog. Here’s a YouTube clip that impressed me enough to share. Perhaps it is because as a boy I played with a yo-yo and tried to learn a few simple tricks — but never like this!
Video: Sen. John McCain and Country First
Posted By RichC on September 6, 2008
On Thursday night at the RNC, prior to Senator John McCain‘s speech accepting his party’s nomination, he was introduced by a short movie about his love for country and his life of service to our nation. His mother posed the question: “Where else in the history of the United States of America, have you had a person, over time, with the experience that he has?” The obvious answer is that there are very few individuals who have come to demonstrate this much devotion to country.
Besides delivering a ‘decent’ speech to 28.9 million viewers (more that Palin, Biden or Obama), McCain was able to present himself to the American people in a way that was realistic yet hopeful. His promises were still those of a politician, but promises which his life’s record have shown tireless effort. It will require bringing parties and ideas together, and perhaps even compromise, but more realistic under McCain than any other GOP candidate to date. Its hard to tell if this Senator who has stretched across party lines in the past, will be able to do the same if elected President? I’d like to think so … and for the best interest of our country, I’ll be supporting the dedicated and highly experienced John McCain for President. If little else, he has certainly demonstrated that he ‘does’ put “Country First” and loves our nation and its people. (to download a Quicktime movie of the entire speech, ‘right-click/save as’ this link)
2009 VW Sportwagen TDIs are showing up
Posted By RichC on September 5, 2008
I stumbled across the first 2009 Volkswagen Sportwagen TDI that I’ve noticed in my area. Here are a few photos of the ‘sold’ vehicle in the FairfieldVW showroom. Sticker was just a bit over $25,000, but the car had that impressively huge moonroof. I could go for this 6-speed manual in black!
Obama and O’Reilly finally sit down and talk
Posted By RichC on September 5, 2008
Senator Barack Obama and Bill O’Reilly (Fox News – O’Reilly Factor) sat down and had a 2 hour talk on Thursday in Pennsylvania before the RNC speeches; part one of the interview ran at 8PM EST Thursday night and the balance will follow next week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I though both did a pretty good job of having a “lively conversation.” (YouTube Part 1 below — or higher quality here — for as long as it remains posted)
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.