Posted By RichC on February 18, 2008
I promise this will be the last, but I’m using my cell-phone to post these last two day from Delray Beach, Florida. Its been a nice time away from Cincinnati and both my son and I have enjoyed the visit with family and college visit to Lynn Universtiy.
I’m including a beautiful beach art of a couple of sea lions just moments away from the “tide of destruction.” (no … I didn’t do it.)
Posted By RichC on February 17, 2008
Spending the weekend away … its nice here! 🙂
Posted By RichC on February 15, 2008
According to the Audi Dealer Council, someone mentioned that the Audi Q7 would have the TDI diesel engine by the end of 2008. This would make the SUV from Audi available close to the time its sister vehicle, the VW Touareg (small 3.0L TDI), is slated to arrive in the U.S. (November 2008) Follow the diesel will be the hybrid version of the Q7 as well. Another addition to the premium Audi line will be the Q5, coming at the end of the year too. Its the sibling of the VW Tiguan and will also be getting the diesel sometime in 2009, although the hybrid version of the Q5 will be coming first. Audi Dealer spokesman Joel Weinberger mentioned that the diesel would be at a $2,000 premium, which is the same as Volkswagen.
Posted By RichC on February 14, 2008
Here’s a Canadian Newsroom spoof on “snow” that is too funny not to share. Must have been a slow news day? (BTW … Happy Valentine’s Day)
Posted By RichC on February 14, 2008
Here’s a quick test post using an impressive piece of ‘blogging’ software call BlogJet 2. So far it is one of the easiest ways to publish content to a variety of blogging and content management platforms. I’m certainly not the expert at giving this the once over, but will include a few comments below from an excellent review.
One of the best ways to critique blogging software is to actually write the review entry within the software itself and document anything you come across as you go. In that vein, this blog entry is currently being written in BlogJet, a commercial desktop blogging application ($39.95) designed to help blogging productivity.
BlogJet Editor It’s been a long while since I last downloaded and played around with BlogJet. In its original form, it wasn’t enough for me to fork over the cash for a full license. Since then, it’s gone through an entire make over and is sporting a bunch of new features. So, how does it fair this time around?
Quick Pros
1. Intuitive user interface, with an option to change the look by choosing one of a number of available themes.
2. Basic color coded HTML editor with error highlighting and tag auto-complete in code view.
3. Word count, with an option to view character, word, and paragraph count[1] .
4. YouTube and Flickr content integration (if you’re into that sort of thing).
5. Voice recorder (attachment) uploader.
6. Tag support with a customizable URL, so you can link to internal tag pages as opposed to Technorati[2].
7. Customizable ping list with trackback support.
8. Supports FTP upload[3] or API upload if your blog software supports it.
9. Replaces certain typographic elements with their HTML equivalent, such as curly quotes or typing dash twice will yield an em dash.
10. Auto replace. Great for the lazy typist (like me); words that you commonly type can be configured to be replaced automatically. For instance, I’ve set it up to replace _wp_ with WordPress[4].
11. Thumbnail image support.
Quick Cons
1. No HTML code blocks. To insert a block of code, you would need to switch to the HTML editor, locate the position in the post where you want the code to appear, type it, then switch back to the WYSIWYG editor.
2. No custom HTML tag support[5]. Though nice to have, the auto-replace feature does not replace this.
3. No way to strip paragraph tags in favor of line breaks before publication.
4. Sloppy code if the blogger isn’t careful. Some of the afflictions included empty and unclosed paragraph tags, and random non-breaking spaces. (No idea why, did nothing out of the ordinary which would generate them.) Sloppy Code Example
5. Borks previously published WordPress entries. WP doesn’t use paragraph tags when it saves a post from the admin panel, therefore, when you download the entry into BlogJet, it lumps the content all into one giant blob with no logical divisions[6].
6. Inflexible toolbar. Adding or removing options from the visible toolbar is not possible, and logical items (i.e. Save icon, Open icon, Font formatting, and so forth) are removed. Though shortcut keys are favorable, it’s still nice to allow the user to decide which lesser used icons should disappear and which oft used icons should be included in the toolbar.
7. Randomly inserts the word “Array” into the trackback field in WordPress admin panel. (This wasn’t discovered until the post was uploaded for editing in the admin panel.[7]) — See Dmitry’s comment
Wish List
Of course, there are a number of additions that would, in my opinion, take this software leaps and bounds above most others. It should go without saying that this wish list is in addition to improvements on items listed in the “Quick Cons” section.
1. Lightweight image editor which would allow you to paste an image from the clipboard as well as add a class or ID to an image when inserted.
2. XHTML support with in line styles for font formatting as opposed to the font tag and support for all closed tags including horizontal rules and line breaks. (This is actually taking a step backwards as version 1.0 did output compliant code.)
3. In line spell checker to underline any misspelled words while writing.
4. Built in thesaurus. Nice to have, but certainly not a deal breaker.
5. Save toolbar settings on close. Currently, the toolbar starts up with all the available toolbars visible, although I set only formatting to display.
6. Auto Save. Anyone who’s written an extremely long blog entry then lost it due to computer error, human error, or just some random act of nature before being able to save it would appreciate this feature.
Final Verdict
I like the software, however, it certainly doesn’t increase my productivity as much as it should for the price. If it takes longer to write an entry using a desktop editor than it would by logging into the admin panel and publishing, something is amiss.
In what appears to be a move to simplify the software, it seems to have been inadvertently over-simplified; many features that would be useful for a power blogger are missing.
The question then becomes, does BlogJet make blogging easier and quicker? For the most part, yes, but there is much left to be desired. Despite being outweighed by the pros, some of the cons (for me) are deal breakers. BlogJet’s a great tool for the average blogger, but it may not be worth the price for heavy-duty or technical bloggers who need a lot more flexibility and features.
Don’t take my word as gospel, though. Download it for yourself (there is a free 30 day trial) and decide whether it helps to improve your blogging. The only person it needs to please is you, so if it does make you more productive, then the license would be worth it.
Footnotes
1: The word count varies when switching between WYSIWYG editor and HTML views (intentional?). As of this writing, there are 1024 words in this entry, however, there are 1394 in code view.
2: Though you can change the tagging URL, this is not on a per blog basis, so you cannot customize internal links for your individual blogs.
3: BlogJet FTP Config Bug While setting up the FTP upload, I was greeted by a slightly annoying bug. After testing my FTP configuration settings and receiving a successful confirmation, the disconnected window would not close; manually closing the window meant losing all of my changes and needing to re-configure my FTP information all over.
4: Would be a great feature if I could actually get it working. Despite adding some custom words to be automatically replaced and even closing/restarting BlogJet, it still refused to work. However, the default auto-replace words worked.
5: Adding these superscripts (along with the heading tags) were a pain in the rump which could have been avoided with custom HTML tags.
6: Odd this wasn’t caught considering that their blog is powered by WordPress.
7: Another blow to productivity — needing to edit a blog entry after publication in order to clean up random problems created by the editor.
Posted By RichC on February 13, 2008
Edmonds Inside Line reported a little more on the new Volkswagen Jetta TDI schedule to show up for test drives at North American VW dealerships late spring and early summer. (should be available for delivery to buyers August 2008) Along with information on the 50-state compliant 2.0-liter common-rail diesel engine, the article also reported on the pricing.
“While the Jetta carries the Bluetec badge, referring to VW and Audi’s alliance with DaimlerChrysler on diesel emissions technology, the car will not require the AdBlue liquid urea additive to comply with federal standards.
That is because the engine is smaller than the 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine that the company will install in the Touareg SUV in 2008, which will employ AdBlue, according to Norbert Krause, director of VOA’s engineering and environmental office.”
Norbert Krause goes on to say that the “new engine abandons VW’s old mechanical fuel injection system in favor of a common-rail system using piezoelectric fuel injectors. This technology permits higher injection pressures, which better atomize the fuel and makes it easier to control pollution.”
Of course one of the reasons TDI advocates like their diesel is for the fuel economy. This new smoother, quieter and more powerful engine is also more efficient, so the fuel economy should be better as well. Krause hinted the the 140 horsepower, 235 lb.-ft of torque clean diesel should be in the 45 mpg range.
The new engine is smoother, quieter, more powerful and more efficient than the old Jetta TDI, which won many friends, but it won’t cost more. Fuel economy should be better, in the 45 mpg range, while the engine produces 140 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque, according to Krause. The starting price will be “about $23,000 and a typically equipped car listing for $25,000, which is in line with the outgoing model” as reported by Edmonds who referenced VW spokesman Keith Price.
Posted By RichC on February 12, 2008
Senator John McCain narrowly defeated former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee in the Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia Republican primaries today while Senator Barack Obama won handily over leading Democrat Senator Hillary Clinton. McCain the Republican front runner is almost surely the GOP candidate for President while the Democrats have yet to have any certainty. I won’t be surprised if the dirt really start to fly as we approach the Texas and Ohio primaries on March 4th.
Posted By RichC on February 12, 2008
Volkswagen TDI “diesel” owners and those anxiously awaiting the new Jetta TDI are not the only ones frustrated with not having new TDIs this past year … OR hearing that the spring release of the new 50 state VW ‘clean diesel’ TDI as been delayed until late summer 2008. (when most manufacturers will be bringing 2009 models to market)
North American Volkswagen dealers have also listed it at the top on their ‘gripe list’ according to Automotive News when they interviewed Bob Grace, chairman of the Volkswagen National Dealer Advisory Council. “The Jetta TDI originally was due this spring but won’t arrive until late in the third quarter. That’s especially painful because VW didn’t build a 2007 TDI, so dealers have been without the model for some time. The new TDI will be a “clean diesel” that can be sold in all 50 states, unlike prior versions that couldn’t be sold in some major markets, including California and New York. Even with that restriction, the diesel accounted for 15 percent of Jetta sales, so dealers are hungry to sell the new one.” See interview article with Bob Grace. (or PDF if it becomes unavailable)
Posted By RichC on February 11, 2008
Our Experimental Aviation Association EAA Chapter 284 had a superb meeting Sunday afternoon at the Tri-State Warbirds Museum in Batavia Ohio. (Clermont County Airport I69) About ten members from our chapter met at 2 PM to hold a brief chapter meeting and tour the museum. We enjoyed a guided tour of the aircraft on display — most which fly at least once a year — and a restricted area tour of the well equipped restoration shop. The volunteers giving us the tour shared their knowledge and gave us a great tour. Check out the 50 or so photos in a web slide show below.
I found the restoration of a FG-1D Corsair one of the most interesting, but the impressive P-51 Mustang (Cincinnati Miss), a T-6D Texan, a TBM-3 Avenger, a Boeing Stearman (Model 75), Link ANT-18 Trainer and B-25 Mitchell were all great. We were a couple weeks too early to see the latest restoration project … a Curtiss-Wright P-40 Kittyhawk — another excuse to go back.
If you enjoy aviation, and warbirds in particular, be sure to fly in or drive to Clermont Country Airport just east of Cincinnati. The museum is open from 4-7 PM on Wednesdays or 10-3 PM on Saturdays; admission is $12, or $7 if you are a veteran or student.
Posted By RichC on February 10, 2008
Space Shuttle Atlantis along with seven crew lifted off on Thursday February 7th with the mission to deliver and attach the European Science Laboratory to the International Space Station. The news hasn’t really made the front page with the deadly tornadoes and political news this past week. The seven astronauts of STS-122 docked successfully on Saturday morning with the Space Station, but are delayed due to an “undisclosed health problem” with one member. The chairman of NASA’s Mission Management Team has not release the name of the crew member, but said “It’s not life threatening.” The crew requested two private medical conferences with flight surgeons and shortly afterward mission control advised astronauts on both craft that a Sunday spacewalk would be delayed. NASA has indicated that a crewman would be working outside during the spacewalk.
According to NASA, the delay in installing the $2 billion Columbus module (science lab), will add at least one day to Atlantis’s planned 11-day mission and the landing is now planned for 10:14 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Veteran astronaut, Navy Cmdr. Stephen N. Frick, is in command of STS-122 shuttle mission along with Navy Cmdr. Alan G. Poindexter serving as pilot. Mission specialists include Air Force Col. Rex J. Walheim, Stanley G. Love, Leland D. Melvin and European Space Agency astronaut Hans Schlegel. Poindexter, Love and Melvin will be making their first spaceflight.
Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Daniel Tani, who flew to the the space station on STS-120 mission, will return home with the STS-122 crew. STS-122 is leaving behind European Space Agency astronaut Léopold Eyharts to the complex. STS-122 is the 24th shuttle mission to the International Space Station.
