Posted By RichC on June 22, 2008
I’ve been pretty lax at making entries in my “diurnal journal” this past week while on vacation. Nevertheless, my family and I enjoyed the ‘rest and relaxation’ and during our last day on the beach were treated to an enjoyable swim in the ocean with a couple curious Manta Rays. The pair of them would swim back an forth in front of our beach towels seemingly waiting for someone to come out and say hello (I know they were only feeding … but indulge my personification). They were gentle enough that I was able to slowly approach them and swim along side for a while. They actually circled me 360 degrees only an arms reach away … very cool.
🙂
… but after a week away, the real world called and after a quick 2-1/2 hour jump back to Cincinnati, the “real world” looked at if it had “really called!” Groan … 56 messages is what I get for forgetting my phone. (I’m glad I tried to keep up with email!)
Category: Misc |
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Posted By RichC on June 21, 2008
Yes … but only by a small percentage says French automotive magazine Autoplus. (slightly more from diesel vehicles) Their winner was Michelin, which are made in France, and remained highway safe (handling and stopping distances) while offering fuel savings of 1 percent with gasoline and 3.8 for diesel vehicles. This translates from a few miles per tankful for vehicles like SUVs or higher powered vehicles, to perhaps an additional 20 or so for vehicles like the diesel powered VW TDIs. Are they worth the additional dollars … well you be the judge. (I’ve estimated that at current fuel prices my driving a VW TDI and Michelin low rolling resistance tires could save about $200 in fuel cost per set of 4 tires — depending on ones driving habits.)
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Posted By RichC on June 21, 2008
Athough the Earthrace boat is having technical difficulties with their progress mapping equipment, Captain Pete Bethune’s log places them in the risky pirate prone waters off the coast of Somalia. (my plot below) I’m not sure if the log entry that comments, “It’s been playing on my mind for a few days now. We seem to have lost some boat speed. For the amount of fuel we’re burning at the moment, we should be doing around 24 knots, and yet we’re just over 22.” is a reflection over their location or one over the mechanics of the boat?
This 2 knot reduction in boat speed, since the prop and prop shaft repair in Singapore, should pose little worry for the round the world record pace, but might weigh on their minds due to the higher risk waters they are traveling in. Barring any delay, the biodiesel powered boat should set a world record. (although let’s just hope I’m not ‘jinxing’ by being over confident?)
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Posted By RichC on June 20, 2008
Ok, so I used ChaCha.com to figure out the spider in this post, but its a bit more challenging for a ‘non-snake’ loving guy to figure out what this snake is? We’re in south Florida if that is any help, but I wasn’t going to inch close enough to this fellow/lady to try and figure out if this was a water moccasin or some kind of water snake. (its pretty big … probably about 6 feet long — click photo for larger image)
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I’m open for links or suggestions … one person here thought that it might have been a pet snake that was released???
Category: Misc, Nature |
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Tags: condo, condo1718, delray beach, florida, snake
Posted By RichC on June 19, 2008
Although I’ve reported on the EPA fuel economy numbers for the soon to be available 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI in a previous post, I’ve not seen a window sticker in person or in photo yet. Another report from the third party certifier AMCI has tested and has come up with new numbers more inline with what real world expectation should be — 38 mpg city and 44 mpg hwy. According to recent reports, the sticker and MSRP price should start at $21,990 — and that’s not stripped to the bone either.
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Posted By RichC on June 18, 2008
My own family has ganged up on me in a ‘vacation’ game of Risk. Its been an enjoyable few days on vacation and we’re all getting plenty of sun — although it has been raining on and off here in Delray Beach, Florida. Today was particularly nice as we topped off the day with a dinner out at Outback Steakhouse (I over ate) and some ice cream during family game time. We are reminiscing on good memories of game night when the kids were younger.
🙂
Taylor and Katelyn in Delray Beach, FL
Category: Misc, Personal |
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Tags: brenda, family, florida, katelyn, taylor, vacation
Posted By RichC on June 17, 2008
If you drive a diesel car (or perhaps E85?), check out the Meijer stores price on biodiesel fuel — and verify here if you get the chance. A couple Ohio Meijer store stations carry biodiesel and Chris, a VW TDI driver in the Columbus Ohio area, indicated that they were selling biodiesel at $4.129 and petroleum diesel $4.799. (June 16) Check out the Meijer locations at Canal Winchester (8300 Meijer Dr 43110), one at Grove City (2811 London-Groveport Rd 43123), and one up near my brother in Huber Heights (7150 Executive Blvd 45424); these three Ohio locations are suppose to be carrying biodiesel.
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Posted By RichC on June 16, 2008
Enjoying some R & R and a semi 19th birthday trip with Taylor … although any downtime is spent by my son Taylor in getting comfortable with his new notebook Macintosh computer. One would think it would be easy to pull him from the computer to go to the beach, but pretty focused on updating his Facebook page — thankfully he can take his cellphone with him.
🙂
Category: Computer, Memories, Personal, Photos |
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Tags: birthday, delray beach, florida, taylor
Posted By RichC on June 14, 2008
Today was a fine day to travel, unfortunately I forgot my cellphone. (I’m hearing “age” jokes!) I’ll call and check with Sprint to see if I can come up with a way to transfer to another phone?
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Posted By RichC on June 13, 2008
Tim Russert, the moderator of “Meet the Press,†and respected NBC Washington news bureau chief died Friday after a sudden heart attack. He was working at the NBC news bureau on voice-overs according to news reports and collapsed. The Russerts had just returned from a trip to Italy where the family celebrated the graduation of his son Luke from Boston College. Tim Russert was 58 and was one of 2008’s Time Magazines 100 most influential people. He was born on May 7 1950 in Buffalo, N.Y., on May 7, 1950. He was a graduate of Canisius High School, Jo, educated at Cleveland Ohio’s John Carroll University and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. My condolences to his wife Maureen Orth and their son Luke — Tim Russert was well respected by all who have ever met him. (myself included) His two recent books would make excellent “Father’s Day” reading … Big Russ and Me -2004 and Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons – 2006.
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Category: Misc, Obituary |
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Tags: nbc, russert, tim
