text:
Sea Otter Classic expo opens to sunny skies
New kit from Felt, Intense, Tomac, Foes and FSA
The annual Sea Otter Classic opened in Monterey, California yesterday. BikeRadar's technical editor James Huang took a stroll around the expo to check out some of the shiny new kit on display. Click on the thumbnails on the right for more pictures.
Felt developing 4in-travel cross-country race bike
Felt Bicycles' head suspension engineer Mike Ducharme was seen rolling around Sea Otter aboard a prototype aluminium full-suspension test mule that was developed for their sponsored athletes, such as the Mafia Racing team. The aim was to give them something more cross-country race-appropriate than the current Virtue trail bike.
The unnamed prototype sports four inches of travel versus the Virtue's five, and also a snappier pedaling response thanks to a retuned Equilink suspension design. The carbon fibre seatstay/dropout/chainstay assemblies were moulded in one piece as on the Virtue 1, and Felt also machined upper and lower linkages and a new Equilink specifically for the project.
According to Ducharme, a large frame weighs about 5.9lb while a complete race-ready rig can be built to sub-22lb.
Ducharme says this short-travel platform was built mainly as a development project just for the teams and isn't likely to make it to production. Instead, Felt will ultimately offer a more advanced-level cross-country bike that is "a little bit different" – probably in carbon and certainly lighter – and the final product may not even use the Equilink suspension design.
Intense Cycles' new 951 downhill bike
We gave you a look at Intense's new 951 downhill bike yesterday, but Sea Otter was the first chance to see it in the flesh.
The new dedicated downhill racing platform features 8-8.5in of rear wheel travel, second-generation VPP linkage geometry, a 1.5in head tube, proprietary Easton EA6 aluminium tubing and a machined 83mm-wide bottom bracket shell with integrated ISCG05 tabs and lower linkage pivot.
The top-end FRO model will cost about US$2,700 and is scheduled for delivery starting around the end of May while the standard 951 will be $2,400 and will arrive later in the summer.
Tomac debut lighter Carbide SL
Tomac Mountain Bikes jump headfirst into the ultralight cross-country world with their new Carbide SL. The new frame sports just 90mm of rear wheel travel and weighs just under 2kg (4.4lb) in a large size including a DT Swiss rear shock, mostly thanks to a new carbon fibre swingarm.
Even with the Carbide SL's low weight, Tomac still place a high priority on durability. Dropouts and suspension hard points are aluminium and the single-pivot swingarm design features just three sets of bearings (the rear swingarm flexes about three degrees through the compression stroke to accommodate geometry changes).
An 80mm fork yields quick 71/73-degree head/seat tube angles while a 100mm fork relaxes things a half degree. Tomac will offer the Carbide SL in four sizes and retail price is approximately US$2,700 for the frame and fork.
Foes do 29in
Foes Racing displayed a prototype 29in cross-country frame with 100mm of rear wheel travel and their trademark 2:1 low leverage ratio suspension design. The single-pivot rear end included a tidy swing link up top plus a giant Curnutt air-sprung rear shock.
Claimed frame weight was not available, nor was pricing or availability as the frame was still in development. Chalk up another one for the wagon wheel crowd regardless.
Tucked next to the 29in prototype was a super trick custom tricycle – apparently someone at Foes recently had a baby? – complete with the Foes trademark monocoque aluminium construction, a dual crown fork, lathe-turned alloy wheels at all ends and liberal doses of machining throughout.
Also on hand was an unusual-for-Foes urban commuter dubbed 'Pasadena' in homage to the company's headquarters. The alloy frame bore the usual welded monocoque construction and was fitted with a variety of pavement-oriented bits: 700c wheels with skinny road tires, a carbon bladed fork, a carbon seatpost and taller gearing. Not what we usually expect to see from Foes but a nicely executed example of the genre nonetheless.
FSA launch Vision wheel range and new 2×9 cranksets
FSA launched a new range of aero wheels at this year's Sea Otter Classic under their Vision nameplate. As befitting the TT/Tri-specific Vision label, the four-model range will place a strong emphasis on aerodynamic performance.
The top-end Vision TriMax Ultimate uses an 88mm-deep carbon tubular rim, Sapim straight-pull bladed stainless steel spokes (20/24 front/rear) and cartridge hubs with ceramic bearings, interchangeable alloy freehub bodies and a carbon front hub shell.
The $2,000 asking price will include a pair of Vision Mercury skewers with stainless steel shafts and carbon levers, wheel bags, valve extenders and a set of SwissStop Yellow King pads. Claimed weight is 1,730g for the pair (without skewers).
Next in the range is the TriMax Carbon with 50mm-deep carbon tubular rims and the same spokes and hubs but with steel bearings instead of ceramic and without the carbon front hub shell. Claimed weight drops accordingly to a more versatile 1,420g for the pair. As with the Ultimate, the Carbon's $1,600 retail price will include Mercury carbon skewers, bags, valve extenders and SwissStop pads.
The TriMax Pro uses the same hubs as the Carbon but is intended more for training with its 30mm-deep aluminum clincher rims. Alloy skewers and rim tape are included for $650.
Completing the range is the TriMax carbon tubular flat disc wheel with a 20.5mm width, interchangeable freehub bodies and threading for track cogs. Claimed weight is 1,280g without the included carbon quick release skewer and suggested retail price is $1,700.
FSA also showed off their latest range of 2×9 mountain bike cranks which use a proprietary '386' spider configuration (three bolts, 86mm bolt circle diameter) instead of the previous version's 94m pattern. According to FSA, this allows for smaller and more versatile inner ring sizes than before and the new cranks will be fitted with 27/40T or 27/42T sizes.
FSA will offer the new cranks in K-Force Light carbon fibre and Afterburner hollow-forged aluminium varieties, both in either standard 68/73mm threaded or BB30 bottom bracket configurations. The K-Force Light model will include ceramic bearings as standard equipment, a slightly narrower 164mm pedal stance width and a trick outer chainring with extra-thick sculpted mounting tabs that yield extra stiffness for improved shifting.
Claimed weight for the complete BB30-compatible version is around 680g and suggested retail pricing is right around $1 per gram. Given the roughly two-hour machining time per outer chainring, replacement costs will be pricey there as well at around $200.
The Afterburner version will offer far better value at about $270 and just over 700g in BB30 (MegaExo versions will still weigh under 800g). Pedal stance width is a more common 170mm or so and the outer chainring is made from conventional aluminium plate. Both cranks will be available around the end of June.


text:
The Obama administration has confirmed the United States is not planning to invade Canada with help from Mexico. You read that right.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland was taking questions Tuesday when a reporter asked about why a signing ceremony between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa wasn't open to the media, according to NBC.
Nuland responded she thought it had something to do with the Merida Initiative on organized crime, to which the journalist quipped: "This isn't some secret thing to invade Canada or something like that?"
As the reporters in the room laughed, Nuland responded in the negative. "No. It's not anything classified" (You can see the exchange starting at 0:37 in the video above).
Twitter users were quick to make light of the exchange, with many hinting the denial is an obvious sign of an imminent attack.
News of the denial is also starting to make headlines around the web, with Politico posting a story on the lack of invasion plans Wednesday morning.
The New York Daily News postulated the news must be a relief not only to Canadians but to fans of the TV show "South Park" who watched an American Invasion of Canada become a "bloody quagmire," in the film "Bigger, Longer & Uncut."
A U.S. war with Canada was also mocked in the John Candy film "Canadian Bacon" and a possible invasion featured on the TV show "The West Wing," with a Pentagon official confiming there are battle plans ready to go.
While the subject of a U.S. conquest has often been a source of laughter, it has a very real history.
Documents declassified in 1974 show the United States developed a secret plan to invade Canada code named "War Plan Red." Developed in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the plan was created as a strategy to deal with a potential conflict, likely a commercial one, with the then-mighty British Empire.
The United States was behind the times in planning for war since Canada had formulated a similar strategy, code named "Defense Scheme No. 1" in the early 1920s. The plan called for a rapid occupation of Seattle, Wash., Great Falls, Mont. Minneapolis, Minn. and Albany, N.Y., all as an attempt to divert American forces until help from the U.K. and other allies could arrive.
Of course, Canada and the U.S. fought a very real war starting in 1812, a conflict which the Canadian government has been giving a great deal of attention to of late. To celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of the conflict, Canada's Conservative government has released a commercial on the history of the War of 1812 as well as staging a large number of events.
For now it seems the renewed interest in the history of Canada-U.S. conflict isn't a sign of renewed hostilities. In fact, a poll taken near the end of last year found Canadians actually like President Obama more than Americans do.
Perhaps Obama can launch a one-man invasion if he loses in November.
Also on HuffPost

subset: commoncrawl


text:
5 Sunscreens We Love for Summer
You guys know May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, right? Well, you should by now (!) -- we've already hosted an event, Mole-Check Monday, where we offered Flywheel riders free skin checks, and told you about those life-saving letters, ABCDE, too. Well in order to protect yourself, you've gotta use some SPF. But not just any old SPF that you find -- and definitely none of that tanning oil. Here, some of our favorite sunscreens for summer.
- For the Athlete: SkinCeuticals Sport UV Defense Broad Spectrum 50 ($40)
Tested under the most extreme athletic conditions -- as in, on marathon runners, this new sport-specific SPF doesn't interfere with your workout and is proven to feel comfortable on the skin. Key benefits include wear-off resistance from water, wiping and rubbing, aka no more burning, itchy eyes. The formula is also fortified with Artemia Salina which increases skin's resistance to UV and heat stress and protects collagen from UV damage. Bonus? It gives the skin a moisture boost to defend against the sun's drying effects.
- For the Glam Girl: Restorsea Rejuvenating Day Lotion SPF 30 ($150)
With such a hefty pricetag, we had to ask -- what makes this lotion really worth it? Well, for starters, Restorsea products have serious anti-aging properties, thanks to antioxidant vitamin C, brown algae (which increases skin's elasticity) and the patented "Aquabeautine XL," which is a "natural enzyme released during the baby salmon hatching process." Mmmkay. Salmon or not, this supremely lightweight lotion also contains 20% zinc oxide, giving it an SPF of 30. We're also digging the box's bonus tips for how to stay safe in the sun. Use it as your only moisturizer, or apply over a heavier cream if your skin is naturally dry. And if this wasn't enough, in support of Skin Cancer Awareness Month,10 percent of the proceeds from the sale of this lotion at Bergdorf Goodman during the month of May will be donated to the Melanoma Research Alliance.
- For the Beach Bum: Neutrogena Beach Defense Water + Sun Barrier Spray Broad Spectrum SPF 70 ($11)
If you're the type that sets and spikes during beach volleyball, hits the ocean for a dip and lays out in a lounge chair, this sunscreen is for you. Featuring Neutrogena's famous Helioplex technology (which contains avobenzene and oxybenzone to aid in broad spectrum protection), this SPF-70 choice is super-easy to apply thanks to its 360-degree spray can and is water resistant for 80 minutes. Plus, it smells like summer. (Maybe I just need a vacation?)
- For the Gal On the Go: Brush on Block Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($30)
Not enough time in the day? This brush-on formula is for you. Made from mineral powders, Brush On Block has the same traits that mineral makeup does -- it's natural, non-irritating and easy to apply. And if you're the type of lady running between appointments, parties or just around town, you'll needn't stress -- this powder applies invisibly. Really, don't sweat it: this SPF is water resistant for up to eighty minutes. Did we mention the company sells refills, so it's way eco-friendly, too?
- For the Sensitive-Skinned: Babo Botanicals Clear Zinc Sunscreen SPF 30 ($19)
Although this line was made for the kiddies, it works well on those with uber-sensitive skin, too. This latest sunscreen from the line is formulated with zinc oxide, a natural mineral that's considered the safest and most effective ingredient that is less likely to irritate teh skin and more likely to block harmful UVB and UVA rays. But remember when people would have, like, streaks of colored zinc down their noses? No longer, pretties: this SPF rubs on clear in seconds. The sweet smell after application is just a bonus benefit, BTW.


text:
By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our cookie policy unless you have disabled them. You can change your cookie settings at any time but parts of our site will not function correctly without them.
Your cart is empty…
Your wishlist is empty...
I'm Tamsin, a British designer living in Connecticut. I design prints for home decor, homeware, apparel, and tech accessories. I create DIY tutorials and share tips for artists. Visit: fox-and-eagle.com.
Fox and Eagle
Thank you! Your message has been sent.


text:
CONSHOHOCKEN - The 63rd Annual Conshohocken Soap Box Derby got off to a soggy start Friday morning as the rain poured, as if on cue, just after the national anthem was played and the first two racers took their marks. But the young competitors were spared a washout, and within an hour of the projected start time of 9 a.m., they were rolling down Fayette Street in one of the region's most festive and storied traditions.
Scores of onlookers gathered along the thoroughfare, from the busy pits near the starting line on Eighth Avenue to the hay-stacked finish line between Fifth and Sixth, watching the festivities sponsored by Conicelli Autoplex of Conshohocken, John Kennedy Ford, Keystone Property Group and Continental Bank.
View a photo gallery of the races.
The racers, with only their goggles, helmets and backs visible to the crowd, peered down two 960-foot lanes from their brightly painted, oblong, motorless vehicles, waiting for the gate to be lowered so they could roll off the ramps and ride into Conshohocken history.
The 34 entrants, ranging from 7 to 18 years of age, rode in smooth fiberglass cars emblazoned with various themes and the names of local sponsors, in double elimination races. After the preliminary runs, each racing pair had their cars taxied back to the tented pit area, where their wheels and lanes were exchanged, providing an even playing field for all contestants.
The races were divided into Stock and Super Stock divisions determined by the age and weight of the drivers. The cars in each division have slightly different body shapes and specifications and are constructed from standard kits sanctioned by All-American Soap Box Derby. They weigh upwards of 200 pounds and can cost $600 including shipping, according to Conshohocken Derby Director Mark Marine.
According to Jack Coll, a local historian and longtime Derby enthusiast, the positioning of the cars down the stretch is important because Fayette street crowns near its center. This makes keeping the car 'low and by the (exterior) cones' the best formula for success.
'Little swerves hurt,' as the difference between winning and losing can be hundredths of a second, Coll said.
In heat after heat, the racers rolled slowly down from the starting gate, accelerating down the incline to estimated speeds of nearly 35 mph. Boisterous supporters cheered the racers as parents, friends and neighbors shouted enthusiastic words of advice.
By the Derby's end, the sun had come out in Conshohocken, beaming almost as brightly as the faces of Stock winner Ricky Royles and Super Stock champ Emily Welsh, who have both been racing for three years
Asked how he won the race, the 12-year-old Ricky, who attends Colonial Middle School, replied, 'I don't know, just luck.'
Pressed about his winning strategy, however, he responded, 'Well, what I did was what my dad told me. When I went off the ramp I counted to three, and then I turned to the side and then I just go straight down and try not to curve or anything.'
Emily, 15, attends Wissahickon High School and was almost speechless after her victory.
'It was amazing,' she said before taking a long pause to reflect on her accomplishment. 'I was just feeling the wheel, and feeling where it is on the road and sort of letting do it's own thing, but then making corrections when needed.'
Both winners expressed excitement about heading to Akron, Ohio, July 26 for the All-American Soap Box Derby world championships, which have been dubbed 'the greatest amateur racing event in the world.'
Despite a few glitches with timing mechanisms that prolonged the races and a crash into the haystack by contestant Jenna Smith - who raced again, managing to pull out an eighth-place finish - this year's Soap Box Derby proved to be a rousing success that left local race fans eagerly anticipating the 65th run of the Derby next July.
'Its one of the last few pieces of true Americana,' said Conshohocken resident Shaun O'Malley. 'It definitely brings the community together. It's like gold.'


text:
Fireplaces at Mountain Vista: (2) Wood burning fireplaces provide the ambiance you come to expect from this type of home, one located in Den, and the other out on the patio. Firewood and starter bricks are provided for use in both fireplaces. The Forest is the only thing you see when sitting on the screened patio listening to the crackling of the fire on any night during the year.
Grilling Out at Mountain Vista: We offer (2) Styles of Outdoor Grills at Mountain Vista. Both a large propane grill and side burner, as well as a Weber Charcoal grill, with plenty of platters and grilling utensils. No matter your taste in grilling, we have the tools to get the job done. Charcoal and lighter fluid are sometimes left behind by the previous renter, however not guaranteed, both can be purchased at the general store or grocery store outside the entrance of Big Canoe.
Golf: Rated among the top 20 best golf courses in Georgia by Golf Digest, the Sconti golf course was designed by John Lee; recognized as one of America's most respected golf course architects. The challenging 27-hole course weaves through lakes, woods, mountain meadows, and covered bridges. Open all year to residents and guests of Big Canoe, the green's fees vary from weekday to weekend, depending on Prime Season (April through November, and Holiday weekends) and off-season for those staying as a guest in our home. Cart rental and soft spikes are mandatory. Dress code requires shirts with a collar, and no jeans. The Sconti Golf Club also has a putting green and driving range (fee).
Other Activities: Outlet Mall - 20 minutes away
|Map Legend
|Mountain Vista Home Rental in Big Canoe
Jeep Trail, Jasper, GA 30143, USA
|Outlet Mall
|10 miles
|April 1 - October 31
|Per Night (2) Night Minimum
|April 1 - October 31
|Per Week
|Nov 1 - Jan 15
|Per Night (2) Night Minimum
|Nov 1 - Jan 15
|Per Week
|Jan 16 - March 31
|Per Night (2) Night Minimum
|Jan 16 - March 31
|Per Week
|All Major Holidays
|3 Night Minimum at Peak Rates
|Cleaning Charge
|All Stays


text:
"Breaking Bad's" "Rabid Dog" — an Old Yeller-type situation
Demonstrating the parallel storytelling from dual viewpoints that "Breaking Bad" does so well, tonight's episode, "Rabid Dog," also offered one of the great Vince Gilligan hook lines, another gem from Saul's bank of wicked euphemisms. Saul suggests that, what they've got on their hands is "an Old Yeller-type situation," in which the loyal mutt (ie. Jesse) shows up rabid one day and must be put down by dutiful little Timmy (ie. Walt). It was the prettiest cover line since "going to Belize."
This episode allowed each character to fantasize and consider next moves. After Jesse poured gasoline around Walt's house but was interrupted by Hank before setting fire, we get a momentary pause in the action. Taking a breather in a hotel, Sklyer tells Walt she didn't believe his gas pump lie for a minute, and demands he get serious. Her suggested resolution to the Jesse Pinkman problem is Lady Macbeth-cold — "We've come this far for us, what's one more?" — every bit as cold as Saul's rabid dog suggestion. Walt firmly rejects it. "It's complicated," he says, referring to his paternal feelings for Jesse even while playing him.
Meanwhile, Marie vents her anger to her therapist and weighs murderous poisoning options. Violence can only make a bad situation worse, the shrink warns, foreshadowing the inevitable really bad mess to come. And Hank thinks playing by the book, getting Jesse on video and having him wear a wire while confronting Walt may be a solution. Of course, it's not. Walt is smarter and luckier than they are and besides, Jesse says, not for the first time, he's the Devil.
Jesse balks when he sees what looks like a thuggish bald man hovering near Walt. (We see later the man is simply "Daddy" to a little girl in the plaza.) He promises Walt he's going to come after him. Which forces Walt to make the call to Todd (Jesse Plemons), his latest meth cook trainee and dutiful fixer who previously helped him get rid of Mike Ehrmantraut. Todd was last seen bragging at a coffee shop about his connection with the meth king, hanging with his neo-Nazi pals.
Several great visuals: another inside shot of liquid flowing through a tube (this time cleaning fluid for the gas); the "Deadwood" DVD set on Hank and Marie's bookshelf; Jesse drinking coffee from a DEA mug at Hank's home; Walt as Santa Claus in family photos, and Walt once again sitting by a pool (at the hotel) thinking through his dilemma. It was a gripping episode giving each character a moment to reflect on who they want to avenge, who they actually want to protect. Nearly everyone seems rabid. Except Junior. And here we had one more heart-wrenching instance of Walt's loyal son innocently worrying about dear dad's cancer.


text:
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Case Nos. IPC-E-12-20, -22, -23, Order No. 32628
August 31, 2012
Contact: Gene Fadness (208) 334-0339, 890-2712
PUC adopts Idaho Power, Exergy settlement
State regulators have adopted a settlement between Idaho Power and the developer of six proposed wind projects that allows the projects to be terminated in exchange for Idaho Power returning letters of credit valued at $3 million to the developer.
Exergy Development Group of Idaho was under contract to deliver power from the six projects -- four approved in 2005 and two approved in 2011 – but none of the projects met their scheduled operation dates.
Idaho Power filed a complaint with the commission in July seeking liquidated damages from the Boise-based developer. Exergy claimed that factors beyond its control, primarily disputes with Idaho Power over the interconnection process and transmission service arrangements, caused the projects to be late. The parties entered into settlement negotiations and mutually agreed that Idaho Power would not seek damages if Exergy agreed to terminate the projects.
The commission said both Idaho and its ratepayers benefit from the settlement. "In particular, ratepayers avoid paying nearly $600 million in energy payments over the 20-year terms of the Purchase Power Agreements. From Exergy's perspective, it recovers the four Letters of Credit," the commission said. Further, termination of the agreements permits Idaho Power to avoid buying a monthly average of 60 megawatts of electricity that the company claims is not necessary to meet its service obligations.
Under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), Idaho Power must buy from qualifying renewable energy projects at rates published by the commission. The six projects, each with an average output of 10 megawatts per month, all qualified for the published rate before the commission lowered the size of wind and solar projects that can qualify for the rate from 10 average megawatts to 100 kilowatts.
The two 2005 projects were Notch Butte Wind Park, located between Twin Falls and Shoshone, and Lava Beds Wind Park, between Blackfoot and Arco. The original online date for those projects was May 2007, but that was postponed to September 2010.
The four 2011 projects – Cottonwood Wind Park, Deep Creek Wind Park, Rogerson Flats Wind Park and Salmon Creek Wind Park – were all proposed in the Rogerson area and were to have been operating by June 30 of this year.


text:
This question already has an answer here:
I own a pair of usb powered speakers, and I am having trouble finding how to set the usb speakers as the default output. I found the setting where you can switch the outputs but no where to asssign a default. I took screenshot here:


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
I would be very surprised if we get 7th. It'll probably be Leicester. But I hope we do get it. We'll at least know what it's about if we do.
Do we need that added competition for places if we don't have the extra games? If we're only playing in the domestic competitions, are there enough minutes to keep everyone happy? I mean, that drop from Walcott to Bolasie is actually a fair bit better than most teams have.Will we be able to attract the players needed to compete with the bigger clubs in the PL if we don't have Europa League? Say Leicester finish ahead of us in 7th, why exactly would a player choose to come to us over them? On the other side of things, I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest playing the tougher Europa League games more regularly would actually leave us better prepared for games against the top 6.Agree with these.
What would people want out of the following two options;1. We have a strong finish to the season, get 7th, qualify for Europe and allardyce stays on for another year.2. We flounder to 9th, allardyce is gone and we get a new manager in and start again.As much as I don't want him here next year, you have to say if he gets us Europe he probably deserves to stay on. Although I'd like us to show some balls and get rid whatever happens.
Leicester had to take their medicine against Man City the same way as we did against Arsenal so I don't see them as any better than us. No reason we can't finish 7th now providing BFS doesn't start to tamper with team selections again
We get to 7th, Allardyce and Walsh are bombed off. A new clued up DoF is appointed and a modern manager
These are all solid points.On the playing time issue, do you think players if they are only playing in the EL see that as equal time to playing in the PL? I take your point in general more games, particularly for up and coming players is beneficial. I suppose overall Im saying I want to make sure we can walk before we try to run. Get a starting XI right, which I think were still a a few players away from, get a solid bench that gives you options. We should have enough domestic games to keep 18-20 players happy.As to why Leicester or us, probably only money right now. I doubt in general think the EL is anything like the pull the CL is though, its a nicety.
Honestly, there's a massive disconnect between expectations on here around the chances of SA being fired and the reality.He was already talking yesterday about making plans for next season. There is no appetite at the top of the club to fire SA if meets or exceeds their expectations. Which he will.
Honestly, theres a massive disconnect between expectations on here around the chances of SA being fired and the reality.He was already talking yesterday about making plans for next season. There is no appetite at the top of the club to fire SA if meets or exceeds their expectations. Which he will.
Page created in 0.063 seconds with 27 queries.


text:
Nuts & Bolts - July 2014Posted in How To: Tech Qa on May 29, 2014
Swapped Axles = Check Engine
Q I have an '04 Ford F-150 with axles I swapped in from an '05 F-350 Super Duty. I have always strived to drive a truck that no one else has, but now I feel I am ahead of the times and have had a miserable time with the computer system in this truck. Every time I go over 40 mph, the check engine light on the dash comes on. If I cycle the key it goes out, but again at 40 mph the check engine light returns.
It has a generic trouble code stating that the throttle body has been put in a safe mode. The axles have been regeared with 4.88s and I run 37-inch Goodyear tires. It's possible that the ABS computer thinks the truck is going one speed while the VSS is telling the PCM something different. I thought I could outsmart it by cutting a new tone ring for the rear diff back to the tooth count of 108, which is the same as the stock F-150 rearend. But then I realized that with 4.88 gears in the axles, the 108 tooth-count still is not right because with 3.73 revs of driveshaft would be 108 tone pulses. Now with 4.88 gears it should be 141-ish. Am I even on the right track?
I'm just a backwoods Alaskan who's been building trucks for 14 years but this one has me stumped. Has anyone out there done this or run into this problem? I've had countless phone conversations and spent hours online looking for fixes, but I haven't found one yet. Help!
Keep up the good work on the magazine.
Brian McManus
via firstname.lastname@example.com
A Cool truck! While modern vehicles have lots of really cool features, it's stuff like this that has a lot of us wishing for the old days. I was just as stumped as you were, so I consulted with a company that specializes in doing 4-wheel drive conversions on late-model Ford vans to see if they had any insights. While they didn't really have any firm solutions due to differences between Ford trucks and vans (there are more than you might think), they did have suggestions that might help point you in the right direction.
I agree with you that the culprit likely has something to do with the PCM receiving info that conflicts with the VSS and ABS system, as the ABS sensors are also often used for things such as vehicle speed, transmission shift points, and so on. You also didn't directly state that the speedometer is working, but based on your question we're going to assume that it is at least reading even if it isn't accurate. If the speedo functions then the computer is getting some sort of speed signal, and this signal is in conflict with information that the computer is gathering elsewhere.
You didn't specify whether you used the wheel sensors from the Super Duty axles or adapted the F-150 sensors to the donor axles. One of the things that the conversion company mentioned was that the distance of the sensor in relation to the tone ring is really important, and that if the depth is even just a little bit off (like thousandths of an inch), it can cause problems. So if you adapted the F-150 sensors to the Super Duty axles, that might be one place to look. Compare those between the stock applications and adjust as necessary. Depending on which route you took for the swap, you can also try splicing the Super Duty sensors into the F-150 wiring, or vice versa.
Regarding your tone ring question, I'm not sure that's the right track because people regear Super Duty trucks and F-150s all the time without issue. Sure, the speedometer (and other speed-related functions) may be off without a programmer, but regearing by itself doesn't typically throw codes in either an F-150 or a Super Duty. Although your math appears to be right, the number of teeth and related pulses is more about system accuracy than whether or not the system works at all. If you have the tools and equipment to machine a new tone ring to mimic the factory configuration, I say go for it, but that's probably not going to solve your problem. In the best case scenario it might help you avoid needing a programmer to make the speedo accurate, but at worst it will just cause more problems. That said, it wouldn't be a bad idea to inspect the rear axle tone ring carefully, as they are easy to damage during a gear swap.
Since the check engine light comes on over a certain vehicle speed, it could be that the signal needs to be sped up or slowed down. In other words, the computer could be thinking that you're going over 100 mph when you're only doing 40. Our contact mentioned that some of their conversions require a little box that alters the speed signal (slows it down) so that it matches what else the computer is seeing.
The truth is, however, all of this is really nothing more than spit-balling for a solution. Although this probably isn't what you want to hear, what you really need to do is take the truck somewhere that has a high-powered scan tool that can log data and show you what's going on in real time. This is the only definitive way to know for certain what the problem is and then come up with a solution. Even though you'd think that these systems are the same across all of Ford's truck platforms, unfortunately that's just not the case when it comes to these kinds of problems. These days, F-150s are very different from Super Duty trucks and even vans, and there's not as much interchangeability as there once was.
I welcome readers to chime in with any potential fixes. Definitely let us know if you get to the bottom of it, as I'm sure you're not the only one out there trying to do this swap. Good luck!
Pre–OBD-II Touchscreen
Q I'm still in the planning/prep stage of an engine swap for my '78 Wagoneer and could use some help with instrumentation. My motives are better mileage, towing, and reliability than the current tired 401 under the hood. I have a GM 6.2L diesel that is going in and a new Banks Sidewinder turbo staring at me in the garage. The engine rebuild is almost complete, but I haven't put any sensors on it yet. Since this Jeep has been in the family since new and is my daily driver, I want to keep the interior (and dash) looking stock.
I'd love to hide a Banks IQ system in the glovebox instead of hacking up the dash for a tach, pyrometer, and a few other gauges I need to add. The Banks IQ allows you to customize your on-screen gauges, use it as a nav system, add a backup camera, and if hooked up to an amplifier it could even be a stereo with Bluetooth phone integration. The only problem is that this system and all the others I've seen require an OBD-II interface.
Since my 6.2L has the older, pre–OBD-II, mechanical injection pump I can't just grab an old harness and sensors from a '90s-era truck. I asked Banks a while back and they said that their system will not work on older rigs that don't use OBD-II. Does anyone make a setup like this that can interface with older, analog sensors? If not, are there any cars or trucks that I can harvest a computer and harness from to handle the IQ-to-sensor translation? It seems crazy to add a bunch of hack-job wiring and electronics just to translate oil pressure and temperature. It seems like a thousand guys with hot rods and resto-mod trucks would have tackled this problem by now.
via email@example.com
A While what you have in mind sounds pretty cool and appears to be quite simple on the surface, it is actually more difficult than it seems because you're trying to apply newer digital technology to an older analog platform. If we're understanding you correctly, your ideal would be a touchscreen that you could clip to the dash, mount in the glovebox, or put on the seat next to you, but in a second stash the screen under the seat or in the glovebox for a totally unmolested, stock-looking interior, right? Unfortunately, that's going to be a tough one to pull off.
Your choice of a Chevy 6.2L diesel is an interesting one and probably not the first choice for some people, but it's outside the box, different, and should be easy enough to pull off in the Wagoneer's cavernous area under the hood. Plus, as you mentioned, the 6.2L is going to be all mechanical, so it's going to be very simple to make the thing run. Unfortunately, that mechanical stuff does not translate well to systems like the Banks IQ, which relies on later OBD-II technology to obtain its information. With OBD-II systems, pretty much everything you would need to run gauges plus a bunch of other information is all delivered electronically to the vehicle's computer, other vehicle systems, and the OBD-II port under the dash with a few wires. It sounds simple, but it takes a lot of technology to make that happen, and unfortunately it's not like you can wire in an electric oil pressure sender to the system and expect it to work. Or worse, attempt to adapt the OBD-II harness from a different vehicle just to try and make something like what you want work. Sorry, but I just don't see it happening.
All is not lost, however. Auto Meter (www.autometer.com) has recently released a compact and fully configurable LCD dash display. Designed mostly around racing but with a nod to the street rod crowd, I'd be willing to bet this would get you very close to what you're looking for even if it does not have a touchscreen. How so? If I were in your shoes, I would take advantage of the unusual position of the glovebox on your Wagoneer, which is right in the middle of the dash. This Auto Meter Dash Display is compact enough that with some simple fab work you could mount the display just inside the glovebox door. Open the glovebox when you need to see the gauges, but when you get where you're going, simply close the glovebox and you have an unmolested factory dash and interior. Since the Auto Meter unit is totally configurable, you can have it display whatever (the pyrometer may be a tall order, but check with Auto Meter) and however you want. Keep in mind that you should be able to run the sensors for the Auto Meter dash and the factory dash in tandem so the Jeep's water, speedometer, and oil pressure gauges will still function, yet you can choose to display these gauges on the LCD screen as well. If this doesn't fit your needs, then keep scouring the street rod scene for some whiz-bang product that's closer to what you're looking for, but this is the best solution I found.
Clunky Rear
Q I bought a used '03 Chevy Silverado Z-71 in 2012. I also purchased an extended two-year warranty that runs out this July. The truck has a clunk in the rearend at certain times, so I took it to the dealership. They removed the driveshaft and checked it out, but they said everything is OK and that it's just backlash. I read somewhere that backlash is play in the ring gear, and that the pinion and ring gears are not meshing properly. It had 97,000 miles on it when I bought it and it has 104,000 miles on it now, and I haven't abused it at all during this time. Can you help? If it needs to be fixed, what do I tell the dealership to make them fix it? All of the fluids are good and I only play mildly in the mud. I'm told the rearend is a 10-bolt with a G80 differential. Thank you very much.
Dennis M.
Via firstname.lastname@example.com
A Backlash is a specification that measures the amount of free play, or "slack," between the teeth of the ring gear and the pinion in a differential. A small amount of backlash is necessary to ensure proper lubrication of the ring and pinion gears. That said, one of the first telltale signs that a rearend is worn out is when backlash is outside recommended specifications.
According to Randy's Ring & Pinion (ringpinion.com), the backlash specification for your rear axle is 0.006-0.010 inch. This specification is measured by pulling the rear differential cover and using a dial indicator to measure how much movement back and forth the ring gear has before it engages the pinion (the pinion must be immobilized while measurements are being made). If the ring gear consistently measures greater than 0.010 inch of movement, the backlash is out of specification. Considering the mileage of the vehicle, a couple thousandths of an inch outside that spec is probably OK, but too much outside is indicative of worn bearings or an excessively worn ring-and-pinion. While you're there, grab the pinion yoke and see if it has any movement in or out, or side-to-side. If there is, new pinion bearings are in order.
If you don't have the tools and experience to measure backlash yourself, then take the truck back to the dealer and ask them to show you the backlash measurement of your truck's rearend. This will, in theory at least, make them actually measure it. Also be sure to read the fine print of your warranty contract; many extended warranty contracts allow them to install used parts or a complete used rearend as part of a warranty claim. If the clunk is slight and only happens every once in a while (which isn't all that uncommon, especially with a G80 differential), sometimes a slight known inconvenience is better than swapping in parts with a completely unknown history.
Missed the Brakes
Q Your answer about flat towing ("Towing Flat," Nuts & Bolts, Apr. '14) neglected to mention any provision for applying the brakes in the towed vehicle when the driver hits the brake pedal in the towing vehicle. Not only is this required by law in most states, but it's also a pretty good idea. There are various systems available to make this work.
G. Blair
Via firstname.lastname@example.com
A Well, I guess I really stepped in it this time, because it turns out you are correct. Though not required in every single state, most states do have some sort of law that requires towed vehicles of any kind (trailer or otherwise) over a certain weight to have a brake system that will apply the brakes on at least one axle of the towed vehicle when the towing vehicle's brakes are applied. The requirements vary quite a bit from state to state: California requires brakes on anything over 1,500 pounds, while Texas doesn't require brakes on any trailer under 4,500 pounds. Still others have braking requirements for trailers (cargo) while specifically excluding towed vehicles like a car or truck. The majority of the states require brakes on anything being towed over 3,000 pounds, and since most of our 4x4s are over that, just about anyone reading this should have a brake system on his or her 4x4 when flat-towing it. It has been my experience and that of many others that these laws are not enforced, but even so, flat-towing without brakes in a state that requires them opens you up to some serious liability in the event of an accident, even if the accident is not your fault.
But your last point is the best one: It's not just the law; it's a good idea. Not only do these brake systems enable you to stop more quickly, but they're just safer in general. Most systems even have a breakaway function that applies the brakes on the towed vehicle in the event it comes loose on the road. We've all heard horror stories about that.
A variety of electric, hydraulic, and vacuum-assisted systems on the market can be temporarily or permanently mounted in a flat-towed vehicle. Pick up an RV magazine or visit any store that caters to RV clientele for more information on a system that works for your needs and budget.
Nuts, I'm Confused
Older Jeep, Better Ride
Q I have a '75 CJ-6 that I special-ordered and bought new in April 1975. It has a 360, 3:73 gears, and the old narrow springs. It sat for years while we raised four kids, but now it's my time! I am not a rockcrawler or heavy mountain climber, but dirt roads and tackling some hills is great. I want a decent ride and better handling on the road while maintaining good off-road manners, and I would like to update the Jeep with a new spring setup. I understand that coils and a four-link are the way to go, but I would prefer to keep it on leaf springs. Should I use Wrangler springs or do you have a better idea? It's my understanding they ride better and have a more progressive spring rate.
Wayne C.
Via email@example.com
A I'm sure many of our readers wish they had hung on to a 4x4 from their past, so congrats to you for keeping your somewhat unusual Jeep all these years. CJ-6s make great trail rigs due to their longer wheelbase, and the production numbers were low enough that you don't see very many of them on the trails these days.
A four-link suspension with coil springs has its advantages, especially in the ride and handling department, but that's probably not the best option for your needs and uses. First, it would take a whole lot of custom fabrication work to pull off a four-link on one end, let alone both ends, of your Jeep. Aside from the extensive fabrication involved, you will quickly find that the narrow frame under your Jeep (among a few other things) doesn't lend itself to packaging a properly designed link suspension without basically throwing everything away but the body and drivetrain, and then starting over. Second, setting up any type of four-link correctly takes a lot of knowledge; there are only a few ways to do it right and a whole lot of ways to do it wrong. But the third and most important point in my eyes is you just don't need to go through all that work. Not only would you be taking away from the cool vintage aspect of your Jeep, but you can easily work with a leaf-spring suspension to deliver the comfortable ride you want while maintaining off-road capability.
Lots of people with early CJs like yours have had great success using 21⁄2-inch-wide springs from '87-'95 YJ Wranglers. The wider springs, combined with the newer designs and technology that go into them, generally yield vast improvements in both on-road ride and off-road flex. You didn't mention your desired lift height or tire size, but there are excellent YJ springs available from several suspension manufacturers in a variety of lift heights, so you have a lot of options.
To do the conversion, you are going to need new, wider spring hangers for the frame, wider spring perches for the axles, and wider U-bolt plates with new U-bolts. Both the hangers and the perches can be purchased from shops that supply suspension builder parts and brackets, such as Rusty's Off-Road (rustysoffroad.com) or Bluetorch Fabworks (bluetorchfab.com). You can also make your own with some time, knowledge, and plate steel. Attaching these components to the frame and axles will require welding and possibly some light fabrication, but nothing like a four-link suspension. Unless you plan on going with some really tall tires, resist the urge to do a spring-over conversion, as this would open up a whole different realm of things that need to be addressed. If fabbing up new mounts is more work than you want to do, you can always consult with a custom spring manufacturer such as Alcan Spring (alcanspring.com) about having a set of springs built to your specifications.
Submission Information
Confused? Email your questions about trucks, 4x4s, and off-roading tech using "Nuts, I'm confused" as the subject and include a picture (if it's applicable). Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file. Also, I'll be checking the forums on our website (4wheeloffroad.com), and if I see a question that I think more of you might want to have answered, I'll print that as well. Otherwise drop it old-school style with the envelope addressed to the address below. Letters published in this magazine reflect the opinions of the writers, and we reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, or other purposes. Write to: Nuts & Bolts, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245 fax to: 818.566.8501 Email to: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
WASHINGTON — With a trio of political controversies enveloping President Obama's administration early in his second term, the White House sought to insulate itself Tuesday from fallout even as it rebuffed repeated questions about the president's response to the growing problems.
The upshot was an image of a president and his top advisers retreating to the bunker, seeking to distance themselves by deflecting blame to functionaries deeper in the bureaucracy.
The atmosphere spurred calls for resignations and breathed new life into Republicans in Congress, who are preparing for committee hearings that promise weeks of headaches for the president. The events are proving to be a major distraction from Obama's policy priorities such as immigration and the economy and appear to be sapping whatever mandate the reelected president brought into the White House just four months ago.
In one of the most telling signs of the current state of Washington, Attorney General Eric Holder stood before cameras Tuesday, attempting to grapple with the two newest political crises.
Holder announced that he was not playing a role in the Justice Department's national security leak investigation that led to the widely criticized decision to subpoena the phone records of journalists at the Associated Press, because he himself had been interviewed in the leak investigation. He said the decision to investigate the activities of the press was made by a deputy.
On top of that, the attorney general announced that he was launching a criminal investigation into allegations that the Internal Revenue Service targeted Tea Party and other conservative groups for extra scrutiny when they applied to become charitable organizations.
Some of the problems in which Obama is mired are troubling even to his allies, who worry that he may lose control of one of the core messages he ran on in the first place: fixing Washington. Each of the challenges — from lax and apparently uneven enforcement of the rules for charitable organizations at the IRS; to efforts to shape the now-famous Benghazi talking points; to the heavy-handed leak investigation targeting the AP — is rooted in a focus on politics and scripting government policy for political purposes.
"You can't blame the president directly, but it depends on how this turns out," said Representative Michael Capuano, Democrat of Somerville. "We'll know in the next few months. It's going to be nothing but who knew what when — and those are valid questions."
"It looks bad," he added, "and it may well be bad."
With regard to the IRS controversy, campaign finance watchdogs have long accused the administration of failing to provide clear guidance and enforcement for political activity by charitable groups, allowing an environment of apparently haphazard enforcement, and potential double standards, to flourish. The IRS decision to target conservative groups for scrutiny stands in contrast to an apparent lack of enforcement of activity by the president's supporters, who created charitable groups that engage in political activity, Priorities USA and Organizing for Action.
"I'll state it bluntly: President Obama and his administration have been very disappointing in their lack of attention to cleaning up big and often undisclosed money in politics," said Paul S. Ryan, senior counsel for the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center.
"As a general matter, President Obama has not made campaign finance a priority," he said. "It's not surprising the agencies in his administration have likewise not done so."
On Tuesday night, several hours after an independent inspector general's report was released saying the IRS developed "inappropriate criteria" that gave more scrutiny to conservative groups, Obama released a strongly worded statement. "The report's findings are intolerable and inexcusable," he said, pledging to implement the report's recommendations swiftly as well as "hold those responsible for these failures accountable."
In the meantime, Obama's opponents were turning up the heat — and trying to make sure he, too, was held accountable.
"I have never seen anything quite like this except in the past, in the Nixon years," said Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican. "We're talking about liberty here, we're talking about freedom in America. If we can manipulate the IRS . . . everyone ought to be very, very fearful."
The White House has also been responding for months to charges that it sought to shape United Nations ambassador Susan Rice's talking points on the crisis in Benghazi — where a US consulate was attacked last September, killing four Americans including an ambassador — in a way that downplayed the role of organized terrorists. The shifting accounts and increasing evidence of White House consultations about the content of the talking points have provided new fuel for Republican critics on Capitol Hill.
And now the Justice Department is grappling with accusations, which became public Monday, that it pursued leak investigations into the AP over leaked classified information with a blunderbuss, launching an overly broad pursuit of reporters' personal and business phone records.
Reporters are demanding to know why this administration has launched more investigations into national security leaks than all other presidents combined.
Even the president's allies are shaking their heads. Senate majority leader Harry Reid called the Justice Department's seizure of phone records "inexcusable."
"I have trouble defending what the Justice Department did in looking at the AP," Reid said. "I really believe in the First Amendment. I think it's one of the great things we have as a country. I don't know who did it or why it was done, but it was inexcusable. There is no way to justify this."
The administration on Tuesday continued to say that officials outside the White House — and below any Cabinet-level positions — were the ones who bore responsibility for the controversies.
Even while he explained why he recused himself from the leak investigation, Holder defended his agency's conduct in the matter. He also said the AP story written based on the leak, which revealed a terrorist plot that the CIA foiled in Yemen, "put the American people at risk." He did not elaborate on that risk.
"This was a serious leak. A very, very serious leak," Holder said, noting he has been a prosecutor since 1976. "This is among — if not the most serious, it is within the top two or three most serious leaks I've ever seen."
Still, each of the issues plays into the hands of critics, who have long charged Obama with overseeing an era of government overreach.
"Obama campaigned on transparency and competence," Mark McKinnon, a media strategist and former adviser to President George W. Bush, said in an e-mail. "These events combined undermine both."
But others say presidents frequently must grapple with such challenges as they explode within their administrations, and that Obama's luck, after a fairly scandal-free stretch, has finally run out.
"What we're seeing now is, eventually his immunity from scandal inquiries has softened," said Linda Fowler, a political science professor at Dartmouth College.
"This is one of those things where the president needs to do more than say, 'It's terrible, this won't be tolerated,' " she added. "And if some of his aides were interfering, he needs to put their heads on blocks and get rid of them."
Most Democrats said on Tuesday that they were troubled by the disclosures, but that it was too early to determine whether Obama should accept blame.
"There's clearly been a politicizing of investigations done by the Republicans, there's no question about that," said Senator Benjamin Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland. "Having said that, with the IRS what I've seen so far has me very concerned."
Representative Joseph Kennedy III, a Democrat from Brookline, said "it's important to let these investigations play out a bit."
"It's still way too early to discuss whether the White House should have been in control of anything," he said in an interview. "There's nothing I've seen that [indicates] the White House was behind any of this, and that's been very, very clear."
Noah Bierman of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Matt Viser can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
St Benedict Olive Wood Cross
3 1/2' Olive Wood Inlay Nickel Bound St. Benedict Crucifix
3 1/2' Olive Wood Inlay Nickel Bound St. Benedict Crucifix
1 1/8' Genuine Pewter Medal with Stainless Steel Chain. Silver Embossed Pamphlet with Patron Saint Information and Prayer included. 3 1/4' x 5 1/2'
January - Garnet Birthstone Rosary 8mm Aurora Borealis Faceted Acrylic Birthstone Rosary on a Card. Birthstone rosaries for each month make great b...View full details
Stations Of The Cross Rosary - Black Wood Bead Color This beautiful black wood 6mm bead Stations of the Cross Rosary contains full color images of ...View full details
4 1/2' First Communion Cross in White Enamel with Antique Silver & Gold Plated Finish Gift Boxed
Miraculous Sterling Silver Blue Cameo Medal Cameo Miraculous Medal. Solid .925 sterling silver frame. Bas-relief blue and white Capodimonte porcela...View full details
Get the Latest Sales & deals in your inbox
Copyright © 2019 Catholic Online Shopping.


text:
|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Does anyone know if there are any special germination requirements for the Australian 'Christmas tree' - Metrosideros excelsus, a member of the Myrtaceae. Information on its propagation from seed seems to be sadly lacking which suggests that either it is too easy to discuss or no one has succeeded! Many Thanks Jon Pickering Horicultural Scientist Royal Horticultural Society


text:
Hallo and a warm welcome to our InterNations Community for expats in Essen! If you're looking to move to this historic German city, our unique resources here at InterNations can help you every step of the way. With numerous members in locations around the world, InterNations offers a wealth of information from expats already living their dream life, who can assist by answering all your queries, utilizing their own experience. If you have any questions, before, during or after your relocation, we're here to help.
With InterNations, you never stand alone. Whether you move to another city or go on a business trip somewhere — our communities are there to make you feel at home wherever you are in the world. Feel free to also check out our other vibrant InterNations Communities like the ones in Jeddah or Abu Dhabi.
Attend our monthly events and activities for Essen expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.
Get trustworthy advice and local insights from fellow members in our Essen expat forums.
Essen, located in the Ruhrgebiet, dates back to the 9th century. Originally founded as a convent for noblewomen, its cathedral houses priceless art, including the Golden Madonna, the oldest-known artifact of its kind. Formerly renowned for its steel production and coal mining, Essen's economy has been reborn in recent years, employing out-of-work coalminers to build a dam at Lake Baldeney, with a recreational area in the south. Now some of Germany's largest companies have their headquarters in Essen, which is buzzing with cultural centers and tourist attractions.
InterNations is the largest global network for expatriates, with communities in 420 cities across the globe. Get to know fellow internationals in your city, before you're moving, or when traveling somewhere and never feel like a stranger. InterNations makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your expat friends, both online and offline, so you can grow your network of friends and contacts from all over the world. Whether they live in Khobar (Eastern Prov.) or Dubai, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away.
Find out all you need to know about life in Essen by communicating with like-minded expats through InterNations. Our members, adhering to our code of trust, polite behavior and friendly "netiquette", can advise on any aspects of your new life abroad by answering your queries on our forum. We also give members the opportunity to meet fellow expats in person at one of our many gatherings, both large-scale events as well as activities based on your own hobbies and interests. Whether you wish to explore the varied nightlife, dine out, or take in some cultural sites, there's something for everyone.


text:
A Bikeshare Success Story
Who says Washington never gets anything right?
From Streetfilms on Vimeo.
With 114 stations in and around Washington D.C. and plans for more, the Capital Bikeshare program makes cycling in the city simple and appealing. Whether put to use for a daily commute or a single day's tourist venture, the bicycles can be picked up and dropped off at any station.
The program, which celebrates its first birthday in September, has met with great success in its goal to get people out and moving around the city. A relatively new idea in most of parts of the United States, bike shares lower the barriers to entry for new cyclists, and help make cycling a central part of city transportation—not just the hobby of a few.
The Dutch have spent 35 years perfecting the country's bicycling infrastructure. We, too, can transform biking from a recreational pastime to an integral part of our transportation system.
Richard Conlin: Green urban travel shouldn't be about guilt trips or prohibition, but about making the good choices easy.
Los Angeles—perhaps America's most famously car-choked city—briefly became a modern transportation morality play.


text:
PORTSMOUTH — On Saturday, Feb. 2, Pontine Theatre presents world-renowned performance artist, Leland Faulkner, in his one-man, family-friendly extravaganza, World of Wonder: Conjuring Characters & Comedy.
World of Wonder is a journey around the world illustrated with charming mime and awesome magic, suitable for audiences of all ages.
Faulkner is a man of a thousand faces. With a few deft folds, a hat brim becomes a tour de force of twenty-five different comic character from around the world. In another moment, his hands become a shadow menagerie with nothing more than a flourish of simple gestures.
Comic characters, fantastic imagery, and wonderful mysteries are the map to Leland Faulkner's World of Wonder. Leland has performed in theaters large and small, local and international. From the stages of the United States and Canada to the theaters and circuses of Japan, Hong Kong, China and Russia, he has captured the hearts and imaginations of audiences around the globe.
Faulkner's performances are a feast for the heart and mind. He is a magician, a character actor, and a mime artist. His performances stir the imagination and bridge our differences by bonding us with creative spirit, humor, and mystery. He is famed for his Shadowgraphs and Chapeaugraphy, two lost arts that have been given a fresh breath of life under his care, yet he is more than that.
Faulkner has been an actor, mime, and magician for over thirty years. Early in his career he worked with Affiliate Artists as a corporate arts liaison in communities throughout the United States. For many years he partnered, toured, and taught with master mime Tony Montanaro, and was the artistic director of Celebration Barn in South Paris, Maine. In the years following he has taught and performed at major venues, schools, colleges, theater festivals, cultural exchange programs, international circuses, and in private workshops for professional performing artists. He has also created original content and special effects for bothicture and stage productions including the feature film Polar Express.
His theater work has had him featured at Arts Carnival in Hong Kong, The Ojai Storytelling Festival in California, the Equitable Center in New York City. an extended tour of Japan for the Kageboushi Theatre Company, a monthlong, multicity tour of China with the Wuqiao Circus Festival in 2011, and in Russia at the Ivhesk International Circus Festival in 2012.
He has worked with Virginia Commonwealth University as an adjunct professor creating an original play, and has directed a multitude of mimes and actors in their solo and ensemble work.
Leland currently works as a performing artist, director, and independent film maker based in New England, where he continues to develop projects for stage and screen. He currently resides in Maine with the two lights of his life, his wife and daughter.
Tickets are $15 and may be purchased online at www.pontine.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door a half-hour before the performance (cash & checks only) based on availability. Pontine's West End Studio Theatre is located at 959 Islington St. in Portsmouth. Pontine's office may be contacted by email: email@example.com, or by phone: 603-436-6660.


text:
"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble." If this sounds like your digestive system on Halloween night, you're not alone. Many of our favorite Halloween treats are high in fat or contain common heartburn triggers, making them a source of pain and discomfort for acid reflux sufferers.
Everyone loves a good spine-tingling surprise on Halloween night, but that shouldn't include an evening full of acid indigestion. Understanding which types of candy are likely to cause heartburn – and which ones aren't – can be the key to helping you satisfy your Halloween sweet tooth without an episode of reflux.
Treats that are unlikely to cause heartburn:
- Candy corn – These colorful bite-sized candies are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth without aggravating heartburn.
- Gummy bears – Fun, fruity and colorful, gummy bears are the perfect fat-free treat for reflux sufferers.
- Chewing gum – Gum stimulates saliva production to help wash acid out of the esophagus. Try chewing a stick or two if heartburn strikes.
- Sour gummies – The sour flavoring in these fat-free candies can actually curb heartburn!
Tricks that may trigger acid reflux:
- Peppermint – Peppermint is a common heartburn trigger because it weakens the lower esophageal sphincter. Avoid peppermint hard candies and chocolate covered patties.
- Starburst – Acidic ingredients in these chewy, fruit-flavored squares make them problematic for heartburn sufferers.
- Chocolate – Chocolate is known to trigger heartburn, so avoid those foil-wrapped kisses and chocolate covered candy bars.
- Peanut butter cups – The high fat content and chocolate covering in peanut butter cups can mean double trouble for refluxers.
Halloween can be one of the most enjoyable nights of the year, even for heartburn sufferers! Choose your treats wisely and take care to avoid overeating, which is another common cause of reflux. Making smart choices on Halloween night will allow you to enjoy an evening full of ghoulish good fun without the scary digestive symptoms!


text:
The Meaning and Significance of Financial Statements
by MALCOLM M. DEVORE Partner, Executive Office
Presented before the National Association of Accountants,
Portland, Oregon, Chapter—September 1967
EACH DAY brings new evidence to those of us in public accounting that a great lack of understanding exists in many quarters of the meaning and significance of financial statements issued by companies organized for profit.
This should not come as any surprise to us, but it becomes increasingly
apparent that we must do all in our power to promote proper appreciation of the function of these statements and of the role of the accounting profession in relation to them.
Much of the misunderstanding we encounter derives from the unfortunate
impression of "precision" conveyed to the layman's eye by the very format and appearance of the statements themselves. When items are carried out "down to pennies," the layman thinks this implies absolute precision, and the mere fact that both sides of the balance sheet "come out even" tends to work an almost hypnotic effect on him.
The most serious misconceptions, however, arise from a failure to grasp the purpose of the statements, the process by which they have evolved to their present form, and the limitations from which they necessarily
First of all, I think we should make it clear that financial statements issued by a company are designed to depict its economic progress—or lack of progress.
Its financial statements should portray its progress in as meaningful a way as the interested parties can devise. These interested parties include
not only management itself, but stockholders, financial analysts, credit grantors, and (in some cases) regulatory authorities as well.
But no matter how skillful a job is done to make statements meaningful,
they will always be subject to misunderstanding and misinterpretation
unless their inherent limitations are recognized.
What are some of these limitations?
The first we might cite is that of the time period covered, which for


text:
This is a forum where past and present attendees of the Chiang Mai Computer Club can provide help, advice and exchange information with one another in a cordial atmosphere. DO NOT DOWNLOAD anything, regardless of any ad or pop-up.
Search Query
Display results as :PostsTopics
Advanced Search
Current date/time is Fri Oct 18, 2019 12:34 am
No topics or posts met your search criteria


text:
Social Media: A Swiss Army Knife for SMBs
Social media has become so ingrained in our culture these days that much of the time, we're not even aware of it as anything "other." But for some, it's way more than just a recreational outlet. It turns out that small businesses that are using social media are seeing the biggest gains, according to the 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report: from new partnerships to qualified leads to improved sales to reduced marketing costs.
Gartner's Anthony Bradley defines social media this way: "At its foundation, social media is a set of technologies and channels targeted at forming and enabling a potentially massive community of participants to productively collaborate. IT tools to support collaboration have existed for decades. But social-media technologies, such as social networking, wikis and blogs, enable collaboration on a much grander scale and support tapping the power of the collective in ways previously unachievable."
One company that's doing exactly that is FanAxcess.com, an Oakland, California-based start up that aims to match up-and-coming musicians with potential brand sponsors, while also creating a simpler and more cost-effective pathway for advertisers to reach target markets.
Brands are always seeking fresh ways to differentiate—and personify—themselves with standout spokespersons. But, that can be tough when there's always the same pool of big fish to choose from. "We provide a forum for artists to create very specific profiles that give insight into who they—and their fan bases—are. So, if you're an advertiser, you can search artists by audience (based on their social media fans across sites or, their average number of live fans), by genre, by eco-friendliness (or other indicators), and by upcoming tours and promotions," explains Suzanne Mino Koga, co-founder, artist manager and music marketing consultant. This creates a dynamic library for advertisers to source from, to find just the right match in terms of brand feel/aspirations and audience it wishes to target. "And along the way, musical artists can tap into new potential revenue streams and raise their visibility," adds Koga.
For other businesses that use social media such as Yelp, Facebook or Twitter as a way to market and build community with their customers, there's something else to think about: the caliber of the type of customers you attract when you engage in social media. These folks are more digitally connected. And that means they can be a powerful form of advertising on your behalf. So when your customers come to your place of business, you need to provide guest wireless access to let them be your spokespersons and to keep them coming back.
Consistently monitoring social media activity is also critical. In fact, according to Indaba, 66% of businesses were using or were planning to use Social media monitoring for their business. Remember to watch out for potential security issues, as pointed out in a recent Cisco Small Business blog: As the line between personal and professional blurs, employees who might monitor or update your accounts could unknowingly introduce malware picked up from their own personal accounts.
Just as a Swiss Army knife can be a great productivity tool, so can social media—with care and clarity around how you want to use it, you can expand your community of customers and partners. Not only that, you can sharpen your results: If customers can be more productive interacting with your brand—and amplifying their experiences—you've carved out a really great success story.
If you're going to be in Houston next week, be sure to register for The Small Business Tour: Time to Thrive, on June 7. Cisco executive Lief Koepsel will talk about how small businesses can use social media—as well as cloud and mobility—to reach new levels of productivity and success.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.
3 Comments
Social media has been helpful, but it seems that unless you have some cool, unique product, people aren't interested in following you, or "liking" you. Businesses out there aren't producing some exciting, fun product seem to be lacking in the social media department. I'm still trying to find a way around that…
We are increasingly using social media successfully in a myriad of ways, including those that would not even have occurred to us 24 months ago.


text:
Jonathan Anderson | UX Magazine
I am a tech-focused jack of all trades and the editor-in-chief of UX Magazine. I'm also the author of Effective UI: The Art of Building Great User Experience in Software, published by O'Reilly Media. Through its partnership with UX Magazine, I am also a senior advisor to Didus, a recruiting and career development company focused on user-centered professionals. As well, I'm engaged as the Managing Director, Product Strategy & Design for Dapperly, a fashion-oriented software product startup, and am the Principal of First Day, a small private equity and consulting company. From 2005 to 2009, I helped found EffectiveUI, a leading UX strategy, design, and development agency focused on web, desktop, and mobile systems.
I've been fortunate to participate in work that's on the leading edge of user-centered strategy and design, customer experience, and software development. Everything is converging around an increased attention to the quality of user experiences, around web-enabled or web-like software, and around technologies that can create unified experiences across multiple platforms, devices, and applications. I've built on my experience at UX Magazine, EffectiveUI, and in writing my book to undertake a major project to find ways to make dramatic improvements to the user-centered field and to increase the perception of user-centered design, research, and technology as being core strategic values.
My work can be very hard to explain because what I do day-to-day is extremely varied since my role is usually to be a jack-of-all-trades. If I'm performing any one job function this week or month, it's always in the broader context of fulfilling the needs of that business (whatever they might be) and in the even broader context of the private equity holding and management activities of First Day.
My primary value has been to be an adaptable, fearless, fast-learning manager of and versatile resource to a large number of small businesses, where I hold the line in diverse functions while the companies are too small to hire specialized professionals for any given part of their business. This means I've had my hands in almost every aspect of starting, growing, and managing a small business, including finance, accounting, legal, management, HR, marketing/brand, PR, IT, resource management, facilities, general operations, corporate governance, project management, product development, change management, and many others.


text:
Why do people buy and play games? Entertainment value certainly factors in, but there are several other benefits to puzzles and games, including their educational value.
Just think about what happens when children (or adults) sit down to play a board game or contemplate a puzzle. Individuals come together, learn lessons about getting along and strategize. Games also encourage following guidelines for play and winning or losing with good manners. There are many who believe these are valuable life lessons, but games and puzzles also may have other intrinsic educational value in the real world.
Although it can't be assumed that playing games or doing puzzles will help make better students, there are some indications that playing certain games can have academic benefits.
In a 2008 study by Geetha Ramani and Robert Siegler, preschoolers were involved in "number line"board game research, where the player had to move a game piece through a series of sequentially numbered spaces. Prior to and after the game play the children were given math tasks appropriate for their age group. The kids who were in the control group and didn't play experienced no math skill improvement. But the ones who had played the line game had marked improvement in measured math skills. Ramani and Siegler have also found correlations between the number of board games that a child plays and a greater propensity for better preschool math performance.
Puzzles are another form of recreation that also have some educational merit and could trigger certain areas of the brain, resulting in improvement in intellectual skills. Puzzles develop hand and eye coordination and foster skills in problem-solving. They also encourage kids not to give up until the finished product is reached.
Chess has been a game of strategy played throughout the ages. There have been statements that chess can help a child become more intellectual and do better at school. Others argue the flip side, that it is the intellectual child who gravitates toward chess play and therefore skews the numbers in the terms of intelligence and chess relation.
Still there is some evidence that chess has educational merit. Markus Scholz of the University of Leipzig in Germany studied kids with learning disabilities. Researchers assigned students to receive either 5 hours of math instruction each week or 4 hours of math and 1 hour of chess instruction each week. The kids were tested at the beginning of the school year and again at the end. The students who had received chess lessons showed more improvement in basic math skills like counting and addition than those who had just received tutoring.
When choosing games for children, educational value is derived most from games that require deductive reasoning and not pure chance from the spin of a wheel. A game like "Clue" or chess requires strategy and reasoning to become the winner. Even games like "Connect Four," "Boggle," "Scrabble," and other deductive games are good choices to consider.
Although games and puzzles have the fun factor, there are educational benefits that may arise also in play.
from JeffCountynews.com http://www.jeffcountynews.com/2012/01/puzzles-games-and-educational-value/


text:
Apps for Engineers: Monitor devices, training, documentation, 360-degree viewer
CFE Media's Apps for Engineers is an interactive directory of more than 170 engineering-related applications for Android and iOS operation systems, created by various companies. The app helps users do their jobs better and save time, providing a "pre-sort" of relevant mobile engineering applications loaded with various calculators, catalogs, file viewers, measurement tools, and more.
Learn more about Apps for Engineers.
WebAccess Mobile
iOS 3.0+, Android 2.0-2.1
Cost: Free
Company: Advantech
Company Website: http://bit.ly/pEPeAy
Web download link: http://bit.ly/M7KdrY (Android), http://bit.ly/pNXmfM (iOS)
A light version of the full online version: it has the necessary functionality for monitoring devices when users can't be near a computer. It can show alarms, take snapshots of the pages with the current status of their dynamic elements, read and write tag values, and monitor the datalog trends in real-time along a graph.
Industrial Knowledge
Android 1.6
Cost: Free
Company: Industrial Technology Training
Company Website: http://bit.ly/pbRg6C
Web download link: http://bit.ly/r10gpr
View free industrial training videos or find seminars, including: PLCs, manufacturing processes, HVAC, CNC machines, industrial robots, PID control and tuning, electrical safety, and manufacturing management.
Industry Online Support
Android 2.2
Cost: Free
Company: Siemens AG
Company Website: http://bit.ly/1OUdA
Web download link: http://bit.ly/xqDCvl
The online support application by Siemens allows you access to more than 300,000 documents on Siemens products and activities on everything from advice and assistance for a project to troubleshooting.
iOS 4.0, Android 1.6
Cost: Free
Company: Yokogawa Corporation of America
Company Website: www.dpharp.com
Web download link: http://bit.ly/18mSPGI (Android), http://bit.ly/1gWiirs (iOS)
The DPharp app features unique insight into Yokogawa's family of pressure transmitters. It contains a highly detailed 360 degree virtual product viewer with hotspots of key features. The touch interface allows for easy manipulation of the 360 viewer to find and explore each hotspot.
– CFE Media Apps for Engineers


text:
Back to The Basics: One Man's Journey
Joseph Henry is an Army veteran who has worked with troubled youth through the church for the last thirteen years. He can tell you firsthand about many of the social issues that affect families and create a need for the type of outreach he does. Henry thinks the issues can be corrected a little closer to home.
Back to The Basics is his view of the core reasons why many people feel hurt or abandoned by organized religion. Henry's emphasis is on the Bible, and his book serves as a road map through the Good Book itself. From beginning to end it takes a no-holds-barred view of where religion is today and how it can return to what he feels it should be.
"We have to get back to a moral, family-oriented church," he writes.
The book covers 34 key issues that Henry feels cover the foundation of how to work towards that goal.
"I'm not saying this is the answer but, it is a start," he concludes.
Back to The Basics is a book that takes you through one man's journey deeper into his faith. Page by page it covers key issues and with Bible verses cited to back up his beliefs.
This book can be purchased from the publishers website www.iuniverse.com.
Joseph Henry will have a book-signing August 16 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Readers Choice, 2407 MLK Drive in Orange.


text:
San Jose Sharks winger Raffi Torres' hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety for his hit on Kings center Jarret Stoll on Tuesday has ended, but the league is not expected to announce its verdict until later Thursday.
The announcement probably will be made before Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series between the Kings and Sharks is played Thursday night at Staples Center. The Kings won the opener, 2-0, but lost Stoll late in the second period to a suspected concussion that is likely to keep him out a week or more.
Stoll did not participate in the Kings' morning skate Thursday. Brad Richardson took Stoll's place between left wing Dustin Penner and right wing Trevor Lewis. Coach Darryl Sutter said Lewis, as a natural center who is right-handed, could take some draws when the situation calls for a right-handed shooter.
"He may not be a top-two-line guy for us but he's got a lot of fingerprints all over the game every time we have one," defenseman Rob Scuderi said, a good summation.
"He takes faceoffs, he's on the penalty kill, he's on the power play and key faceoffs, at the end of the game when maybe we need a goal or we don't, he does all those things. So he's got a lot of fingerprints on top of a hockey game and we're going to miss him."
The Kings didn't have to make many lineup changes during their Stanley Cup run last season -- they used the same six defensemen in all 20 games -- but they've already had to adjust on the fly this time. Stoll's absence will test them in many ways, since he was one of their top faceoff guys and among their most physical forwards.
"It takes a team to win a championship and we certainly have top-flight guys and they have to play at a top level for us to have a chance," Scuderi said. "But even the guys like myself, good role players, you have to be able to do your part so the other guys can do theirs. And I guess we're just going to flat-out miss him."
Richardson replacing Stoll looked to be the only lineup change for the Kings based on their configurations in the morning skate. That meant no Kyle Clifford (undisclosed injury) or Matt Greene.
The Sharks will juggle their lines without Torres, who was suspended by the league pending his hearing.
Based on their lines in their morning skate on Thursday, Tim Kennedy—who was scratched from the lineup in Game 1—will center the fourth line in Game 2 with Andrew Desjardins and Bracken Kearns as his wingers. Joe Pavelski moved from center to right wing, with Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture.
"We discussed a lot of different options, and I don't know if this is written in stone by any means," Sharks Coach Todd McLellan said. "We've got to start somewhere and see where it goes."
Check back later for more coverage.
Watch Raffi Torres' vicious hit on Jarret Stoll
David Beckham says he's going to retire at end of season
Live discussion: Previewing Game 2 between the Kings and Sharks


text:
Felt Tulip Stem - Sold Individually - Hamro Village
This felt flower is attached to a flexible wire stem and then wire is felted again with wool. You can gently straighten out the flower until you are happy with the arrangement. 17 inches tall. Sold individually.
Meet the Artisans
Hamro Village
Hamro Village is a wholesaler brand of fair trade products handcrafted in Nepal. The majestic Himalayas, the rugged mountains and the flora and fauna form the character of Nepal's 47 different ethnic groups, and this is reflected in distinctiveness of Hamro products. They believe in transparency based on open dialogue and respect with artisans to ensure better working conditions and greater equity.
Orders will be shipped within 48 hours of placement unless specifically stated. Orders are shipped Monday through Friday. The warehouse is closed on holidays and weekends. Orders placed on weekends and holidays are processed the next opened business day. Orders are typically delivered within 2 weeks. Please consult tracking numbers for up to date information.
We offer Priority Mail for US and International orders. Please note international orders may get charged Duty and Taxes by your the country of destination. You are solely responsible for any duty or taxes.
Returns - The Village Country Store
Our policy lasts 14 days. Within 14 days of purchase you can return your goods, no questions asked. If 14 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately we can't offer you a refund or exchange.
General Returns
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.
Please contact us for a return authorization and shipping instructions. Please include the paperwork you received with your order or a print out of your email confirmation to enable us to process your return.
If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance.
Damaged Goods
Please notify us by email email@example.com - we will determine if we need the item returned. A replacement will be set.


text:
Gardening and nutrition education for youth is vital to cultivating healthy kids and healthy communities. In addition to adult gardening classes, Urban Harvest has an extensive Youth Education program. We offer advice, education and services to provide parents, teachers and administrators with information to build and maintain a successful and sustainable school garden program.
Urban Harvest also has school partnerships to develop outdoor classrooms including programming with an Urban Harvest garden educator and project management. Garden education programs are delivered after school or during school to enrich curriculum. Standard subjects include social studies, math, science and language arts. In addition, we explore nutrition, food systems and native habitats and ecosystems at elementary and middle schools in the Houston and Spring Branch ISDs.
Kids Market Day!
at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center-PVA
Our Kid-grown, kid-sold market will be held this year on Saturday, March 23, 2019.
1101 Taft St, 77019
When: Saturday, 3/23/19
Time: 10:00AM-12Noon


text:
A director is facing a backlash for wanting to make a film near Newtown, Conn., about a mentally ill teen and his parents' fears after the Sandy Hook shootings.
"I will do everything in my power to prevent this," Ridgefield, Conn., First Selectman Rudy Marconi told The (Danbury) News-Times after Jonathan Bucari and a film crew scouted locations in Ridgefield over the weekend, including an elementary school.
The psychological wounds from the Dec. 14, 2012, mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 schoolchildren and six adult staff members dead are still too fresh, Marconi told WVIT-TV, West Hartford.
"Mr. Bucari is going to have to find another location," Marconi, a Democrat, told the TV station. "It will not be in Ridgefield."
Ridgefield, a town of 25,000 in southwestern Connecticut, is about 18 miles from Newtown, population 27,000.
Marconi, whose position as first selectman means he's the town's chief executive and administrative officer, told WVIT he received dozens of phone calls from constituents complaining about the film possibility.
But Bucari, who grew up and went to film school in France, says on Facebook, "We are not making a movie about what happened in Newtown and never will do so."
The film, titled "Illness," is about mental illness and uses Newtown as a context, producer Carina Rush says in a message on the Indiegogo "crowd funding" website.
She describes the film, for which she seeks $3,000 through Indiegogo, as being "about the tragic fate of Benjamin, a 13-year-old boy with a terrible mental illness, and the ever-growing fear of his parents after they learn about the shooting in Newtown."
Bucari, who lives 20 miles west of Newtown and 12 miles northwest of Ridgefield in the Hudson Valley village of Brewster, N.Y., told News 12 Connecticut he selected Ridgefield "because it has the same look and feel as Newtown."
He says on Facebook he plans to dedicate the film "to the victims of the shooting in Newtown."
Rush says on Indiegogo any money the film earns from film festival awards "will be used for the formation of a foundation to help the many families with children struggling with mental illness."
"We believe that everyone can relate to this film and that we can make an impact on mental illness," her Indiegogo fundraising pitch says.
Bucari -- whose Internet Movie Database biography says he directed a TV pilot titled "The Sacrificial Lamb" last year and is planning a feature-length film titled "Max's Fantastic Adventures" -- did not immediately respond to a message from United Press International seeking comment.


text:
We all know that electric cars can be fast — very fast — and that they have the potential to make outstanding racecars. Except one big, looming issue, the same cruel monster that haunts every electric car — how far can they actually go?
Range is always the limiting factor with electric cars, and the length of time needed to recharge them. In certain types of races, like drag racing, you could avoid these issues by letting the cars have direct access to power at all times. With sparks, too. But for other sorts of track racing or rally racing, this just isn't practical. So how can this be made to work?
Even Nissan's "electric" Le Mans car, the ZEOD RC, will only run one lap in an hour's session on electric power. That's not an electric car — that's a gas car that pretends to be electric 5 or 6% of the time. That's like saying your average Furry is a giant, anthropomorphic wolf-human hybrid even though 95% of the time it's just a lonely guy with a vivid, pervy imagination.
If we're talking stock-based electric racecars, options like battery swaps aren't really an option. A Tesla, for example, builds its many batteries right into its skateboard chassis, and there's no easy way to swap them out. Charging, even with one of their advanced Superchargers, still takes about 20 mins to get 100 miles of charge. That's not bad for normal driving (though still a good bit slower than a conventional fill-up for the mileage) but in a race context, that takes forever and gets you nothing. Racing is much more taxing than normal driving, and that "100 miles" would be swallowed up in no time. The batteries can hold over twice that amount, but that means more time in the pits.
Maybe the solution is that electric racing teams can have multiple cars? Say, three-cars for one driver. Two cars are charging while one is on track, guaranteeing that there will always be a fully-charged car ready to go. The driver pits, changes cars, and goes back out.
Is that fair to the gasoline teams, since it effectively splits car wear and tear over three cars? Is there a better way?
Let's hear some ideas, and then I'll get Elon on the horn to get this moving.


text:
High-Pricers Hrithik Roshan Abhishek Bachchan seem to lose ground
Post the box office duds like Raavan and Kites that starred Bollywood biggies like Abhishek Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan respectively, the two have lost their 'pricy status' so to speak!
According to a buzz, it has been found that, both Abhishek and Hrithik, who've been two of the most sought-after Bollywood male stars, have sort of lost their charm and are really not in demand like they used to be.
According to the Bollywood buzz that has been doing its rounds, the forthcoming flicks Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara and Game, starring


text:
Did you read today's front page stories & breaking news?
Today's Top SOA Links
Industry News Desk
America's First CIO Nominee Favors Cloud Computing Approach
Kundra is best known for overhauling the D.C. government's tech system
By: Jeremy Geelan
Mar. 10, 2009 10:00 PM
Now that Vivek Kundra, the former chief technology officer for Washington, D.C, has become America's first CIO, it is interesting to look at his pronouncements on cloud computing. (He's not America's CTO remember, that appointment's yet to be announced.) Wall Street Journal blogger Amy Schatz notes that Kundra is best known "for overhauling the D.C. government's tech system and replacing it with one that provides real-time data for the mayor and his deputies about where money is being spent."
Schatz also notes that the D.C. government also started putting more information online after he took over, and it is this aspect of Kundra that the Journal's Ben Worthen also underlined when he quoted an earlier Wall Street Journal article about Kundra in which he said:
"I'm all about the cloud computing notion. I look at my lifestyle, and I want access to information wherever I am. I am killing projects that don't investigate software as a service first."
Kundra even sponsored a contest last year for programmers to come up with new ways of using D.C. data in iPhone and Internet applications, so it should be an interesting few years for America, with its brand new 34-year old CIO.
Reader Feedback: Page 1 of 1
Subscribe to the World's Most Powerful Newsletters
Subscribe to Our Rss Feeds & Get Your SYS-CON News Live!
SYS-CON Featured Whitepapers


text:
How to Torture an Eggplant, or Make Tortang Talong
The alternative name for tortang talong as "tortured eggplant" (real translation: "eggplant omelet") intrigued me. How is it tortured? Marvin of Burnt Lumpia outlines its creation: It starts with a full-body charring, then the skin is peeled off, the flesh is "mooshed and flattened," and then it's dunked into a egg bath, topped with ground meat, and pan fried to a crisp. Sounds delicious—the eggplant gives itself up for a good cause.
Blogwatch: Duck Adobo Confit
Dinner Tonight: Adobong Na Manok
Chicken Adobo
Grilling: Filipino Barbecue
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.