chuck kottke

Basically, to allow the combustion gasses to expand fully, and give the piston all the power it can take makes sense. I've wondered if perhaps there's more than one approach to solve this problem - maybe a fully hydraulic engine, with the piston and push rod driving a hydraulic cylinder pump, and being driven by hydraulics on the compression stroke - then the compression could be fully controlled.. Perhaps too much friction involved with the fluid dynamics and seals, but it's a neat idea! Lighten up the auto quite a bit - there's ample space for change in that department as well. If the energy used to make an auto is about equal to the fuel it takes to drive one in it's lifespan, then we need to consider the overall vehicle mass and energy embodied in the components, as well as fuel consumption.

I recall traveling through Ohio, and what I recall you've described - a variety of farming! Perhaps more poultry than hogs or sheep in the areas where I've been. Very productive farms! Yes, the farm economy has been heavily tilted in favor of the major corporate farms - I understand that problem well! Glad to hear you're uncles are still farming it, in spite of the hardships. Farming is definitely something that ties you to the land, and gives you a real sense of place - clocks still keep the time, but much of the living on a farm is on god's time. (the season's, the rising of the sun, the rains, the time when crops grow and bloom and set seeds and fruit keeps you're senses keenly aware..) It's a life of work and dedication to the operation, so best to see what it's like before you take the plunge (and I agree, a garden is a good start.;)) Organic gardening is a great choice - I've been gardening organically for decades, and with usually good results. Most of the pest problems are over-blown, but some locations have pests which can be serious challenges! Here, it's the rose chafer beetle, which devours roses, raspberries, and apples. But to start out, try something that's big, easy, and almost assures success. I've gone to the larger garden crops for the ease of maintenance - 12 rows of corn, 6 of beans, and 6 of squash, plus 3 rows of peas. Easier to tackle than carrots, beets, etc. - biggest challenge is to maintain good soil moisture - which in sand is a problem after 3 dry days in a row - so irrigation is essential. Fertility too, as the plants need a nitrogen boost every two or three weeks. Starting in July is mid-season, but in Florida, that might be just fine - day neutral plants work best. Our county extension service does offer great advice here, and there's plenty of advice for organic farming and gardening available, so that's one quick source..

It varies. What kind of farming would you be doing in Ohio, Nick? (Ohio is good for growing numerous crops - from clover to soybeans to corn to small grains..) My godfather had a large farm in Indiana - along the Wabash. He grew mostly soybeans, and the soil was nice rich earth, unlike our northern glacial soils..

I like being less busy though! Time to contemplate;) the universe, and our role in it.. Bryce, what's new in the southern hemisphere?? Seeing any auroras from the south pole this season?

I like being less busy though! Time to contemplate;) the universe, and our role in it.. Bryce, what's new in the southern hemisphere?? Seeing any auroras from the south pole this season?

That's the talking cure!;) But a massage therapist cures so much more than that!:P

Someday I'll work up the courage to buy that digital camera, and a sound recording device of suitable quality.. but it's a work in progress.. ;) It's pretty good thus far, but methinks the piano needs a tune up! I mostly don't go out - rarely want to these days! Us hermits are content with the simple pleasures in life.. (and I just made pie crust, - pop it in the oven, with a little cinnamon and sugar on top - crunchy and simple:rolleyes:)

Hmm.. no cinnamon? Alright then, plain.:P Plus, the meal includes Daylight, Green Eyes, and candle light, if you prefer.. (plus a new musical number I've been working on.)

Welcome Sandra!:sunny::flutterby::flutterby::flutterby: Enjoy the zaniness of this place, and glad you could join our merry troupe!

?? It's good to help relax.. & it's best if you have a cute red-head to give you one..:gorgeous:

Alejandrina, welcome aboard! Hola!:sombrero::sunny:

Java!:cool: & Peanut butter & Chocolate.

I want a therapist too. A massage therapist!:P

Dates can be good, but figs are better.:P Life is meant to be taken at a human speed.... tonight's dinner consisted of: black beans with 11 herbs and spices, a small cornish game hen, some spicey mustard greens, and cinnamon pie crust for dessert... (and I forgot the wild rice in the microwave! Locally harvested from a lake near here - ever try it??) Come on over - I'll serve you up a dish if you like.:)

123 ABC:) But I like Billy Jean as well..

I am surprised as well - he's fairly young! I recall my dad telling me that he had met Michael Jackson when Michael was just a very young kid - how time zooms by, and now he's gone...

Auto makers resist change. It's easier ( and for them far more profitable) to keep modifying existing structures, than to retool and make a whole new design. In fact, the most profit had been made by the SUV lines (essentially trucks), as they could be marked up substantially, and customers paid whatever the automakers asked for! That was before the economy sagged, and before gas shot up in price. So, the weight issue is linked to resistance to change - the pre-existing models were trucks, and the manufacturing lines could keep making many of the same parts +/- a few changes - just add a body over it with the seats and doors, and there it was - easy for them, and very profitable. Nothing new about that either - even the Ford Prefect (also a character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe) retained much of the earlier design features, such as an engine which kept being revamped from it's inception in the late 1920's. Tweak a grill here, a body panel there, add a feature, etc. - I've seen the books on the plans into the future, and it's always a gradual transition that the auto makers like. The benefits, aside from low costs of production, are the reliability of a given design. But that could all change, with computer design and simulation - problems can be seen ahead of production. What I think is that we are on the nascent cusp of real change in automotive design. As fuel prices will surely soar, the future actually looks bright for newer and better ways of building automobiles. Safety in collisions is still an issue, and one could say the higher vehicle profile is part of the competitive nature of humans - always the height issues, so it was with carriages, and so it became with the auto. But to satisfy the ecological concerns, it's necessary to consider ways to miniminze the harm done to get the goods. If one does the vehicle calculations - 15,000 miles per year, for 12.5 years, that works out to about 188,000 miles per auto (or 303,000 Kilometers). Given a mileage rating of 20 miles per gallon, or 8.5 Kilometers per Liter, that translates into roughly 9,400 Gallons, or 35,600 Liters of fuel used per vehicle lifetime. Anotherwords, 70,000 pound of fuel per average U.S. automobile. 35 Tons worth. That's just for one - now multiply that by some odd 200 million or so vehicles on the road, and you can see just the tip of the iceberg in terms of resources and energy! Costly as it is amazing, the 9,400 gallons would run up a tag of around around $28,200 US dollars, roughly equal to the purchase price of a new large automobile!! That's at $3.00/gallon gasoline - which in 12.5 more years will be yesterday's dream. So, the point I'm trying to make is that this is money going out the window, and affecting the Earth's natural systems in some very profound ways. Add some lithium batteries, get the engine up to snuff for efficiency, and drop the weight. Figure out how nature works miracles with impacts, and apply that knowledge gained. Braking as well - add some air brakes to production cars. Make softer, grippier tires, and perhaps add an emergency traction plate to be lowered in case of black ice or hydroplaning. Redesign for smoother aerodynamics, better braking systems, and ways to keep the inside cool without the energy losses. But for a priority list, first: - make real hybrids. Electric motor systems is the way to go. - use lithium batteries, and carbon nanotube supercapacitors. Power without the damage - engine as a device to power a generator primarily, as a long-distance power system - wide solar panels that pop up to gain more sun (and keep the car cool in the lot) - re-engineer the car to take the impacts, much as animals in the wild do. - streamline, regen-braking, and better ways with cooling. - look back and look ahead for answers - sometimes we've already tried it, and it's been passed by in an era of cheap fuel and no concern for the environment. Sometimes it needs to be dreamed first to be made possible. Imagination is sometimes more powerful than current knowledge.

9:59:30 And contemplating the real reason auto makers refuse to change..

Why such big bills? Life keeps getting more and more expensive, and the income isn't keeping up.. It's always been rough for the working classes, but this nation has really put the squeeze on us - (me wishing it were different..) All I really want is to keep things going, and to have a normal life, but the costs continue to rise.. Hoping the garden produces a bounty - watering in the heat, and maybe that will save a little..

Well, you did good work, and you'll get your just reward in the satisfaction knowing you helped whoever it was that needed help cleaning up after a storm. One gold star for Ivet!:sunny:

:rolleyes:And what might be the matter, Ivet?

Cars have gotten heavier because: today they're trucks. Basically, the SUV is nothing more than a truck frame with a heavy body set onto it; so the massive frame, heavy engine and drive train, plus the body adds up to several tons. If you want a safer car, it's a matter of better designs for impacts - hence the reference to bio-mimicry of the various birds which can hit objects/water at incredible speeds with no harm done to themselves.. But that's a thought which hadn't occurred to me - safety systems which actively prevent collisions! It's been tried in the past, but the feeling was that it made a "crutch" for the driver to be less attentive - I'll have to take a look at how mini does it! (or did it?)..

Al Jolson Muddy Waters Gladys Night and the Pips Aretha Franklin Buddy Holly The Spinners The Four Tops The Fifth Dimension Deep Purple Frank Zappa Leonard Skynard Neil Diamond Chuck Berry Jerry Lee Lewis The Shondells Elvis Presley and.. ABBA:P and especially The Moody Blues!

Carbon-12, Oxygen-16, Nitrogen-14, some Noble gasses, and a whole bunch of isotopes in minute quantities..

:laugh3: The Rolls Royce and the Lambert. Does anybody remember the Lambert?