RichC | December 31, 2008
Popular Mechanics offers a nice review of the new VW Touareg V-6 TDI. Our drive to Mexico and back in a Touareg V6 TDI required few fill-ups. In fact, after several hundred miles we still had nearly two-thirds of a tank of fuel left. If we maintained our 65-mph cruising speed while getting the indicated [...]
RichC | December 30, 2008
In the last issue of Volkswagen’s DasAuto Magazine, the “Ask Volkswagen” segment answered one of the most common questions I hear Volkswagen TDI owners ask. This as to do with how their TDI diesel vehicles run alternatives to petroleum, be it be SVO, WVO (Straight or Waste Vegetable Oil) or biodiesel. The “Can I use [...]
RichC | December 29, 2008
I should probably wait until I get a chance to read Daniel Tammet‘s new book “Embracing the Wide Sky: A Tour Across the Horizons of the Mind,” but since I commented and enjoy his previous book, “Born on a Blue Day,” will make a comment. Tammet, one of the more notable high-functioning autistic savants,and has [...]
RichC | December 28, 2008
Once again my Treo smart phone ‘email to blog’ didn’t post correctly while visiting family in New York state. A couple posts were missed, but I’ll quickly upload at least this one family photo for postarity sake. It is from the Howard Bowl 2008 and shows the well trampled field (my father-in-laws lawn) after our [...]
RichC | December 27, 2008
Although I really haven’t watched much television (besides some news and sports) for years, I’m now hooked on a couple DVD television series sets. A couple of months ago, instead of watching a movie on a Friday or Saturday night, my wife and I started the series 24. We were quickly hooked by Jack Bauer [...]
RichC | December 26, 2008
Often times those who are ‘somewhat’ computer literate dread the holidays with family for reason other than “they are family.” How many receive the annual (or semi-annual) questions a post over at Lifehacker offers assistance about? “It takes forever to start up.” “I keep getting a pop-up saying I need to pay for my antivirus [...]
RichC | December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas all. We had a nice day relaxing at home and enjoying presents, cookies and each other’s company. Unfortunately I notice a “diesel fuel smell” in the garage when my daughter parked her 2001 VW Jetta TDI in the other night … so I took part of the afternoon to investigate: a leaking fuel [...]
RichC | December 23, 2008
Although I’m pretty fond of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI clean-diesel when it comes to highly efficient, yet enjoyable to drive, transportation, Ford might have a winner if they can build and price the new Ford Fusion Hybrid attractively. Their new 2010 mid-sized vehicle is going to be the most fuel efficient mid-sized car sold in [...]
RichC | December 23, 2008
My daughter’s good friend Nora headed home for Christmas in Seattle about the time heavy snow socked in all, but the most capable of winter vehicles … you know … snowmobiles, large 4×4 trucks, Jeeps and Smartcars! (thanks Nora for the great iPhone photos of your dad’s car that I’ll post below)
RichC | December 22, 2008
The drugstore sector stumbles at the market open on Monday after Walgreen’s (WAG) announced that their profit fell 10 percent in its fiscal first quarter. Traders responded with selling shares even after acknowledging the shortfall was due to “the costs opening more than 200 new store.” The company answered the loss with a plan to [...]
RichC | December 21, 2008
I was updating a small video project this weekend and have been struggling with a way to boost the gain on a USB Snowball microphone used for voice overs. Thankfully there are a couple links for the updates that at least give it boost on the Mac and Windows computers — unfortunately I wasn’t able [...]
RichC | December 19, 2008
The US military’s DARPA research agency is sponsoring research under the Biofuels-Cellulosic and Algal Feedstock program. Its goal is to develop the technical capability and commercial experience to produce an affordable JP-8 surrogate fuel from algae, in order to create a wider range of options if some of the US Army’s Corps of Engineers’ predictions [...]