On Thursday, August 30, 2007, our solar energy system went live. Yesterday I flipped the AC breakers off and we ran through the day on solar power. As a test, I left the breakers off last night forcing our energy to come from the batteries through the inverters. It is 7am as I type this and the inverters have turned off the AC power to the emergency circuits due to low voltage, 45 volts. The battery bank is 48 volts and the system keeps them over 50 volts during the day. The sun is coming up so the system should be waking up soon. Right now the inverters are showing ZZZZZZZZ since the sun is not up. They have turned AC voltage to the house off.
The important thing to point out is that for our test last night we made no attempt to change our habits. We watched the big tvs, left lights on, and acted as if nothing were unusual. That was our intent, to see how far we could go without trying to conserve. Now we have a base line. Everything ran through the night and the sun will be up soon. We will observe the wakeup cycle as the arrays start charging. For our next test we will use careful energy management as if a true emergency had occurred and the grid were really not available.
We know that the entertainment center is a big energy user so we would use our small tv to monitor local events. We also have our wind up radio which we would use. We would also use our LED night lighting instead of our big overhead lights. There are still some lights in the house that are big halogen bulbs and we will replace them with more conservative lighting. So, we now know that we can get through the night and possibly more if we are careful. Our refrigerators ran through the night with no connection to the grid. I consider this first test a success. Now we will monitor the wake up cycle as the sun rises.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Wunder Blog : Weather Underground
Wunder Blog : Weather Underground: "Every year now, we see news articles about coastal surveys, that seem to indicate a lot of people living on the coast aren't ready for hurricane season. Whether that is the case or not, one of the things from this year's survey noted was, 'One out of three (34%) do not know if their home is located in an evacuation zone.' Well there are a lot of things that remain to be fixed or improved regards hurricane preparation on the coast, but this is one that can be taken care of!
If you live in Florida, you have access online to the best emergency management website in the country: FloridaDisaster.org. Included on this website are storm surge maps for coastal counties. For instance, if you live in Pensacola, you can pull up the Escambia county map and see, to some extent, what category hurricane would flood your area: "
If you live in Florida, you have access online to the best emergency management website in the country: FloridaDisaster.org. Included on this website are storm surge maps for coastal counties. For instance, if you live in Pensacola, you can pull up the Escambia county map and see, to some extent, what category hurricane would flood your area: "
Monday, July 23, 2007
Old Version Downloads - OldApps.com
Old Version Downloads - OldApps.com
This is a wonderful site to have as a bookmark. Are you one of many who have found the new Itunes 7 to be a huge resource hog on your PC? You can downgrade to older versions on this site. Not only Itunes but most of the popular programs are archived here.
This is a wonderful site to have as a bookmark. Are you one of many who have found the new Itunes 7 to be a huge resource hog on your PC? You can downgrade to older versions on this site. Not only Itunes but most of the popular programs are archived here.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
St. Cloud Times | AP News
St. Cloud Times | AP News
This article discusses the drought in Florida and the search for storage north of Lake Okeechobee. What it does not address is the fact that what is known as "The Upper Chain of Lakes" could have adequate storage but their use is severely limited because development has been allowed to occur on the shorelines. Intensive use of the shorelines by private owners limits the lakes use for water storage. If the stage in the lakes is allowed to fluctuate outside of a narrow range the land owners raise hell. They have boats and docks all along the shorelines so if the stage is allowed to go too low they cannot get their boats in the water and their docks do not reach the water. If the stage is allowed to go high enough for some additional storage then their docks and yards are flooded. This essentially eliminates using the many lakes in the Orlando and Kissimmee areas for much storage. Restoration of the Kissimmee River back to a more meandering state with marshes is a worthwhile effort but lets point to the real problem, development of the shorelines in the Upper Chain of Lakes.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
NPR : The Exoneration of Larry Peterson
NPR : The Exoneration of Larry Peterson
The greatest injustice is the conviction of an innocent man. Listen to this story of Larry Peterson. He did not lead an honorable life but did not commit the murder and rape he was convicted of. DNA advances and analysis of the evidence using the new technology freed this man who spent 17 years of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit. He maintained his innocence during this entire time. His release was largely due to the Innocence Project.
Listen to his story by clicking on the "Listen" link on the NPR page.
The greatest injustice is the conviction of an innocent man. Listen to this story of Larry Peterson. He did not lead an honorable life but did not commit the murder and rape he was convicted of. DNA advances and analysis of the evidence using the new technology freed this man who spent 17 years of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit. He maintained his innocence during this entire time. His release was largely due to the Innocence Project.
Listen to his story by clicking on the "Listen" link on the NPR page.
St. Cloud Times | AP News
St. Cloud Times | AP News
I was saddened to read of the death of Don Herbert, TV's "Mr. Wizard." Back in the 50's watching his show was one of my favorite things. He was very talented at popularizing science for those of us were were kids at that time. I was surprised to read in this article that he was an Army Air Corps pilot during Warld War II. See also his web site at http://www.mrwizardstudios.com/
A lot more information is also available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Herbert.
I was saddened to read of the death of Don Herbert, TV's "Mr. Wizard." Back in the 50's watching his show was one of my favorite things. He was very talented at popularizing science for those of us were were kids at that time. I was surprised to read in this article that he was an Army Air Corps pilot during Warld War II. See also his web site at http://www.mrwizardstudios.com/
A lot more information is also available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Herbert.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Use science, not politics on state's water emergencies
Use science, not politics on state's water emergencies
Nat Reed points out opportunities for the South Florida Water Management District's new board members in this article in the Palm Beach Post. This is certainly an accurate overview of the challenges faced by the new board on many fronts. Mr. Reed addresses the fact that the District needs to restore the partnership between the state and the federal government. This partnership was built over years of negotiation and effort but since the year 2000 has been largely dismantled. I agree with and respect Mr. Reed's view. Hopefully the new board will too.
Nat Reed points out opportunities for the South Florida Water Management District's new board members in this article in the Palm Beach Post. This is certainly an accurate overview of the challenges faced by the new board on many fronts. Mr. Reed addresses the fact that the District needs to restore the partnership between the state and the federal government. This partnership was built over years of negotiation and effort but since the year 2000 has been largely dismantled. I agree with and respect Mr. Reed's view. Hopefully the new board will too.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
St. Cloud Times | AP News
St. Cloud Times | AP News
Indian artificacts, boats, large steam vessels, and fishing boats exposed from Lake Okeechobee's low levels.
"More than 17 sites have been identified in Palm Beach County's part of the lake in the last three months. They are scattered over miles of terrain. The drought has bared a rim around the lake up to a mile and a half wide at some points.
Indian artificacts, boats, large steam vessels, and fishing boats exposed from Lake Okeechobee's low levels.
"More than 17 sites have been identified in Palm Beach County's part of the lake in the last three months. They are scattered over miles of terrain. The drought has bared a rim around the lake up to a mile and a half wide at some points.
"It looks like it's part of one of the American Indian settlements that were there - people that were intentionally interred at some point," said State Archaeologist Ryan Wheeler."
St. Cloud Times | AP NewsSunday, June 03, 2007
New Roof
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| From Re roofing Pro... |
We now start on our solar energy projects. The first is to reinstall our solar hot water heater which was removed for the re roofing. After that we plan on installing a 4,400 watt photovoltaic system on our south and west roofs. None of this will be visible from the street but it will give us a fair measure of independence from the grid without relying on conventional generators in the event of a power outage. In addition, unlike a conventional generator that only runs in an outage, the photovoltaic system will be generating electricity every day to offset its cost.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Speed Test
For all my geeky friends who know what this means here are the results of my latest speed test since upgrading my DSL connection.
Monday, May 28, 2007
The beginning of the end for analog TV - Engadget
The beginning of the end for analog TV - Engadget
Who knew? Our analogue TVs and radios will become obsolete in February of 2009. Will our existing TVs work with the new digital transmitters? Only with the addition of a converter box. I know this news has been out for a while but according to everything I read and see the big box retail stores are brimming with inventory of analogue TVs which will be obsolete after the Super Bowl in 2009. Seems there are a lot of advantages to the switchover. Stations will be able to transmit multiple channels of programming. Quality will be much better too. Too bad they are not telling everyone. I would hate to purchase a new TV in a big box store sometime in the next two years only to find out shortly thereafter that I would have to buy another box to make it work. Apparently, the law now requires all TVs sold to be labeled that it will be obsolete in February, 2009.
Who knew? Our analogue TVs and radios will become obsolete in February of 2009. Will our existing TVs work with the new digital transmitters? Only with the addition of a converter box. I know this news has been out for a while but according to everything I read and see the big box retail stores are brimming with inventory of analogue TVs which will be obsolete after the Super Bowl in 2009. Seems there are a lot of advantages to the switchover. Stations will be able to transmit multiple channels of programming. Quality will be much better too. Too bad they are not telling everyone. I would hate to purchase a new TV in a big box store sometime in the next two years only to find out shortly thereafter that I would have to buy another box to make it work. Apparently, the law now requires all TVs sold to be labeled that it will be obsolete in February, 2009.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
New Roof
We are replacing our 40 year old concrete tile with a 5V metal panel roof. The new roof will be a Marine Green color. We are using a company in Lake Worth that specializes in metal roofs. The company is AMETCO and so far we are very happy with their work and would highly recommend them. I'll add to the photos as the project progresses.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
China's Solar-Powered City
China's Solar-Powered City: "A combination of regulations and public education spurred the broad adoption of solar heaters. The city mandates all new buildings to incorporate solar panels, and it oversees the construction process to ensure proper installation. To raise awareness, the city held open seminars and ran public advertising on television."
This is an ordinary city in China but the product of three key factors. As the article points out the convergence of government policy, local industry and strong political leadership made it possible. The city has the equivalent of one half megawatt of water electric water heaters. If an ordinary city and China can do this, why can't we do it in the US? We are in the process of trying to implement additional solar capability on our house but our little town can not be called progressive on this issue. While there are a few solar water heaters in the town there is not one major photovoltaic panel that I have been able to spot and I doubt seriously if the town will welcome our implementation with open arms. I hope I am just being overly pessimistic.
This is an ordinary city in China but the product of three key factors. As the article points out the convergence of government policy, local industry and strong political leadership made it possible. The city has the equivalent of one half megawatt of water electric water heaters. If an ordinary city and China can do this, why can't we do it in the US? We are in the process of trying to implement additional solar capability on our house but our little town can not be called progressive on this issue. While there are a few solar water heaters in the town there is not one major photovoltaic panel that I have been able to spot and I doubt seriously if the town will welcome our implementation with open arms. I hope I am just being overly pessimistic.
Monday, May 21, 2007
CarGurus Blog � 2007 � May
CarGurus Blog � 2007 � May
Is the Toyota Prius going to reach 100 mpg in 2009? Rumors say yes. This is from CarGurus Blog.
Is the Toyota Prius going to reach 100 mpg in 2009? Rumors say yes. This is from CarGurus Blog.
PML Builds 640hp Electric MINI
PML Builds 640hp Electric MINI
640 HP and 250 mile range in all electric mode. Out accelerates an Aston Martin and with its small internal combustion engine running a super efficient generator it has a 1,000 mile range.
640 HP and 250 mile range in all electric mode. Out accelerates an Aston Martin and with its small internal combustion engine running a super efficient generator it has a 1,000 mile range.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
BoGo Light - Help Light the World!
BoGo Light - Help Light the World!
The BoGo Light
The BoGo Light is a scientific, eco-friendly breakthrough that is making an impact worldwide. From Cairo to Cape Town, from the Caribbean to the Amazon, it is improving the lives of individuals, families, and entire villages by replacing costly kerosene, candles, and disposable battery flashlights with an affordable, long lasting, solar flashlight.
BoGo means Buy one, Give one. We want our lights to benefit the less fortunate; therefore, with each light purchased in the developed world, a second identical light will be donated to an organization that will distribute it in the developing world with our direct financial support. Give the Gift of Light, and Help Us Change the World!
The BoGo Light
The BoGo Light is a scientific, eco-friendly breakthrough that is making an impact worldwide. From Cairo to Cape Town, from the Caribbean to the Amazon, it is improving the lives of individuals, families, and entire villages by replacing costly kerosene, candles, and disposable battery flashlights with an affordable, long lasting, solar flashlight.
BoGo means Buy one, Give one. We want our lights to benefit the less fortunate; therefore, with each light purchased in the developed world, a second identical light will be donated to an organization that will distribute it in the developing world with our direct financial support. Give the Gift of Light, and Help Us Change the World!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Florida Public Opinion Poll on Solar Energy
FloridaMaxon-DixonSolarPoll.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Public opinion is strongly in favor of the Florida Legislature encouraging investment in solar energy in Florida. Read the results of this recent survey. It is a PDF file requiring the Adobe PDF Reader.
Public opinion is strongly in favor of the Florida Legislature encouraging investment in solar energy in Florida. Read the results of this recent survey. It is a PDF file requiring the Adobe PDF Reader.
Sun powers up part of Palm City Elementary
Sun powers up part of Palm City Elementary
As we prepare to install our own solar system we see news about new systems popping up everywhere. Discussions with friends and business acquaintances always seem to drift to this topic. Solar is not cheap but with state rebates and the panels working every day it can pay for itself in a reasonable amount of time. Here in Florida, the state rebates $4 a watt for residential PV systems. That means that if you put a 4 KW system up you will get $16,000 back from the state.
In spite of thinking that we have a lot of roof space for solar we find that it is a challenge to fit enough collectors on our roof to generate our desired 4 KW of power. Our design guys down at Vergona Bowersox in Boca Raton are working hard to fit the maximum number of panels on the roof.
We already have our solar water heating system in place and it has been happily making hot water for us since the end of last year. Yes, the water is extremely hot. It has an electric backup for short cloudy winter days but we keep it turned off most of the time. The water is so hot that one has to be very careful when opening the hot water tap. We have had solar hot water systems for about fifteen years now and have been extremely happy with their silent and efficient operation.
Here's a link to Palm City Elementary's website. Palm City Elementary
As we prepare to install our own solar system we see news about new systems popping up everywhere. Discussions with friends and business acquaintances always seem to drift to this topic. Solar is not cheap but with state rebates and the panels working every day it can pay for itself in a reasonable amount of time. Here in Florida, the state rebates $4 a watt for residential PV systems. That means that if you put a 4 KW system up you will get $16,000 back from the state.
In spite of thinking that we have a lot of roof space for solar we find that it is a challenge to fit enough collectors on our roof to generate our desired 4 KW of power. Our design guys down at Vergona Bowersox in Boca Raton are working hard to fit the maximum number of panels on the roof.
We already have our solar water heating system in place and it has been happily making hot water for us since the end of last year. Yes, the water is extremely hot. It has an electric backup for short cloudy winter days but we keep it turned off most of the time. The water is so hot that one has to be very careful when opening the hot water tap. We have had solar hot water systems for about fifteen years now and have been extremely happy with their silent and efficient operation.
Here's a link to Palm City Elementary's website. Palm City Elementary
July 13, 2006: Supermarkets and Service Stations Now Competing for Grain
July 13, 2006: Supermarkets and Service Stations Now Competing for Grain
Biofuels are not the answer:
"In agricultural terms, the world appetite for automotive fuel is insatiable. The grain required to fill a 25-gallon SUV gas tank with ethanol will feed one person for a year. The grain it takes to fill the tank every two weeks over a year will feed 26 people.
Investors are jumping on the highly profitable biofuel-bandwagon so fast that hardly a day goes by without another ethanol distillery or biodiesel refinery being announced somewhere in the world. The amount of corn used in U.S. ethanol distilleries has tripled in five years, jumping from 18 million tons in 2001 to an estimated 55 million tons from the 2006 crop. "
Biofuels are not the answer:
"In agricultural terms, the world appetite for automotive fuel is insatiable. The grain required to fill a 25-gallon SUV gas tank with ethanol will feed one person for a year. The grain it takes to fill the tank every two weeks over a year will feed 26 people.
Investors are jumping on the highly profitable biofuel-bandwagon so fast that hardly a day goes by without another ethanol distillery or biodiesel refinery being announced somewhere in the world. The amount of corn used in U.S. ethanol distilleries has tripled in five years, jumping from 18 million tons in 2001 to an estimated 55 million tons from the 2006 crop. "
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Monitor a Site Remotely for $99
I don't ordinarily plug products that I have not tried but this one appears to be quite a deal for the price. It is a wireless remotely controllable video camera that you can use to monitor a site remotely. It was demonstrated to me by someone here in Florida who uses it to check on their home up in Michigan. It was really cool. Hard to find a pan and tilt cam and all equipment needed to set it up for $99. Of course, the down side is you pay a $10 a month service fee but if you need this functionality you can't beat this deal.
AT&T Monitoring Deal
AT&T Monitoring Deal
Two Computers, One Mouse
I love this application. I like surprising Barbara by moving my cursor over to her monitor and then clicking on an icon and moving it around while she is working. Besides this I cannot think of a practical application but it sure is fun. Anyone have any ideas? Add them as comments below. I would love to hear if you come up with a practical use for this neat little freeware package.
Feature - Lifehacker
Feature - Lifehacker
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Tipping Point?
I can only hope that the Don Imus firing is a tipping point in our tolerance of rude and crude behavior in public personalities. I may be showing my age but I grew up in a time when public figures set a higher standard for people to use as role models. I have seen a trend over the last decade or more of greater and greater tolerance for rude behavior by public figures. The yardstick that we use to measure what is acceptable in public has gotten severely distorted in my view. An entire network, Fox News, has prospered by supporting public rants by people like Bill O'reilly and others. In O'reilly's case his written works seem pretty reasonable and sensible but his public persona like Don Imus is rude, domineering and bullying. The man is highly skilled in public debate and often leaves his guests shredded and wounded. The point is with O'reilly in particular is that he seems a very intelligent and reasonable man but his public persona is what sells and has sold for decades, a bullying and mean one. We see it everywhere in our culture. It is now publicly acceptable to publicly bash women, cops, and "The Man", through loudly played "Gangsta Rap" when stopped at a traffic light or in a parking lot. The intrusion on our individual space has not only become commonplace but the norm. I admit to attempting on several occasions trying to watch the Imus show and I guess I just did not get it. A rude and crude old guy in a cowboy hat ridiculing everyone around him. Like O'reilly he had redeeming qualities in his private life but the point is he became a rich, rude, old guy like many other TV personalities including Ann Coulter, Nancy Grace and many others on various networks because of his bad behavior in public. We paid for him to get that way through the network polls by casting our vote for rude and crude public behavior. I can only hope that his firing is a tipping point in our society that will lead us back to the times I knew as a kid when public persona's were elevating by their public behavior even if their off camera or off mike behavior was reprehensible. But, then again I could just be a middle class old guy hoping for a return to my youth.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Kite Video
Just for fun I put my disposable CVS camcorder on my kite aerial photography rig. Get your dramamine and let's go for a ride!
Friday, April 06, 2007
Wunder Blog : Weather Underground
Wunder Blog : Weather Underground
This and the newly released IPCC summary, linked in the article above, are a must read. Some interesting and scary implications to global climate change although not all are bad. One that bears thinking about in terms of not only climatic but social change is the forecast for increased dryness in the Northern Mexico area. Will this increase the desire to come across the border from Mexico? My guess is that it will in the beginning but as the desert areas expand it will create a much larger barrier to cross than exists now. Specifically the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts could become an even harsher and dryer zone. See this Wikipedia discussion of those areas as they exist now.
This and the newly released IPCC summary, linked in the article above, are a must read. Some interesting and scary implications to global climate change although not all are bad. One that bears thinking about in terms of not only climatic but social change is the forecast for increased dryness in the Northern Mexico area. Will this increase the desire to come across the border from Mexico? My guess is that it will in the beginning but as the desert areas expand it will create a much larger barrier to cross than exists now. Specifically the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts could become an even harsher and dryer zone. See this Wikipedia discussion of those areas as they exist now.
NOVA | Saved By the Sun | PBS
NOVA | Saved By the Sun | PBS
Set your Tivos or VCRs if you are so unlucky as to have one of those to deal with. The Nova series on public TV is having a show about solar energy on
Tuesday, April 24 at 8 p.m.
Is it time to take solar energy seriously?
Set your Tivos or VCRs if you are so unlucky as to have one of those to deal with. The Nova series on public TV is having a show about solar energy on
Tuesday, April 24 at 8 p.m.
Is it time to take solar energy seriously?
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
US Attorney Scandal Tops News Stories
Let's see. It is ok for key people to testify as long as they do it in secret, there is no record of the "conversation", and they are not under any oath to tell the truth. I think that about sums it up. What happened to government of the people, by the people and FOR the people?
The Scent of Scandal Makes Gonzales the Big Story | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)
The Scent of Scandal Makes Gonzales the Big Story | Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ)
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Weather Bonk
Weather Bonk is a really comprehensive real time weather site. It uses a Google Map application to display real time information along with webcams for the area and other information including local traffic, some climatic info such as monthly averages, forecasts, etc. The site is easy to navigate and customize to your individual location. I highly recommend Weather Bonk. There is even a Weather Bonk forum which you can view by clicking here.
DailyLit: Read books by email.
Well, you know me. I like to try new things. This is actually working quite well for me. I wanted to read one of Corey Doctorow's books and while browsing his web site, http://www.craphound.com/ , I ran across the fact that his books are available from this site as little readable chunks sent daily by email. Since Corey had adopted this method as one of his publication media I decided to give it a try. You know what? It works beautifully. It is astonishingly simple. You can suspend the daily email with a single click on a link in each email chunk or you can grab as many additional chunks as you might want. I am reading Corey's "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom." It is entertaining but one of those sci fi stories with a lot of jargon in it. Even so, the terminology has meaning and depth so it is fun.
http://www.dailylit.com/home
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Innovations by Truckers Save Energy
Interesting innovations by truckers for saving energy. How much of this will transfer over to the RV industry? We have been using auxiliary generators when stopped for years but some of the features in this article are very worthwhile reading:
NYT Article on Truck Noise Reduction — OpenPlans
NYT Article on Truck Noise Reduction — OpenPlans
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Sunday, March 11, 2007
Tranquility Cove
We have spent a couple of weeks, I think, here in South Carolina at Tranquility Cove. I say, I think, because time begins to blur from a structured day by day, calendar based, set of activities to a movement through time based more on sunrise and sunset and family events. It has been 70 degrees in the day and 40 something degrees at night. Our furnace takes the chill off each morning as we listen to the honking of Canada Geese in the cove. It has been an interesting and pleasant visit in spite of having to attend the funeral of one of my dad's sisters, Betty.
Betty lived a life of public service working for the Public Health Department here in South Carolina in her home town, Sumter. She was a plain spoken person always saying exactly what was on her mind. She and her husband, Bunk, relaxed in their off work times by fishing in the Wateree Swamp. Her daughter Emily attended to her needs faithfully right up to the very end. Her son John gave a wonderful tribute to her at the memorial church service. Betty was an icon in the family and will be missed by all.
We will get underway tomorrow morning, March 12th for our trip home. We have reservations at a highly rated campground, Flamingo Lake RV Resort, in North Jacksonville. Interestingly, when I called for the reservation the owners knew an acquaintance in West Palm Beach who lives full time in their large motorhome at a local RV resort. The owners of Flamingo Lake used to run the resort that our friend Herb lives in. It is a small world. Especially when you narrow it down to RV'ers. One can always seem to find a connection to someone else.
That is all the news that is fit to print for now.
Betty lived a life of public service working for the Public Health Department here in South Carolina in her home town, Sumter. She was a plain spoken person always saying exactly what was on her mind. She and her husband, Bunk, relaxed in their off work times by fishing in the Wateree Swamp. Her daughter Emily attended to her needs faithfully right up to the very end. Her son John gave a wonderful tribute to her at the memorial church service. Betty was an icon in the family and will be missed by all.
We will get underway tomorrow morning, March 12th for our trip home. We have reservations at a highly rated campground, Flamingo Lake RV Resort, in North Jacksonville. Interestingly, when I called for the reservation the owners knew an acquaintance in West Palm Beach who lives full time in their large motorhome at a local RV resort. The owners of Flamingo Lake used to run the resort that our friend Herb lives in. It is a small world. Especially when you narrow it down to RV'ers. One can always seem to find a connection to someone else.
That is all the news that is fit to print for now.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
DSL, the Internet, and Squirrels
Last Sunday our DSL Internet connection started dropping every ten minutes or so. We called Bellsouth Fastaccess and they checked the lines remotely and said they detected a problem on their line and would dispatch a technician on Monday. Monday afternoon the tech showed up and ran tests which showed the lines were clear. That day our connections were slow but stable. Monday night brought rain and our connection became unstable again. Our phone lines were plagued with static which made conversations difficult. We began to see a correlation with rain and our problem. Tuesday morning I called Bellsouth's residential service and complained about the static rather than calling Fastaccess to complain about the Internet drops. I knew they would say they had sent a tech out and everything was ok. In the afternoon the new tech arrived and investigated the problem. Again, it was sunny, no rain, and no problem. But, when I told him about the correlation with rain he climbed the pole and discovered the problem. Squirrels had chewed the insulation off the wires up on the pole. Every time it rained water seeped into the line causing the static and the Internet drop outs.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Future Computer Interfaces Demo'ing Now
New desktops that mimic real ones. If anyone saw the movie "Minority Report" this will ring familiar to you. The future is no mouse, no keyboard, but an all in one touch sensitive physics based screen. Watch these videos and then wonder who is working with these people. Is it Microsoft, Apple, Google, or someone who will come out and blow them all away. This is the future:
Friday, January 26, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Recumbent Video
One of my projects for 2007 is to convert my collection of VHS tapes to DVD. In the process I have discovered a lot of forgotten footage. This clip is from a recumbent ride at Daytona Beach, Florida that a friend, Fred Ungewitter and I coordinated. We called the group LASERR which stood for Loose Assemblage of South East Recumbent Riders. I am really pleased that the footage shot by his wife Ginnie is now preserved. Here is a sample:
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Powerful Walmart helps reduce power consumption
Walmart is using its power to reduce power consumption. Good to see that they are marketing power miser light bulbs. If everyone switched to these our dependency on oil could be reduced significantly. While the savings may not be huge for individual homes, although it will be noticeable, the impact of millions of households converting could be huge. A major retailer like Walmart can help make it happen. Read the article below. Very interesting.
Power-Sipping Bulbs Get Backing From Wal-Mart - New York Times
Power-Sipping Bulbs Get Backing From Wal-Mart - New York Times
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Moths drink the tears of sleeping birds
This issue of New Scientist has some fun annual summaries. A year of invention, astronomy, environment, videos.
New Scientist - The World's No.1 Science Technology News Service
New Scientist - The World's No.1 Science Technology News Service
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Monday, December 18, 2006
Pythons and Iguanas, Oh my!
Yesterday while going to the local barbecue place to get some take out I had to stop to let an Iguana cross the road in front of me. Now I read this article and all I can say is South Florida is an interesting place to live.
Burmese Pythons Wreak Havoc In Everglades, Animal Detectives Probe Exotic Snakes' Harmful Effect On Native Species - CBS News
Burmese Pythons Wreak Havoc In Everglades, Animal Detectives Probe Exotic Snakes' Harmful Effect On Native Species - CBS News
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Saturday, December 16, 2006
Amazing Mars Robots
These little guys were designed to last 90 Martian days. They are now in their third year of operation. The team that designed, delivered, and manage the Mars Rovers deserve a lot of credit. This also says a lot for robotic exploration of space. A manned mission could never have sustained such a long data collection mission.
Astronomy - Mars rovers roll with discoveries - David J. Eicher
Friday, December 15, 2006
Mad as Hell
This is my latest letter to my Congressman E. Clay Shaw. I tried to be courteous and not let my anger become embedded in my language:
I retired three years ago from the South Florida Water Management District. While I applaud Governor Bush's leadership during the many hurricanes that impacted Florida I was appalled at the rough shod way his appointees used their chainsaw methods on the staff at that agency.
I had the privilege of being a part of the agency when it held a world wide reputation of excellence. I personally hosted many visitors from other countries who traveled to the USA to see how we did things. Very quickly after taking office the organization came under the scrutiny of Tallahassee. Executive Directors were appointed one after the other and in my personal area of work we had an unbelievable number of directors over a short period of time. I have purged the number from my memory but it was a number that would be jaw dropping considering the short period of time that the leadership in the IT Department changed. Staff was gutted and replaced by contract workers. Morale plummeted while, in typical Republican fashion, the leadership announced proudly that morale was at very high levels. Kind of like the "Mission Acoomplished" speeches we heard all the time from our leadership in Washington.
I have visited the agency several times since my retirement and am reassured that the work of managing the water supply in South Florida goes on at a very professional level. Each time I visited I was saddened to hear of the loss of more long time staff however and observed that morale was definitely decimated by the events of the last few years. I am very proud of my service at the District and can only hope that the organization will return to the point that the employees can speak proudly that they work there and can feel the pride once again of working in a creative environment. The organization has a complex and difficult mission. I believe it will prevail just as our country will once we return to a true bipartisan form of government. The nation has spoken. Let's see how Washington and our own state of Florida respond.
To say that I am upset at the present state of our country is an understatement. I am also very angry that our president and the Republican Congress rule the American people as though we were the great unwashed mass who cannot see through the political rhetoric. A democratic society is based on bipartisan debate. Beginning with Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" the Republican party has been focused entirely on iron fisted control of our congressional and executive processes. We are now in a hopeless situation in the Middle East. The country is deeply in debt as a result of the President and a subservient Congress leading us unilaterally into war. I believe our servicemen are suffering and dying needlessly in a no win situation. It is time to say we made a mistake and get out. Forget trying to salvage this mess politically. Just say we were wrong and get out. Had we focused those trillions of dollars spent in Iraq on becoming an energy independent nation we would be way ahead of the game. As it is now we can still be held hostage by oil rich countries. Let's change that. America is a creative and innovative nation. Given the right incentives by government we can attain an independence from oil. Bring the troops home to their families. Focus on innovative energy sources. Admit mistakes and change the course of our ship of state.
I retired three years ago from the South Florida Water Management District. While I applaud Governor Bush's leadership during the many hurricanes that impacted Florida I was appalled at the rough shod way his appointees used their chainsaw methods on the staff at that agency.
I had the privilege of being a part of the agency when it held a world wide reputation of excellence. I personally hosted many visitors from other countries who traveled to the USA to see how we did things. Very quickly after taking office the organization came under the scrutiny of Tallahassee. Executive Directors were appointed one after the other and in my personal area of work we had an unbelievable number of directors over a short period of time. I have purged the number from my memory but it was a number that would be jaw dropping considering the short period of time that the leadership in the IT Department changed. Staff was gutted and replaced by contract workers. Morale plummeted while, in typical Republican fashion, the leadership announced proudly that morale was at very high levels. Kind of like the "Mission Acoomplished" speeches we heard all the time from our leadership in Washington.
I have visited the agency several times since my retirement and am reassured that the work of managing the water supply in South Florida goes on at a very professional level. Each time I visited I was saddened to hear of the loss of more long time staff however and observed that morale was definitely decimated by the events of the last few years. I am very proud of my service at the District and can only hope that the organization will return to the point that the employees can speak proudly that they work there and can feel the pride once again of working in a creative environment. The organization has a complex and difficult mission. I believe it will prevail just as our country will once we return to a true bipartisan form of government. The nation has spoken. Let's see how Washington and our own state of Florida respond.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Webtv/MSNTV Alternatives
This writer at Endgadget is pretty objective in his analysis of Webtv and MSNTV.
http://www.engadget.com/2004/12/22/switched-on-microsoft-refreshes-webtv-for-a-curious-comeback/
I have not seen a PC running the Media Center Edition of Windows XP but it appears to provide a quite nice and similar interface as Webtv but also provides the power of a PC. Some of our users at http:.//www.fs-freeflow.com/ use the Media Center edition of Windows XP. I am not bashing the Webtv product as I think it is a great idea. But, one should always consider that the day might come when Microsoft
will no longer support the product. Hwoever, if you run Media Center for Windows as an option to MSNTV/Webtv, you open yourself to all of the problems of running a PC such as viruses, spyware, and disk maintenance. Endgadget says:
If the day ever comes that they no longer support the devices there are many, many, options available. For example, I can build a diskless PC that runs a web browser entirely from a CD in the CD drive that provides a state of the art web browser and a TV display. All of this can be done for less money than a Webtv or MSNTV costs. It can actually make use of those $25 PCs one can pick up at garage sales or other used computer sources. This option of running a web browser from a LiveCD in the CD drive does not even require the system to have a hard drive. One only has to be able to configure the Bios to boot from CD. In addition, the fact that it runs using the Linux operating system means that even older computers run quite nicely and since it is running entirely off of a CD there is no possibility of viruses or spyware. It works quite beautifully and IMHO has many applications where web browsing and email are the primary uses of a computer.
This concept was used after Hurricane Katrina to get web browsers up and running quickly and inexpensively. See http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/bin/view/Linux/LinuxKiosk and http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS4984662030.html. It works really well. I know because I have tried it by burning my own CD and running it on my the PC I am using to type this. With a web based email account such as Gmail and the use of Google Bookmarks you have a nice, inexpensive web based browser for little or no money. So if you know someone with an old computer that wants to get rid of it after buying a new whoopdy do super duper machine tell them that you will gladly take it off their hands and run the Booth CD on it. You will be able to tell your friends that you have a PC but have none of the problems associated with them. It is a Win Win.
Click here for the complete guide to mastering a BoothCD to your custom needs at Matt's Tech Blog.
http://www.engadget.com/2004/12/22/switched-on-microsoft-refreshes-webtv-for-a-curious-comeback/
I have not seen a PC running the Media Center Edition of Windows XP but it appears to provide a quite nice and similar interface as Webtv but also provides the power of a PC. Some of our users at http:.//www.fs-freeflow.com/ use the Media Center edition of Windows XP. I am not bashing the Webtv product as I think it is a great idea. But, one should always consider that the day might come when Microsoft
will no longer support the product. Hwoever, if you run Media Center for Windows as an option to MSNTV/Webtv, you open yourself to all of the problems of running a PC such as viruses, spyware, and disk maintenance. Endgadget says:
This is a nice-to-have product that simply won’t command its price for most users. Microsoft (or a competitor such as Opera Software) would serve consumers well by offering a good TV browser into other initiatives, particularly XP Media Center. It would be a great complement to the standalone TV-optimized Web sites being created for Microsoft’s modern-day living room beachhead.
If the day ever comes that they no longer support the devices there are many, many, options available. For example, I can build a diskless PC that runs a web browser entirely from a CD in the CD drive that provides a state of the art web browser and a TV display. All of this can be done for less money than a Webtv or MSNTV costs. It can actually make use of those $25 PCs one can pick up at garage sales or other used computer sources. This option of running a web browser from a LiveCD in the CD drive does not even require the system to have a hard drive. One only has to be able to configure the Bios to boot from CD. In addition, the fact that it runs using the Linux operating system means that even older computers run quite nicely and since it is running entirely off of a CD there is no possibility of viruses or spyware. It works quite beautifully and IMHO has many applications where web browsing and email are the primary uses of a computer.
This concept was used after Hurricane Katrina to get web browsers up and running quickly and inexpensively. See http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/bin/view/Linux/LinuxKiosk and http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS4984662030.html. It works really well. I know because I have tried it by burning my own CD and running it on my the PC I am using to type this. With a web based email account such as Gmail and the use of Google Bookmarks you have a nice, inexpensive web based browser for little or no money. So if you know someone with an old computer that wants to get rid of it after buying a new whoopdy do super duper machine tell them that you will gladly take it off their hands and run the Booth CD on it. You will be able to tell your friends that you have a PC but have none of the problems associated with them. It is a Win Win.
Click here for the complete guide to mastering a BoothCD to your custom needs at Matt's Tech Blog.
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Spies have not caught up with the Nerds
This article reveals that all of the three letter intelligence agencies are still woefully far behind us nerds who use instant messaging, email, and blogs to keep up with friends and family or to work on virtual projects with others. What we take for granted is impossible to do if you work for one of these agencies acoording to this article. While not a surprise, it is disappointing to read that this is a reality. I would have reacted the same way this new hire at one of the agencies did. He was extremely disappointed after being hired to find the limitiations of his computer. Things he took for granted at home on his own PC were impossible at his new workstation. How sad that we are spending money dropping bombs in Iraq when our real salvation lies in a combination of a strong defense but an even stronger intelligence capability. That, of course as we say, is IMHO.
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Friday, December 01, 2006
Not-So-Glamorous Energy Conservation
After considerable research on how to lower our home's use of energy I ran across this article that validated what I had discovered. I wish I had found this sooner but the good thing is that we are implementing almost all of these things in our home. We have not had the changes in place long enough to know how much difference it is making but we will post the improvements as the monthly bills come in.
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Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Who knew?
Who knew this stuff was in place? I guess I have just not been reading enough, hours a day is not enough?, or the present administration does not promote this enough. This appears to be a fairly comprehensive approach to solving our energy problems. The only aspect of this plan that I disagree with is the use of Ethanol. But, note the tax incentives for both hybrid and clean diesel vehicles. Watch for the new generation of diesels to start appearing in 2008.Advanced Energy Initiative
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Saturday, November 25, 2006
Swirling Plastic Vortex
A swirling vortex of discarded plastic objects exists in the Pacific Ocean that is endangering sea life.
Swirling plastic vortex menaces sea life - CNN.com
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Surgery No Better for Sciatica
Interesting new study about using surgery for sciatica as opposed to other appproaches. Study reveals surgery is no better.
My Way News - Studies: Surgery No Better for Sciatica
My Way News - Studies: Surgery No Better for Sciatica
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Monday, November 20, 2006
Global Warming Skeptic?
Read the link at the end of this regarding a professor who claims that each of us could make small changes in our homes to reduce the need for the Kyoto Protocol.
We brought our attic insulation up to R30 last week. Part of our plan
to reduce our own carbon footprint. So far, even with the temps
dipping down into the upper 40's we have not had to turn on any heat.
The house is so well insulated now that the heat from our computers,
lighting, stereos, and tvs is enough to heat the house. Last night at
one point the AC kicked in. I had to adjust the thermostat to allow
the temps to fluctuate a bit more. I wonder how many houses are poorly
insulated. Ours, had virtually no insulation in the attic. The
previous owners, an elderly couple, must have paid to have it insulated
because there were traces up there as if there was a token effort to
apply insulation. FPL estimated it to be R2. With the rebate from FPL
this only cost us about $400 to do. If everyone brought their
insulation up to R30 do you know what that would do to our national
energy (oil) consumption? This is a cheap thing to do with major
impacts on your energy consumption (read your monthly electric bill).
Send this to your friends and maybe they will upgrade their insulation
thereby reducing our national dependence on oil.
edmontonsun.com - Alberta - Global warming hot air?
We brought our attic insulation up to R30 last week. Part of our plan
to reduce our own carbon footprint. So far, even with the temps
dipping down into the upper 40's we have not had to turn on any heat.
The house is so well insulated now that the heat from our computers,
lighting, stereos, and tvs is enough to heat the house. Last night at
one point the AC kicked in. I had to adjust the thermostat to allow
the temps to fluctuate a bit more. I wonder how many houses are poorly
insulated. Ours, had virtually no insulation in the attic. The
previous owners, an elderly couple, must have paid to have it insulated
because there were traces up there as if there was a token effort to
apply insulation. FPL estimated it to be R2. With the rebate from FPL
this only cost us about $400 to do. If everyone brought their
insulation up to R30 do you know what that would do to our national
energy (oil) consumption? This is a cheap thing to do with major
impacts on your energy consumption (read your monthly electric bill).
Send this to your friends and maybe they will upgrade their insulation
thereby reducing our national dependence on oil.
edmontonsun.com - Alberta - Global warming hot air?
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Sunday, November 19, 2006
Solar Energy in Tibet
Capacity of solar generators in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous
Region tops nationwide, sources from Dorje Tsering, head of Tibet
Office of Science and Technology said on a work meeting held in Tibet.
Tibetan solar energy capacity tops nationwide
Region tops nationwide, sources from Dorje Tsering, head of Tibet
Office of Science and Technology said on a work meeting held in Tibet.
Tibetan solar energy capacity tops nationwide
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Saturday, November 18, 2006
Snidley's Shared Items
I use the Google Reader to monitor a bunch of RSS newsfeeds. The software has a neat feature that allows me to click an item to share it. It automatically creates the page below so if you go there you can see my shared items and perhaps by doing so it will free up some of the space and congestion in your email inbox.
Google Reader - Snidley's shared items
Google Reader - Snidley's shared items
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Freeing Space in Gmail
Here are some good tips for freeing up space in your Gmail account. The concept applies to all email accounts even if the commands are not the same.
How to free up space in Gmail - Lifehacker
How to free up space in Gmail - Lifehacker
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DVD Rips
A great summary of ripping DVDs. Also good justification for doing so. Legal or not?
Hack Attack: One-click DVD rips - Lifehacker
Hack Attack: One-click DVD rips - Lifehacker
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Google Earth Blog
Interesting use of Google Earth by Amazonian Indian Tribes:
Google Earth Blog: Amazon Indians Using Google Earth to Protect Tropical Forests
Google Earth Blog: Amazon Indians Using Google Earth to Protect Tropical Forests
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Saturday, November 11, 2006
Cummins and diesels
There are more diesels on the horizon for us consumers. Honda is
developing a high efficiency diesel that meets the new tougher
standards. Volkswagen is re engineering their already incredible
diesel engines. Detroit is also working on them. Right now, head to
head, the diesel wins out over the hybrids in terms of total cost for
the vehicle's lifetime. VW is not marketing a diesel in 2007 but in
2008 they will have them available again. Another advantage of diesels
is that they can run on biodiesel. Ethanol and the E vehicles are a
kind of snake oil solution put together by politicians. Already, the
ethanol problems are surfacing. The alcohol, basically it is just
moonshine, is eating away the seals in pumps and storage tanks. Diesel
has been around for a hundred years and is proven technology. Do you
see any hybrid 18 wheelers?
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/10/business/10diesel.html?ex=1163912400&en=f7587c9d30bb0d38&ei=5065&partner=MYWAY
developing a high efficiency diesel that meets the new tougher
standards. Volkswagen is re engineering their already incredible
diesel engines. Detroit is also working on them. Right now, head to
head, the diesel wins out over the hybrids in terms of total cost for
the vehicle's lifetime. VW is not marketing a diesel in 2007 but in
2008 they will have them available again. Another advantage of diesels
is that they can run on biodiesel. Ethanol and the E vehicles are a
kind of snake oil solution put together by politicians. Already, the
ethanol problems are surfacing. The alcohol, basically it is just
moonshine, is eating away the seals in pumps and storage tanks. Diesel
has been around for a hundred years and is proven technology. Do you
see any hybrid 18 wheelers?
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11
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Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Monday, November 06, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Zero Energy House - Front View
This concept makes a lot of sense to us. As Skyrobotic says, "How can you make affordable housing and then saddle the owner with atrocious energy bills." I am paraphrasing a bit but that is the concept. This is a neat proof-of-concept for a zero energy house.
Simulation of Discus Launched Glider with CRRCsim
This is a video capture of a short flight using the CRRCsim on my PC. This simulation is very realistic incorporating actual physics and airfoil characteristics of each aircraft model design. I use a 4 channel RC transmitter connected to my PC via a Simblast interface cable to fly. It is a great way to hone your skills or to try different aircraft models. This flight was a model of a discus launched, hand launched like Olympic discus throwers.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
FMS Slow Stick Simulation
This is the ever popular Slow Stick RC model in FMS, Flying Model Simulator. I am using my old Tower 4FM transmitter connected to my PC through a simblast cable interface
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
FMS Swyft/Seeker Simulation
Here is a short video of a simulated flight using FMS, Flying Model Simulator, using my RC transmitter hooked up to my PC with a Simblaster cable. This cable uses the training cable connector on the transmitter so I can use my regular RC transmitter to practice using the sim.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Museum Donations
My cousin, Robert L. Brown, was instrumental in coordinating the contribution of many family artifacts to the South Carolina State Museum. The paper in my home town published an article abou t the donations and I publish it here with permission of the author, Leslie Cantu, and the Sumter Daily Item.
By LESLIE CANTU
Item Senior Staff Writer
lesliec@theitem.com
Sentimental types often preserve treasured keepsakes to remind them of grandparents or other relatives who've died, sometimes passing the items down through several generations.
But after the passage of several decades, what do you do with a World War I uniform, or a Mexican general's chaps, or a trench warmer?
Sumter native Robert L. Brown and his cousin, Robert T. Brown, now a resident of West Palm Beach, Fla., decided the best thing they could do would be to share those now-historical items with all South Carolinians by donating them to the S.C. Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum in Columbia.
Despite the Civil War focus of its name, conferred on it by the Daughters of the Confederacy who started the museum in 1896, the museum focuses on South Carolinians' roles in all military actions and is expanding its 20th-century collection.
It's expanding physically as well, adding a 4,500-square-foot space, about a 50 percent increase, that should be complete in time for the November 2007 opening of a World War I exhibit in conjunction with exhibits at the McKissick Museum, Historic Columbia Foundation, South Caroliniana Library and S.C. State Museum.
Brown said donating his grandfather's possessions was the right thing to do, though it took many hours of discussion between the cousins and their wives before they could decide to part with the heirlooms.
Eventually, though, the question of family fairness, the fear the items could one day end up on eBay and the desire to share a small piece of history led them to make the donation.
"You don't own history. You're a steward of it," Brown said. Knowing the items are now professionally tended is also a comfort, he said.
Brown donated more than 30 items from Robert Tillman Brown's time as a captain in World War I, including his uniform and swagger stick and items he picked up on the battlefield.
Exactly how the family came by the chaps is lost to history, Brown said. His grandfather, a member of the 118th Infantry, was sent to Texas as part of a contingent attempting to capture Pancho Villa, a Mexican outlaw and revolutionary who had attacked Columbus, N.M.
His grandfather always said the chaps were given to him, Brown said, but he doesn't know why his grandfather was picked as the recipient. As a child, the question never occurred to him, and now it's too late to ask. But research has turned up some information, he said.
Rodriguez was killed some time before Brown's grandfather arrived on the scene, so it doesn't seem likely the chaps were pulled from his body and given directly to the young South Carolina captain. Instead, it seems the chaps were too valuable to be buried with their owner.
"What we suspect now is they were simply passed on to another officer, who I don't know. He's been lost in history," Brown said.
When that officer was killed, Brown said, his grandfather ended up with the chaps, which in turn ended up in his cousin's closet in Florida.
For years, Brown displayed his grandfather's items around his home. An Air Force lieutenant colonel who retired from Shaw Air Force Base in 1988, Brown has always had an interest in history, as well as an abiding respect for his grandfather, a man who always did the right thing.
The elder Brown served in the South Carolina House before becoming county clerk. He worked to help the poor and create humane living conditions for inmates on the chain gang, Brown said, all the while maintaining his presence as a take-charge disciplinarian.
"To my cousin and I, and to the family, he was a giant. ... he was referred to as The Chief," Brown said.
The museum is currently scanning photographs Brown loaned that help document the artifacts' history.
Museum spokeswoman Jai Cassidy Shaiman said Brown has been a great supporter of the museum for years. He donated his great-great grandfather's cavalry carbine and helped get the 5th S.C. Cavalry Regiment flag returned to the state in the 1990s, she said.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Glider Flying
I sold my radio controlled helicopter. I was able to fly it reasonably well but new very early on in the process of learning to fly it that I would never become a highly skilled RC heli pilot. Why? Maybe my age, slowing reflexes and other things combined with the fact that, while fun, it was contrary to my personality. Too much effort to stay in the air. I mean, just the concept of helicopters. I am a glider pilot and love the harmony of a non powered plane using the thermals and air currents to stay aloft. The maintenance was very high as well. I wanted to fly not work on the thing all the time. So, I sold it and recycled the money into a hand launched radio controlled glider.
I came from a background of building model airplanes from childhood so I was used to the construction aspect of the hobby. I was not used to the modern techniques of cyanoacrylate glues, carbon fiber spars and components, foam wing cores and all of that. Thanks to the Scobie Pulchter's Liftworx Swyft's incredibly detailed instruction manual all went reasonably well.
In addition to learning new construction techniques I had to learn a new launching technique. DLG, discus launched gliders, and HLG, hand launched gliders, are not your father's hand launched gliders. Or in my case, not the model gliders I was used to as a younger man. These high tech marvels require an Olympic style launch and achieve remarkable heights just from a human powered toss. My little Swyft often reaches a hundred feet of altitude just from a sling into the air. Amazing, and great fun.
Here is a little video that my friend Rick made of one of my launches and a short flight. I edited it and added a bit of music for drama. Could not resist. Here are two versions. One of them should work for you:
I came from a background of building model airplanes from childhood so I was used to the construction aspect of the hobby. I was not used to the modern techniques of cyanoacrylate glues, carbon fiber spars and components, foam wing cores and all of that. Thanks to the Scobie Pulchter's Liftworx Swyft's incredibly detailed instruction manual all went reasonably well.
In addition to learning new construction techniques I had to learn a new launching technique. DLG, discus launched gliders, and HLG, hand launched gliders, are not your father's hand launched gliders. Or in my case, not the model gliders I was used to as a younger man. These high tech marvels require an Olympic style launch and achieve remarkable heights just from a human powered toss. My little Swyft often reaches a hundred feet of altitude just from a sling into the air. Amazing, and great fun.
Here is a little video that my friend Rick made of one of my launches and a short flight. I edited it and added a bit of music for drama. Could not resist. Here are two versions. One of them should work for you:
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Monday, August 28, 2006
Ernest
Ernesto put a kink in our travel plans. We had planned a trip to Tampa this week but yesterday the forecast track was directly to Tampa so we put things on hold. The forecast track has steadily shifted to the east. I think the high pressure area out in the Altantic keeps weakening allowing it to curve more to the east. Today I think we will continue to prepare to go. If it continues to shift to the east and looks like it will travel the SE coast then we will head out early in the AM for Tampa. I put up a few more shutters this morning. I already had about 80 percent of them up. I just cannot be taking them up and down all season.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Business 2.0: How Australia got hot for solar power - Aug. 2, 2006
Business 2.0: How Australia got hot for solar power - Aug. 2, 2006
Interesting that this appeared in the CNNMoney.com site as one of the best business ideas in the world.
Interesting that this appeared in the CNNMoney.com site as one of the best business ideas in the world.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Thunderstorm Bubbles
Check out these giant bubbles that were percolating in the atmosphere of South Florida today. It is on such a grand scale. Makes one feel rather insignificant. Be sure you read the comments under the image and click on the animation link to see the action.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Brugs
Summer is here. The high temperatures and humidity have made at least some of our residents happy. These are our Angel Trumpets or Brugmansias which have been blooming their little hearts out. We have to keep them well fed while they are so productive. So, we fertilize every other week. Some of these were cuttings just a few months ago. 
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Docked
The Mothership is back in her docking station. We arrived yesterday around 4 pm. At the same time a severe thunderstorm or squall line arrived. We could see it ahead of us when we were about a mile from home, a big, black, fast moving, nasty looking cloud. We even heard a few spatters of hail as it swept across our path. We stopped on the street in front of our house waiting for the storm to pass by. Connected to our wirless network in the house we were able to use the laptop to check out the radar at Wunderground.com and could see that the squall line would move out over the ocean soon so we waited. Stay tuned for more of our adventures in getting a new throne installed in the Mothership.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Zohowriter
I recently ran across this online word processor. It is pretty nice in that it allows collaboration and access to documents anywhere on any computer. It even works on Webtv and MSNTV. Now you can have a full featured word processor on your set top box. Here is the information that I got after signing up. For more information go to Zohowriter.com.
Hello bob,
Welcome to ZohoWriter, your friendly on line word processor!
Hello bob,
Welcome to ZohoWriter, your friendly on line word processor!
- Create, format, & edit documents online with a powerful WYSIWIG editor
- Access & share your documents from anywhere using just your browser
- Lock your documents while in shared mode
- Post to your blogs (Blogger/Typepad/LiveJournal/WordPress) from within Zoho Writer
- Export your docs in word, pdf, sxw, odt, txt, rtf & html formats
- Periodic auto-saving of your documents to prevent data loss
- Spell check, tag your documents for ease of use
Saturday, June 17, 2006
St. Maartens Landing
This is still my favorite Google Video. The guy taking the video hits the dirt as the Air France flight passes overhead. The Princess Juliana Airport at St. Maartens in the Dutch Antilles is probably the most famous spot for plane watchers.
Back at "The Cove"
The Mothership is parked at Tranquility Cove again. We took our time and made the trip in our usual casual two day pace. See this link for a map of the last leg.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
49.9 Miles Per Gallon
Automotive News
Interesting road test by Automotive News. Jeep Commander, Chevrolet Corvette, Hona Accord Hybrid, Toyota Prius and VW Jetta TDI. Can you guess which one got the virtually 50 mpg? The hybrids? Guess again.
To read an interesting discussion thread on this topic go to this link.
For an interesting discussion of why diesels are better than hybrids go here.
Interesting road test by Automotive News. Jeep Commander, Chevrolet Corvette, Hona Accord Hybrid, Toyota Prius and VW Jetta TDI. Can you guess which one got the virtually 50 mpg? The hybrids? Guess again.
To read an interesting discussion thread on this topic go to this link.
For an interesting discussion of why diesels are better than hybrids go here.
The Standard - China's Business Newspaper
The Standard - China's Business Newspaper
This is an interesting article addressing trends in diagnostic medicine. Researchers are developing tools that can analyze your breath to identify disease or health problems that you might have. This combined with the research actively underway to engineer new drugs based on the human genome or DNA paints a picture of the amazing things that under development in medical science. Maybe Ray Kurzweil is on target in his book "Fantastic Voyage" in which he discusses ways to stay in good health to take advantage of these developments. By staying as healthy as possible we will prolong our lives which will allow us to benefit from these new developments.
This is an interesting article addressing trends in diagnostic medicine. Researchers are developing tools that can analyze your breath to identify disease or health problems that you might have. This combined with the research actively underway to engineer new drugs based on the human genome or DNA paints a picture of the amazing things that under development in medical science. Maybe Ray Kurzweil is on target in his book "Fantastic Voyage" in which he discusses ways to stay in good health to take advantage of these developments. By staying as healthy as possible we will prolong our lives which will allow us to benefit from these new developments.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Ethanol: A Tragedy in 3 Acts
Ethanol: A Tragedy in 3 Acts
Ethanol is not the saviour that everyone thinks it is. It is only being promoted because our political leaders have decided that it is a good option. The reality is that it is probably not the best option after all. There are many negatives to choosing it to replace fossil fuels. It truly upsets me that our lives are being run by uninformed people in power who make decisions that affect our lives without consulting with the experts before diving into a huge public relations campaign for an option that seems to be a poor one.
I have not read enough to have a good perspective on this but to begin with ethanol fueled vehicles get a 25% to as much as 40% drop in mileage. The governments calculations of savings are based on ethanol fuels selling for 37 cents a gallon less than gasoline whereas in reality right now it is selling for around 13 cents a gallon less. The estimated annual operating costs of vehicles actually is higher using ethanol. Personally, I am going for a VW TDI Diesel next time around. They are far simpler than the hybrids, get better mileage, and last longer. The problem with hybrids that I see is the battery replacement a few years out. That might cost thousands of dollars. If you really look into it the simpler diesels are better and actually get higher mileage than the hybrids. The moves to find alternate fuels is good but everyone seems to be rushing head over heels down the slope dictated by hasty governmental decisions and ad campaigns.
Ethanol is not the saviour that everyone thinks it is. It is only being promoted because our political leaders have decided that it is a good option. The reality is that it is probably not the best option after all. There are many negatives to choosing it to replace fossil fuels. It truly upsets me that our lives are being run by uninformed people in power who make decisions that affect our lives without consulting with the experts before diving into a huge public relations campaign for an option that seems to be a poor one.
I have not read enough to have a good perspective on this but to begin with ethanol fueled vehicles get a 25% to as much as 40% drop in mileage. The governments calculations of savings are based on ethanol fuels selling for 37 cents a gallon less than gasoline whereas in reality right now it is selling for around 13 cents a gallon less. The estimated annual operating costs of vehicles actually is higher using ethanol. Personally, I am going for a VW TDI Diesel next time around. They are far simpler than the hybrids, get better mileage, and last longer. The problem with hybrids that I see is the battery replacement a few years out. That might cost thousands of dollars. If you really look into it the simpler diesels are better and actually get higher mileage than the hybrids. The moves to find alternate fuels is good but everyone seems to be rushing head over heels down the slope dictated by hasty governmental decisions and ad campaigns.
VW to drop 3 diesel models for '07
VW to drop 3 diesel models for '07
Since the US standards for emissions are the strictest in the world, VW will not be delivering its diesels to the US as options for their 07 models. They plan on having the diesels back in the 08 lineup with engines that meet the US standards. Read the article all the way through. Very interesting. This is going to make used TDI Jettas even more valuable.
Since the US standards for emissions are the strictest in the world, VW will not be delivering its diesels to the US as options for their 07 models. They plan on having the diesels back in the 08 lineup with engines that meet the US standards. Read the article all the way through. Very interesting. This is going to make used TDI Jettas even more valuable.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
PBS and Credit Card Banking
This PBS show gives a new perspective on South Dakota. The Marquette Decision by the supreme court allows loan conditions to be exported to another location. For example, if a loan is made in South Dakota at 25 percent interest then that interest rate can be exported to Florida at the same rate. This transferrable "usury" rate resulting from South Dakota and other state laws opened the door for credit card loans. If you have a credit card you should watch this show. Are you a "revolver" or a "deadbeat?" The meanings of these words are upside down in the credit card world. Worried about the NSA monitoring your phone calls? That is nothing compared to the data that the credit card companies are mining from us.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
The Scientific Activist: Reporting from the Crossroads of Science and Politics
The Scientific Activist: Reporting from the Crossroads of Science and Politics
Good grief. If we can't determine that a candidate for an appointment to a government position has false claims on his resume's how can we find terrorists?
Do I feel good about having this administration doing wiretaps on people while telling me to "trust them?" I don't think so. I guess by posting this I will have Men in Black knocking on my door. Well, if they do we will just serve them some fresh banana bread and ice cream.
Good grief. If we can't determine that a candidate for an appointment to a government position has false claims on his resume's how can we find terrorists?
Hansen is really on to something here, and instead of the story being about a 24-year-old lying, it should be about this: how did this guy, who already had dubious qualifications, make it into NASA with such an obvious lie on his resume? To work for a federal agency, including NASA, extensive background checks are usually required. If I was able to uncover the truth about Deutsch in one phone call, then he must have been placed in his current position without any investigation, due to his loyal service on the Bush presidential campaign.
Do I feel good about having this administration doing wiretaps on people while telling me to "trust them?" I don't think so. I guess by posting this I will have Men in Black knocking on my door. Well, if they do we will just serve them some fresh banana bread and ice cream.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Latest News
The grandparent role has been a major focus for us. We also have some work going on revamping our landscaping and irrigation system in our front yard. We have eliminated most of the grass and are creating a tropical look and feel with masses of ferns and other tropical plants. I have, for a long time, realized that I can no longer do major jobs such as digging, moving large plants, etc. due to my arthritis. One of my neighbors runs a landscaping service. I talked to several of my neighbors who use his company and they had high praise for service So we let our old "Mow and Go" service go and hired him. In effect, we now have a gardner and the yard is beginning to show that. Once the major revamping is done, he will go back into maintenance mode and that frees me up for doing special things such as fertilizing, trimming, and planting of detail plants. That is the stuff I enjoy and can do and the new service will take care of the mowing, major edging, and weeding.
I have been working very hard on administering two of my websites, http://fs-freeflow.Com and http://fs-odg.Com . These sites as you can See are techically based flight simulator sites and I am the technical administrator by self assignment. I have been developing automatic database backups for the two sites as none existed until now. They are driven entirely by databases and those databases contain all of the site info.
One of the sites had a major catastrophe in which they lost the entire site and I had to rebuild the database as well as implement the backup routines. I don't enjoy this work as much as other aspects of the effort but it had to be done.
At the same time I have been revamping our personal web site as you know to convert it to a database driven site. The main reason for that is that in the long run it will be easier to manage. In the process of converting it over I am trying to make it more coherent while transferring a lot of the info from the old site to the new. I am using a software package that once fully implemented makes changing the content a breeze.
I have restored about 75 feet of our 175 feet of fencing that got blown down in the hurricane. I feel that I am getting old after wrestling With 8 foot fence sections and fence posts. I was able to use much of the old fencing on the side yard but the back was totally destroyed and must be built back from scratch. Home Depot cannot keep prebuilt fence sections on the shelves because they are in such demand due to the hurricanes.
I have been working very hard on administering two of my websites, http://fs-freeflow.Com and http://fs-odg.Com . These sites as you can See are techically based flight simulator sites and I am the technical administrator by self assignment. I have been developing automatic database backups for the two sites as none existed until now. They are driven entirely by databases and those databases contain all of the site info.
One of the sites had a major catastrophe in which they lost the entire site and I had to rebuild the database as well as implement the backup routines. I don't enjoy this work as much as other aspects of the effort but it had to be done.
At the same time I have been revamping our personal web site as you know to convert it to a database driven site. The main reason for that is that in the long run it will be easier to manage. In the process of converting it over I am trying to make it more coherent while transferring a lot of the info from the old site to the new. I am using a software package that once fully implemented makes changing the content a breeze.
I have restored about 75 feet of our 175 feet of fencing that got blown down in the hurricane. I feel that I am getting old after wrestling With 8 foot fence sections and fence posts. I was able to use much of the old fencing on the side yard but the back was totally destroyed and must be built back from scratch. Home Depot cannot keep prebuilt fence sections on the shelves because they are in such demand due to the hurricanes.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Google Cube a Rumor or Reality?
This is one of the more interesting rumors floating around about new products. This one is regarding a supposed new product that Google is developiing, the Google Cube. This sounds very much like the Webtv and MSNTV devices that are out there now. Those set top boxes were the result of an interesting concept many years ago to produce an easy to use and inexpensive device that allowed browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, and displaying digital photos and playing music files. The development of this device has been slow. The potential of the concept is great. It sounds as though Google may pursue something that could inject new life into this small niche market. Read the article below from CNN for a very interesting discussion of the rumored, "Google Cube."
Tracking the elusive Google 'cube' | News.blog | CNET News.com
Tracking the elusive Google 'cube' | News.blog | CNET News.com
Sunday, January 01, 2006
2005 was a full and active year for us. Bob continued flying his radio controlled helicopter through the spring. Bob also became very involved in a flight simulator scenery development project. You can see the results at http://www.fs-freeflow.com. We had the usual hurricanes to run from. One of them, Dennis delayed the big trip we had planned to drive out west and up into Canada. Dennis was a close call for us causing power outages and the usual wind and rain but it passed far enough south of us that we did not evacuate. That trip did take place and if your browse the Blog archives you can find a lot to read about our adventure. We had to cut it short because our new granddaughter, Amanda, was due to arrive and she did on September 29. We went through the eye of Hurricane Wilma, a category 2 storm. There were major power outages and structural damage throughout South Florida. We are thankful that all we lost was our fence. The house came through ok although inspection revealed that we almost lost our screened pool enclosure. Contrary to our storm plan we stayed put and moved the Mothership up close to the house. After the storm we evacuated to Dunedin, Florida for a couple of weeks until power was restored in our home town.
Today, the first one of 2006, we are thankful for good friends and family and all of the adventures that we have been on. We wish all of our readers a Happy New Year!
Today, the first one of 2006, we are thankful for good friends and family and all of the adventures that we have been on. We wish all of our readers a Happy New Year!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Tropical Storm Zeta
I nearly fell out of my chair. I just got an email alert regaring a new tropical storm. A new storm at the end of December? What is going on? Anyway, just in case you think I am pulling your leg here is the bulletin:
ZCZC MIATCPAT5 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM ZETA SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER 1
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1 PM AST FRI DEC 30 2005
...LATE SEASON TROPICAL STORM...THE 27TH OF THE YEAR...FORMS IN THE
EASTERN ATLANTIC...
AT 1 PM AST...1700Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ZETA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 25.0 NORTH... LONGITUDE 36.9 WEST OR ABOUT 1070
MILES...1720 KM... SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES.
ZETA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH ...13 KM/HR. A TURN
TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH... 85 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. ALTHOUGH SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE LATER TODAY...A
WEAKENING TREND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TOMORROW.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES
...140 KM FROM THE CENTER.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1003 MB...29.62 INCHES.
REPEATING THE 1 PM AST POSITION...25.0 N... 36.9 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 50 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1003 MB.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER AT 5 PM AST.
FORECASTER FRANKLIN
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Smart stuff - the world's smartest stuff.
Smart stuff - the world's smartest stuff.
I love this site. Of course, you all know by now that I am a gadget addict. I think it runs in my family. Nevertheless, I think you all might enjoy visiting this site to view all of the latest and most unique gadgets.
I love this site. Of course, you all know by now that I am a gadget addict. I think it runs in my family. Nevertheless, I think you all might enjoy visiting this site to view all of the latest and most unique gadgets.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Web maps going head to head
As a retired geographer I am really happy to see the head to head competition between Microsoft and Google to create the best online mapping applications. I must say that the new application Microsoft has come up with is pretty impressive. I have not really learned to use all of the features yet but you can go to their http://local.live.com/ site yourself and decide. Then go to http://maps.google.com/ and compare. I have the most experience with Google Maps at this point and love the ability to create my own applications using their program interface. It is also my understanding that Google Maps does not work that well on the set top internet boxes such as Webtv and MSNTV. I have heard, but not tested it, that the Microsoft application works better on those devices. That would make sense as Microsoft produces those TV based browsers. The bottom line is that this fight between giants to produce the best web maps can only be good for us users and for geographers it is thrilling to see this take place.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Open Everything
Open Everything: My previous post on Google Maps relates to this discussion. API mashups do appear to be the future of web applications. Here is a quote from the posted link:
"Application mashups (not to be confused with the music by the same name) are combinations of already availible APIs in a productive and useful - and usually cool - state. For example, the Google Maps interface allows you to enter in your own addresses to plot. Using this and some zip code data from the popular site 'Hot or Not', there's been an interactive map that shows users' locations. This simple example shows the real power that some of these mashups have, and it's all thanks to the open sharing of information that is offered through their APIs."
"Application mashups (not to be confused with the music by the same name) are combinations of already availible APIs in a productive and useful - and usually cool - state. For example, the Google Maps interface allows you to enter in your own addresses to plot. Using this and some zip code data from the popular site 'Hot or Not', there's been an interactive map that shows users' locations. This simple example shows the real power that some of these mashups have, and it's all thanks to the open sharing of information that is offered through their APIs."
Google Maps Mania
Google Maps Mania Shows the amazing flexibility of the Google Maps application. If you get a Google Maps API key anyone can develop applications that use this amazing web application. We have even developed one for our flight simulation scenery site at http://fs-freeflow.com but this site, Google Maps Mania, shows a wide range of imaginative auses for this great service.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Video Sharing Site
Video sharing site. Converts various formats to Flash video. Good TOS and nice clean interface. Upload from camera memory.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
ClipShack Home
This is a pretty neat site for sharing videos and still images. I was able to upload some video clips directly from my camera memory card. The site appears to convert the videos to Macromedia Flash files which are playable almost universally. I read the terms and conditions for the site and they seem reasonable. You retain ownership and copyright to all your uploads. You can upload clips and images directly from your camera memory card and convert them with a very simple interface.
ClipShack Home
ClipShack Home
Jumping Santa
When we were in South Carolina we attended an evening dinner with my parents and a group of their friends. Since it was close to Christmas they had some little gifts for everyone. Mom and Dad ended up after all the picking of gifts and exchanges with this cute animated Santa toy. They gave it to us to bring home for Kaitlyn. We think she liked it. Well, we will let you decide by watching this video clip.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Ads on this site
By now you have surely noticed the ads on this site. I got an ad account with Google and sprinkled some ads throughout the site to see if it might offset some of the expense of maintaining this web site. I have some general impressions so far. Firstly, the fact that the ads are with Google seems to prevent them from being pornographic or otherwise offensive. For that I am thankful. Secondly, the ads being content related is a great idea on Google's part. Finally, this site just does not have enough traffic to generate a significant income but the few dollars it does generate might help a bit in offsetting some of the costs of the site. For example, this site only gets a few hundred hits a week at the most. Usually it is significantly less than that. I only get ad income if the ads are clicked on. So, a fairly large percentage of visitors do not click on the ads. How much money have the ads generated for me? Well, so far about $8 dollars. Yeah, I know that is not much but when you are retired and on a fixed income you look at many ways of cutting costs and generating income. I have some ideas for some high traffic web sites that might generate more money from ads. I will be sharing those with you here as they develop but for now, please click on those ads to help pay the bills.
Also, a reminder that you can add comments at the end of each of these postings. Feel free to join in the discussions which I post. If you have an opinion please add it at the end of each of these articles. If you have ideas for improving this site please feel free to jump in and give me your two cents worth. I have gotten a few comments from friends and they have helped a lot in improving things around here. So, thanks for that feedback. Thanks again to all of you who visit this site. Let me have your suggestions and feedback.
Also, a reminder that you can add comments at the end of each of these postings. Feel free to join in the discussions which I post. If you have an opinion please add it at the end of each of these articles. If you have ideas for improving this site please feel free to jump in and give me your two cents worth. I have gotten a few comments from friends and they have helped a lot in improving things around here. So, thanks for that feedback. Thanks again to all of you who visit this site. Let me have your suggestions and feedback.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Hurricane Epsilon, longest lived December Hurricane on Record
This is an interesting blog entry by Dr. Jeff Masters at Wunderground.com.
Wunder Blog : Weather Underground
Wunder Blog : Weather Underground
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
camerahacking :: View topic - CVS Camcorder FAQs
This is an interesting site on hacking a disposable camcorder that you can buy at CVS pharmacy for around twenty bucks. This FAQ discusses the details of hacking this little camcorder. Some of the videos and applications on the forum camerahacking are really interesting. :: View topic - CVS Camcorder FAQs
Monday, December 05, 2005
Docked
The Mothership is docked in her home port once again. We had a smooth trip and around 4:00 pm found ourselves in Brevard County about two and half hours from home. We decided to just push on and drive the trip in one day. My piriformis muscle is protesting that decision but it feels good to be home again. I always pay when I drive more than a few hours in one day.
Interestingly we can always tell when we are within 60 miles of West Palm Beach without looking at road signs or maps. How? Drivers on the highway begin showing insane behaviors taking unbelievable risks and driving as if they have the devil chasing them. Many other people have observed this same phenomenon so it is not just our warped view of things. What on earth could cause people in a particular region to drive so insanely when in most of the other areas we have traveled they behave somewhat normally? Maybe it is the tropical sun that does something to people's brains down here. Regardless of what causes it, it is a very real phenomenon and always disturbing to encounter after being away for a while.
Interestingly we can always tell when we are within 60 miles of West Palm Beach without looking at road signs or maps. How? Drivers on the highway begin showing insane behaviors taking unbelievable risks and driving as if they have the devil chasing them. Many other people have observed this same phenomenon so it is not just our warped view of things. What on earth could cause people in a particular region to drive so insanely when in most of the other areas we have traveled they behave somewhat normally? Maybe it is the tropical sun that does something to people's brains down here. Regardless of what causes it, it is a very real phenomenon and always disturbing to encounter after being away for a while.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Tranquility Cove
This is a panoramic image our location here at Tranquility Cove. My dad has a complete campground setup for us with full 50 amp electrical hookup, water, sewer, and broadband wireless internet. I created this image using a fantastic free program called Autostitch. It is availble here. Just shoot a bunch of digital images and open them in Autostitch. The panorama of our present location was created with one click using Autostitch. No other action required.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Dead Cell Zones Wireless Coverage Complaints
Dead Cell Zones Wireless Coverage Complaints
Picking a cell phone service? Try this site before you make a decision to find out if there is coverage where you work or live.
Picking a cell phone service? Try this site before you make a decision to find out if there is coverage where you work or live.
New Scientist SPACE - Breaking News - Black hole's colossal sphere of influence revealed
New Scientist SPACE - Breaking News - Black hole's colossal sphere of influence revealed
An amazing image of an energy jet possibly coming out of a black hole. This was taken by an 11 day exposure using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Fascinating article.
An amazing image of an energy jet possibly coming out of a black hole. This was taken by an 11 day exposure using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Fascinating article.
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