chuck kottke

Well, hello too you too!:P

:sleeping:^^ I am thinking about the specificity of wavelengths that different molecules absorb, and re-radiate. Diatomic nitrogen, diatomic oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor... And the fact that usually what gets re-emitted is of a lower frequency (longer wavelength) than what is absorbed (at least with visible light.) What gives with heat? Is it the same, or different?? Is there a cascade to a minimum frequency for IR between molecules?

The harmonic beat patterns generated by two computer fans, operating at slightly different speeds.. And the computer head clicking occasionally. Plus the faint wheezing of the wood stove, telling me I had better place another log on the fire, or freeze tonight!:laugh3:

Interplanetary travel is next; We'll be needing as many teleporters as we can muster to get people from place to place..:P

Yes, I find the name quite humorous as well!:laugh3: Wild bunch - look like they live in West Virginia or something!:P

Welcome Kimber! Enjoy the rhythm and rhyme, and all the chimes!

I was thinking something.. and then it went away!:laugh3: These are the times that try men's souls.. so wear extra heavy rubber soles, and bring good warm gloves!

I like Rangerovers too, Katie.:) They're great for slow, muddy roads in places where "improved" roads means they put bridges over the streams, and gravel on the gooey clay hills. But, the body shape (a traditional shape for trucks from a bye-gone era) is boxy and un-aerodynamic. Fine at 20 MPH, but wasteful at 60 MPH. And the weight - there's no problem today to make vehicles lighter, so the weight needs to be halved, and the strength actually increased. The clearance is fantastic for rutted roads, and that doesn't significantly increase drag, but the underbelly needs a smooth pan to elimiate drag (and brush that gets caught in the suspension members!:P). One factor holding this all up is the auto makers. They would have to change production methods quite a bit, and the cost to retool would cut into their profit margins for a few quarters. Another factor is vehicle appearance. These retooled vehicles would look different, and their acceptance would take quite some time (unless gas prices soar again!). So, since rising fuel costs cause angst with the public, the only real way to get the change to happen before an oil shortage is through government incentives to consumers, offsetting the purchase cost for a super-efficient vehicle. Also, mandated standards can help too - really upping the CAFE standards and safety standards, for instance.

Well, it's an issue alright - I'm not happy with the way we're approaching biofuels as well, but say for instance we used switchgrass for cellulosic ethanol, and it were done efficiently. To me, that's legit. But it has to be done in concert with large improvements in efficiency, or it hardly makes a dent in the problem... Have you ever smelled the exhaust of a Diesel running on bio-diesel? It smells like frying donuts!:P Plus, one has to consider what we do with our massive grain crops - much of it goes to feed livestock, which is a very inefficient use to begin with. Besides, cows are meant to eat grass and other herbs, not grain.. Oh well, that's another topic! Ah, but you can power an SUV with the same engine as a smaller car, Katie! How so? Well, it turns out that most of the time, you only need 10-20 HP to keep an auto going down the road at highway speeds. The horsepower is only really needed when you acclererate or climb a hill. Therefore, an SUV with a small engine and a battery/capacitor boost system works just fine! And the more aerodyamic the auto, the less power is required to push through the air at highway speed. Since sports cars are using that same energy for acceleration and top speed, it's actually quite do-able. The secret rests with drag coefficient, cross-sectional area, and weight. Cars and airplanes are really quite similar in many ways, and one historic example is the Japanese Zero. The plane was built with very light, strong aluminum alloys, and a light, powerful engine. It could mauver like a kite, turn on a dime, and accelerate like a bullet! The same concept today, applied to autos as composite bodies, aluminum monoques, and exceptional streamline designs has the same effect in the automotive world. Yes, you're right on the money there! Weight is one issue, both for acceleration and for rolling friction. Lighter cars are fast on takeoff, and traction issues can be overcome with newer tire designs, and rear ailerons. And new materials are the way - they offer exceptional strength at a minimum of weight, and can offer excellent crash protection as well.

Starting at 1994 is a bit limiting when looking at historic trends. I think we've been through worse, and while it's a recession, it isn't the end-of-the world as some people keep prophesying.. The slope on the graph looks bad for the past year though.. it might get worse before it gets better. I'm still not convinced it can't be recovered before we plunge further down.. The UK doesn't have any real industries anymore? I have a protractor made in England, and a chocolate bar made there too! They offer some great entertainment venues, too (;))... And MoonPig!:laugh3:

Welcome, and enjoy the free tour! (popcorn's extra though..):P

Here's the Lute:[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7yWazWT-3o&feature=PlayList&p=1792E50C55DED012&index=0&playnext=1]YouTube - yes - (your move) I've seen all good people[/ame] You tell me who's playing!:)

*BUMP* Human Bump! The United States Unemployment Rate Looking back at recent history, while the unemplyment rate is high, in a sense it's not all that bad compared to 1982, even the mid 1990's. Perhaps the economic situation isn't beyond hope at this point - while the unemplyment figures continue to rise, we can restructure in a way to lower the figure and change the direction of the curve..

The Joshua Tree:Yucca brevifolia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What's possible if we put our minds to it, is nothing short of miraculous.

An electric range rover - got a range for it? I have to agree on the driving range and performance issues. That's why I favor true hybrids, which unlike their current counterparts, use battery (clean battery technology batteries) power for a range of 100 miles or more, and then offer a motor-generator which can be automatically switched on for extending the range - when you want to go on a longer trip. One thing to consider, if you're looking at automobiles from the Green perspective, is that total vehicle weight is a significant source of carbon emission, simply because each pound of materials requires a large amount of energy to manufacture in each step of the process. We may have to make a few trade-offs if we want a green automotive revolution. Like it or not, body shape is the #1 efficiency gain to be made, simply because autos behave like airplanes at highway speeds. Drag coefficients are big big factors in efficiency and mileage. Performance can be enhanced as well with better body shapes, so it's actually good in that department. Electric vehicles for the most part have excellent acceleration and a lower center of gravity (due to low placement of batteries), so they make very good sense as far as sporting goes (as true for the California Tesla motors car, the Aptera, as well as the Range Rover..). But we must dream beyond to reach the higher plane of what is possible.. Just looking at Bucky Fuller's Dymaxion car, this is what's possible if we put our minds to work on the problem.Dymaxion car - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 30 miles per gallon in 1932! Seats 11 comfortably! This vehicle was an SUV!! It used a standard Ford V8 engine, which by today's standards was less than half as efficient as a modern V8 of comparable power. In other words, if it were equipped with a modern engine and drive-train, one could expect it to achieve 70 miles per gallon or better! The top speed was never reached, but Fuller estimated it to be around 120 miles per hour. We have a long way to go. That same design, equipped with lithium batteries and a backup engine for long distances, could outperform some of the roadster electrics being offered today. This is where we need to be headed. Buckminster Fuller's idea that we can do more with less, and enrich everyone's lives was a maxim to live up to; an inspiration to the human race, and an insight into what's really possible if we put our minds to it.;) PS - engines might be old technology, but they are sound engineering and will be with us for a long time to come. Efficiency has to be view from a larger perspective than what Rang Rover claims - from source to final power at the wheels, multiplying the efficiency of electric production at each step of the way, we find: (Green Power Generation 30% X Transmission Efficiency 90% X Electric Automotive Efficiency 90%) = 24%. Internal Combustion engines have their losses as well: (Pumping and Refining Energy Efficiency 80% X Delivery Efficiency 90% X Auto Engine Efficiency 25%) = 18%. That's just for descriptive purposes (there are more losses, and I'm giving rough guesstimates on the %s.). If compression ratio is increased, and full expansion for the hot gasses allowed, then the efficiency of an engine might double, to 50%. Using biofuels obtained from well managed sources could offer one solution to the fuel dilemma. The problem with electrics is they need to be charged up, and that takes time. Or the batteries need to be swapped at filling station for a quick get-up-and-go refueling. This is possible, so that's one option. Or, with true hybrids, liquid fuels are rarely needed (and engines can burn hydrogen quite well too). When they are needed, regular filling stations can offer them (biodiesel, bio-oil, pure veggie oil, biomass fuels, etc.). Significantly lowering demand for liquid or gaseous fuels makes bio-fuel practical, as a level of energy production that is then sustainable.

True, switching off unused lights makes sense. But to get things to really change, we need to look at the process of making electricity, as well as other things such as plastic:Plastic is Drastic: World's Largest 'Landfill' is in the Middle of the Ocean CAPT. CHARLES MOORE / Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF) 1nov02 Daylighting (daylight; sounds like a song!) is one step we can take to increase the light levels inside a home or workplace, and not need to turn on the lights. Better placement of windows, modern skylights, and the like can make a big difference. Daylighting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Light-transmitting concrete - optics.org This ^^ is so cool! Maybe a bit impractical, but I think it's just neat..

Is there a full moon out?? That usually makes me weird! Speaking of which, I had better head off to bed, for my horses are about to turn into a pumpkin.. Nite Carla!

did you try and search for it? Maybe it's using a different driver or port?? Or, you can sometimes switch to a different type of port..

:laugh3::laugh3::laugh3: The Leggo people were saved, fortunately, by the quick action of a leggo crane and human hand. One leggo person lost his head, and it had to be reattached at the leggo hospital.:laugh3: The ship, however went down to the bottom, never to be seen again in the murky depths of the triangle.

It was a small ship; just room enough for one or two leggo people..:) I think the monster wasn't the problem. Someone pulled the plug on the bottom of the ocean, and it vanished down the drain!:P

That does make a lot of sense, actually... Especially with a saying that resonates so well!

weird? How so?

Funny! I think my last boat got sunk there - could you raise it from the bottom for me??:laugh3: Bigfoot protected your thread, eh?? Must be one of the VIP's for the board then!:P

What's with the black butter knife in that Avatar?:rolleyes::lol: