2009 VW Jetta TDI Sedan MPG numbers

Posted By on June 19, 2008

VW Jetta TDI interior
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.

They have ganged up on me!

Posted By on June 18, 2008

Risk

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
Taylor and Katelyn in Delray Beach, FL

Meijer selling biodiesel 67 cents below diesel

Posted By on June 17, 2008

BiodieselIf 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.
Meijers

Enjoying some time on and off the beach

Posted By on June 16, 2008

T on Mac
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.
🙂

T and Skimboard

The good and bad when it comes to travel

Posted By 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?

NBC’s newsman Tim Russert dies at 58

Posted By on June 13, 2008

Tim RussertTim 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.
_

EAA284 Chapter meets to see Zodiac 601 project

Posted By on June 12, 2008


Our EAA chapter (EAA284) had an enjoyable Sunday afternoon meeting this past weekend at the Lebanon, Ohio home of one of our members, Ivan Reznor. Our gracious host let us check out his Zenithair Zodiac 601 taildragger project taking over part of his garage and half the basement. (his wife must be one of a kind)
🙂


Ivan’s work on the all 6061 aluminum kit project looks great and he showed me a few unique features to the Chris Heintz designs. For example, the ailerons are not hinged like my Sonex or most planes, but move due to the flexing of the attached riveted wingskins.
Zodiac 601 aileron

For power Ivan has opted to rebuild a six cylinder Corvair engine. He currently has his block taken apart on the bench and is in the process of rebuilding based on the well researched and tested work of William Wynne.

The meeting photos (taken by Bob Imbronyev —link) from June 8th meeting at Ivan Reznor’s home. (thanks Ivan for hosting the meeting. Great project)

Jott.com implements new audio RSS feeds

Posted By on June 11, 2008

Jott Feeds
I continue to find more uses for the FREE Jott.com cellphone to email/reminder service. Today I tinkered with the new RSS “listening” feed reader (in audio on your cellphone) while waiting for an appointment.

Mark and Judy HandleyI set up the feed in my Jott control panel to include a daily sailing blog from friends who are cruising from Australia to Indonesia this summer. Judy (traveling with her husband Mark) writes an excellent ship’s log and her summary of each day is enjoyable reading. So instead of using the computer to get today’s dose of HandleySail.com, I check my “Jott Feeds” from my cellphone. Here’s the capture audio from today’s “Jott read” Day 33 Year 3 post. (866-JOTT-123)

boomp3.com

Watson’s Bay, Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia

Watson’s Bay, Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia

Daring Jumping Spider-used ChaCha again

Posted By on June 10, 2008

Daring Jumping Spider
It was a nice evening to sit outside with my daughter as the breeze cooled off the 90+ degree day as we discussed the ‘goings on’ of the day. She adjusted her cushion on the Adirondack chair and off jumped a large but fuzzy spider. Yikes!
🙂

As we discussed what kind of spider it was, she said “let’s give ChaCha a try!” (yesterday’s post) Sure enough, it came through again after a quick description of the hairy little arachnid with a white spot on its abdomen. Wilda D. related a text message in about as much time as it took me to run into the house and get my camera. The answer was that our little friend was a Daring Jumping Spider. (Daring Jumping Spider: Phidippus audax)

Daring Jumping Spider

ChaCha.com Beta for answering questions

Posted By on June 9, 2008

ChaCha LogoI was asking a question about raccoons in my prior post and figure it might be the perfect opportunity to talk about an interesting cellphone/text messaging service — ChaCha.
chachaThe FREE service requires that you register your email address and cellphone number with ChaCha and uses “human” researchers, called “guides,” to text back an answer to your question. I have heard that “guides” make 20 cents per answered question for sms messaged or phone called questions. In asking the “raccoon” question my “guide” Tamar S. indicated that there are usually 4 or 5 in a litter.

Although I haven’t used the ChaCha service regularly yet, it sure looks like there is potential for fairly active use? I have it in my Treo database and will probably start to use it more frequently to answer those dinner party or coffee shop conversational questions — it might even make me look smart!
TDIFEST OH8
Once registered at ChaCha.com, you can send a text question to 242242 (ChaCha) or call your question in to 800-224-2242. Within a few minutes a ‘guide’ will research your question FREE and send back an answer. Here’s a second test using the phone to call in a question about the upcoming TDIFest. (MP3 audio of call)


TDIFest ChaCha answer

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog