My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on May 20, 2007

My good friend Jeff has a contact with Midwestern Eurosports out of Chicago and invited my son and I up to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this past weekend. We had excellent weather and a great time hanging around their 18-wheeler/shop and getting hints into some of the tweaks made to these already great performing cars.

The Porsche designs are already excellent for the Mid-Ohio track, and the stock cars were pretty equal. Drivers made the difference in the stock class, while a little added horsepower gave a few high end 911s the edge. I was impressed with a couple heavily modified older Porsche 914s that did a sensational job keeping up with their big brothers … it was amazing to see a 2.0 liter modified mid engine 914 keeping up with cars pumping out over 400 horsepower. All in all, our weekend was enjoyable … I think my hearing is finally returning to normal. (adding a video clip when I get it encoded)

Category: Automotive | 2 Comments »
Tags: midohio, porche, racing

Posted By RichC on May 19, 2007

The average gasoline prices hit new highs in Ohio and across the nation this week as the national average is $3.13 for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline. In Ohio according to the Cincinnati Enquirer we are above at a $3.22 per gallon average pump price. Analysts say refinery problems are continuing to limit supplies and are to blame for the rising prices. According to an Associated Press article, “BP officials say their refinery in Whiting, Indiana — usually the nation’s fifth-most-productive — and another refinery in Toledo are operating at just 50 percent capacity.”

Earlier this week, I filled my Volkswagen Jetta TDI with B-20 biodiesel for $2.80 and then topped it off with petroleum diesel today north of Cincinnati for $2.78. Come to think of it, its a double plus for small economical diesel drivers: 1) 45+mpg and 2) a 40 cents per gallon savings at the pump. I’m glad we still have our TDIs.
🙂

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Posted By RichC on May 18, 2007

Hmm … I’ve yet to figure out how Joox.net can get away with showing full length, good quality movies over the Internet … but they are. While the site is still functioning, movie going geeks might want to curl up with their significant other (ie. computer), and watch a movie.
😀
If you enjoy movies a little larger, be sure to click the divx ‘full screen’ box rather than watching the movie in a web window. Documentaries and TV programs are offered as well; check out the right sidebar for listings.

Remember you are streaming a significant amount of data so you’ll want to be at a highspeed data connection for this. Coffeeshops and hotels just might not offer the bandwidth to give you the best experience … besides, if you wait for home the others using the share connection will thank you. I generally glance around a WiFi hotspot before running my Slingplayer in ‘video’ mode if I’m really just listening to CNBC or the news. (Hint: sellect audo only under the)

Category: Misc | No Comments »
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Posted By RichC on May 17, 2007

I heard a news story today that referenced an Internet music portal … for lack of a better description … that sells a product that the reporter referenced to several illegal drugs. The ‘doses’ as I-Doser.com call them, are delivered by headphones and the company claims their “advanced binaural beats that will synchronize your brainwaves to the same state as the recreational dose. Mixed with our advanced auditory pulses are soothing backtracks of ambient soundscapes to help the brain induce of state of mood lift, euphoria, sedation, and hallucination.”

I’m not quick to part with my dollars, so if someone reading so inclined to purchase and give us some feedback that would be helpful. The ‘doses are available as PC downloads, MP3 for i-Pods or on audio CDs.
🙂
By the way, the company doesn’t guarantee results, but they “advice you try the I-Doser Application and Free Doses to see if I-Doser works for you.”

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Posted By RichC on May 16, 2007

Solo circumnavigating sailor Donna Lange and “Inspired Insanity” are safely on a mooring in Bristol, Rhode Island. She and her boat are home after spending 300 days at sea and sailing her 28 foot Southern Cross boat 31,400 nautical miles. It was a treat to be ‘tuning’ in by email each day; I’m going to miss the daily log.

Category: Sailing | No Comments »
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Posted By RichC on May 15, 2007

Saw this video clip and am using it to to fill in a ‘non-posting’ day. Also … solo circumnavigating sailor Donna Lange should be getting into Bristol, Rhode Island sometime late on Wednesday night … if the winds hold. (she is engine-less)

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Posted By RichC on May 14, 2007

Wow … I’m totally impressed after only one day of using the Jawbone Bluetooth Headset, so far its great. (audio MP3 link — my ‘real life’ test)

After struggling to find a bluetooth headset for use with my Palm Treo 700p, I’ve finally found one that I can finally recommend. As someone who spends part of each week traveling, I find it usefully to be able to make clear and professional phone calls while in a car or in a “less than ideal office” environment.

In my tests, I used a fairly noisy car and after trying the highly rated and minuscule Jabra JX10 (about $100) … I have found it sorely lacking. Its ability to connect reliably with my PDA/phone — partly the Treo 700p’s fault — and that fact that its microphone is ‘super sensitive’ has found me not bothering to even travel with it. In fact, I even switched back to a low cost generic Motorola Bluetooth headset that I pick up for $20. It actually works better, but its still not a very good choice in my opinion; its doesn’t work all that well with my phone and still has problems in a small car — too much background noise. I eventually have gone back to just holding the phone or using my tangled wired headset for longer phone calls. (my retractable Seidio Earbud Headphones broke)

After watching the video clip on the Jawbone site, I though … “hmm, if this is for real, it will be worth the $100 ‘discounted’ price.” So far I have no regrets, although it is a bit more clumsy and less robust than the popular Motorola ‘cockroach’ Bluetooth headset … although very comfortable to wear. I still haven’t figured out the best way to carry it without leaving it ‘hanging’ from the ear, but in the car I’ve found the Treo 700p’s stub antenna a worthwhile hook! (the shirt pocket works okay, but I’ve already leaned over and dropped it on a tile floor!)
😉

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Posted By RichC on May 13, 2007

Slow to post a Happy Mother’s Day greeting today … but then I was enjoying the day with my mom. Happy Mother’s Day to all moms.

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Posted By RichC on May 12, 2007

Those occasionally reading my blog have no doubt seen a post or two on solo circumnavigating sailor Donna Lange, well today is no exception as she is only a few days from Bristol, Rhode Island. After facing a nasty blow in April [1] [2][3], Donna was forced to hole up and make repairs in Bermuda. To her amazement, supporters following her voyage treated her with a ticket home to the U.S. so she could attend the planned media bash/ homecoming celebrating her journey. (and it has been a life journey as much as it has been a voyage) For Donna, the celebration was overwhelming and her spirit was soaring. As May rolled in, she returned to the task at hand, repairing her 28 foot sailboat, Inspired Insanity and preparing for that last leg home.

Of the highest priority was the self-steering gear and wind generator as both are near necessities when sailing alone. Second was replacing the starter on her diesel, of which was though to be at the root of most of the engine problems, unfortunately the was another diesel injector pump problem. She and help on Bermuda tried for two day to repair, but finally the mechanical beast got the best of her and she toss lines without diesel auxiliary power. Its a sailboat right?

Her ships log or journey finds her sailing happily along miles from Bermuda and miles from her destination in Bristol, RI … although she is not to far from the Gulf Stream. (current that runs north then northeast off the eastern coast of the United States) Yesterday she commented on dolphins, “just before sundown. a single dolphin appeared … I dashed down to get my tin whistle and when I returned, the water was churning with small green and gray dolphins.. leaping in 7’s, broaching, jumping. I played music and they played around the boat a long time. It was glorious and such a boost to my energy” and then it was a whale … “I saw a burst of water blast into the air to the SW of me. Sure enough the rounding of the hump of a bigger whale followed. A tail broached.. Magnificent. Though near a mile away, I couldn’t resist playing him/her a round of tunes on the whistle. I saw the whale broach a couple times following along side me before I saw her no more. My first whale sighting in my whole trip.”

As she sails her final couple of day toward home, I’m somewhat melancholy as the voyage comes to a close. I’ve enjoyed participating through emails, her music and positive and uplifting outlook. Both my daughter and wife have read Rhonda Byrne’s bestselling book, “The Secret” … and now I hear Donna commenting on it too. It seems they may all be onto something … “you get what you put out there.” Interestingly, people are drawn to others with a positive outlook, included Donna Lange. She exemplifies putting much of this philosophy into practice … from pursuing a voyage around the world in a small sailboat, to her notorious “All good.” Thanks Donna.

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Posted By RichC on May 11, 2007

The answer to the above question is that we really don’t know. Fuel quality ‘verification’ in Ohio has been a pet peeve of mine for some time now and I’ve written my share of letters to state legislators. The fact that Ohio is one of four states that doesn’t test the quality of the fuel that is sold to consumers at the pump makes me wonder if we are a target for ‘fuel dumping?’ How does one know that premium is of higher octane than regular? Do you trust the sign on the pump?

Fuel dumping is something that can take place if stations are not self-regulating themselves, which I assume most do … especially if they want to avoid lawsuits. Cincinnati’s neighboring state Kentucky has checked fuel quality through sampling since the 1980s and plans on building a new facility to be even more thorough. I question whether an unscrupulous distributor could occasionally sell mixed loads of questionable gasoline or diesel across the Ohio River into our state … why not … there isn’t any testing? The distributor might be able to ‘dump’ his fuel and Ohioans wouldn’t be the wiser. (until their car suffers premature engine related problems … see “Are all Gasolines the same?“)

Major fuel suppliers in Ohio claim that this isn’t an issue and that the fuel purchasing public has little reason to not trust the fuel being delivered. I’m a bit more skeptical, not necessarily from the big name companies, but from smaller distributors that end up with a mixed load of fuel and the temptation to deliver it as higher octane fuel. WLWT, Channel 5 in Cincinnati, confirmed that the state legislature will be deciding on two bill which should address our state,s shortcoming in verifying fuel quality. As I see it, the county auditor’s office already checks to see if a gallon is a gallon, taking a few fuel sample shouldn’t be that much more difficult?

If the fuel-testing legislation gets the green light, Ohio drivers could see testing by the end of the summer.

“It would mean if you go into a gas station and you’re buying 89-octane fuel, it will be 89-octane fuel (with) very few contaminates or water in the fuel,” said Kevin Pyle of the Hamilton County Auditor’s Office.

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