Americans for all our lauded democracy, have notoriously been a lazy bunch when it comes to getting to the polls to vote. This year there is perhaps more anger and splits in how successfully the bunch in Washington (and locally) are running our country, but I wonder just how angry most Americans are? According to most figures I’ve looked at, the economy is not all that bad … in fact the Dow Industrial Index has risen to all time high, unemployment is at a 15 year low, inflation seems under control, interest rates have stabilized to palatable levels and even fuel prices aren’t making people squeal. BUT then there is Iraq … a debatable war strategy with no clear cut solution. Republicans for the most part are doing their best to say, “look … no terror attacks at home and Saddam is gone,” while Democrat point to our troops policing a country that just doesn’t seem controllable and is Iraq really part of the war on terror? Besides that, corruption in political life has also tainted most incumbents and those controlling the halls of the Capital; perhaps there is a really good reason to get out and vote, but will we?
{democracy:2}
EDIT 11/8/2006: Preliminary numbers indicate that just under 40% of registered voters cast their ballots which is on par with most midterm elections. It would be interesting to know just who the other 60% would have voted for or against considering the number of very tight races.
Most car companies have invested significant research into hydrogen and none more than German car manufacturer BMW— see BMW Hydrogen Cars. If you have ever contemplated how hydrogen might work in replacing petroleum, the video clip below showing a BMW Hydrogen7 car might bring the future a step closer. I suspect that eventually we’ll see ‘hydrogen’ as fuel for our cars … whether it will be in a tank or in a fuel cell is something to ponder?
With the election looming, I suspect many will be using the new electronic voting machines for the first time. I’ve heard stories about fraud (nothing solid), tech articles on hacking and references to the weak expertise of poll workers in handing this new equipment. HBO produced a special called “Hacking Democracy” that targets Diebold, a company that makes electronic voting machines, that might not be all that accurate, but plays right into people fears. This kind of story is primarily sensationalizing the flaws and questionable actions from the past, but the truth is a bit more dull — Diebold is a respectable company offering secure products from banking to voting. I suspect that if we were to compare voting accuracy today to that of the past, we might find out that accuracy has actually improved?
And about that HBO story … below is a short clip that offers a little balance.
While reading an email the other day, someone mentioned a great Internet video clip from Europe. Since I’m not posting much this weekend, I thought today would be a good day to include it. The video is unique in that it has 4 Radio Control Technology wireless cameras to record an aerobatic flight in Yverdon, Switzerland. The clip gives a great overall view of what flying high performance single engine airplanes is like and includes views from the ground as well. I would like to check these great quality cameras out myself. By the way, the plane in an experimental Votec 322b equipped with these tiny cameras blended with a few clips from the ground as well. It runs 5 minute and is excellent.
I’m loafing a little in posting since I was somewhat busy and tired yesterday from the week away from home. Nevertheless, I’ll post a cellphone photo updating the prices at the public biodiesel pump I usually fill my VW TDI at. Note that priced dropped a couple pennies from the fill up on Tuesday.
Also in keeping the John Kerry trend alive (groan), here’s a simplton video clip from one of the late night shows …
😀
The ‘fall out’ from John Kerry’s gaffe on Monday is blitzing across the country and has made its way to and now back from Iraq in a photo message. Some creative and obviously politically active soldiers have made their voices heard in a big way … and the photo is worth a thousand words. Since the ‘strike one and two’ on Monday and Tuesday, the Democrats and John Kerry team have been spending their time on defense rather than offense as the mid-term election looms in less than a week. John Kerry should be thankful that he is not up for re-election as most Democrats who were once seeking his support have canceled his campaign trail visits. If the debate over Iraq wasn’t so serious, one might find it humorous to watch a lifetime politician digging himself into a hole.
He holds several clay pigeon shooting records and is absolutely incredible with a shotgun. Check out the ‘slow-motion’ flash video below to see what I’m talking about. (his promo WMV clip is available here – rightclick/saveas)
Xtreme Shooter Patrick Flanigan hits 11 clay targets
Quick post from phone (photo edited) to relay the prices at the central Ohio Sunoco I-71 public biofuel pump at Mt. Gilead exit 151. As of November 1st … B2 – $2.59, B5 – $2.61 and B20 – $2.63. Current petroleum 15ppm Diesel was $2.57 while E85 Ethanol was $2.07 and gasoline $2.17.
Oh … its getting hot in the political kitchen as John Kerry fires up the Republicans with comments made on October 30th as we near the November elections. Senator Kerry used a few words yesterday that either were not carefully selected, or he just poorly communicated his point — strike one. Nevertheless, his damage control speech today did little to reduce the tension from his initial comments since he chose not to apologize to those serving in our Armed Forces — strike two — but instead attempted to turn the tables suggesting that “it is the President that owes the troops an apology.” How would you like to be the candidate that he was suppose to be helping win a few more votes? EDIT Wednesday, 11/1/2006:“I said it was a botched joke. Of course, I’m sorry about a botched joke,” Kerry, who had refused to apologize on Tuesday, said on the “Imus in the Morning” radio show on MSNBC.
What do you get when you take the nation’s biggest car company and a celebrity car buff creating a one of a kind sports car? A very cool alternatively powered (biodiesel mind you) supercar with a 650HP mid-engine Honeywell LT-101 modified turbine mated to a Corvette C6 transaxle and hydroformed aluminum frame. GM Advanced Design Studio’s joined Jay for this project car at the SEMA Show and have obviously injected a little “Cadillac” look to the carbon fiber body and lexan glass. Oh and yes of course Jay Leno crack a few jokes at the unveiling … “Will I drive it every day? Yeah, during the harvest.”
(See article at AutoBlogGreen.)
Jay Leno poses with jar of biodiesel
people squeal. BUT then there is Iraq … a debatable war strategy with no clear cut solution. Republicans for the most part are doing their best to say, “look … no terror attacks at home and Saddam is gone,” while Democrat point to our troops policing a country that just doesn’t seem controllable and is Iraq really part of the war on terror? Besides that, corruption in political life has also tainted most incumbents and those controlling the halls of the Capital; perhaps there is a really good reason to get out and vote, but will we?
Most car companies have invested significant research into hydrogen and none more than German car manufacturer 
fraud (nothing solid), tech articles on hacking and references to the weak expertise of poll workers in handing this new equipment. HBO produced a special called 
While reading an email the other day, someone mentioned a great Internet video clip from Europe. Since I’m not posting much this weekend, I thought today would be a good day to include it. The video is unique in that it has 4 
The ‘fall out’ from John Kerry’s gaffe on Monday is blitzing across the country and has made its way to and now back from Iraq in a photo message. Some creative and obviously politically active soldiers have made their voices heard in a big way … and the photo is worth a thousand words. Since the 
Oshkosh Wisconsin is famous for a few things most of us know … 
Oh … its getting hot in the political kitchen as John Kerry fires up the Republicans with comments made on October 30th as we near the November elections. Senator Kerry used a few words yesterday that either were not carefully selected, or he just poorly communicated his point — strike one. Nevertheless, his damage control speech today did little to reduce the tension from his initial comments since he chose not to apologize to those serving in our Armed Forces — strike two — but instead attempted to turn the tables suggesting that “it is the President that owes the troops an apology.” How would you like to be the candidate that he was suppose to be helping win a few more votes?
What do you get when you take the nation’s biggest car company and a celebrity car buff creating a one of a kind sports car? A very cool alternatively powered (biodiesel mind you) supercar with a 650HP mid-engine Honeywell LT-101 modified turbine mated to a Corvette C6 transaxle and hydroformed aluminum frame. GM Advanced Design Studio’s
joined Jay for this project car at the SEMA Show and have obviously injected a little “Cadillac” look to the carbon fiber body and lexan glass. Oh and yes of course Jay Leno crack a few jokes at the unveiling … “Will I drive it every day? Yeah, during the harvest.”