Gasoline spill on an Ottawa road yields wonderful metallic colours.

Web site: www.robhuntley.ca
Click on the image to go straight to the same image on my website.

Dow Jones reports that “a surprise announcement Tuesday night to extend a tax break for Brazilian auto makers likely means greater-than-expected car sales in the first quarter of 2010.” Brazil’s government plans to keep the Industrial Production Tax (known as IPI) down at 3% for flex-fuel vehicles with small 1.0 liter engines for another three months. “The ostensible reason for the continued tax break is the environmentally friendly nature of the flex-fuel vehicles, which can run on either gasoline or ethanol.”

The report goes on to say, “’the decision covers literally about half of Brazil’s car fleet, as the majority of new car sales are small-engine flex-fuel vehicles. Larger engine flex-fuel cars will not benefit” anymore from the lower tax rates or gasoline cars of any engine size. The Brazilian government also said that it will extend the IPI exemptions for new truck sales to stimulate swapping of older, more polluting vehicles by new, less polluting ones.

The Brazilian ethanol producers did not miss a chance to praise the announcement, noting in a press release that since the advent of flex fuel cars in 2003, the country has avoided 75 million tons of CO2.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE by S.I. Fishgal

(US PTO Application 961,958 dated 11-20-1978)

ABSTRACTF THE DISCLOSURE

   An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder in which a piston with a crown is reciprocally disposed, with main and auxiliary combustion chambers and a communication passage between them. The auxiliary combustion chamber is executed in the shape of a sonic fluidic oscillator. The latter is formed by a closed loop channel having its inlet opposite to and outlet crossing said communication passage.
   In the first embodiment of the invention, the closed loop channel is arranged in a cylinder head.
   In the second embodiment of the invention, the closed loop channel is arranged in said piston crown and communicates with a cavity spaced apart on the crown.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

   This invention relates to gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines provided with main and auxiliary combustion chambers (the latter chamber is often referred to as pre-combustion chamber or pre-chamber). Their 60-year history is described, for example, in Jan P. Norbye, Stratified Charge, Road & Track, 1976, June.
   In such engines, fuel is injected into the auxiliary combustion chamber to produce a rich fuel-air mixture. A portion of the fuel can be supplied into the main combustion chamber to produce a lean fuel-air mixture. This attains the stratified charge combustion (with primary and secondary combustion).
   Such stratified charge combustion is advantageous in reducing nitrogen oxides, but increases non-burnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide due to the rich fuel-air mixture in the auxiliary combustion chamber.
   In engines of US patents Nos. 3,916,864; 3,924,580; 4,005,684; 4,076,000; 4,058,090, and German patent No. 2,001,518, the main combustion chamber has intake and exhaust valves and a communication passage with the auxiliary combustion chamber. The latter has a fuel injection nozzle and gets air from the main combustion chamber. The flame produced in the auxiliary chamber causes secondary combustion in the main chamber.
   The engines of US patents Nos. 4,005,684; 4,076,000 and 4,058,090 have both the combustion chambers in the cylinder head. The engine of US patent No. 3,924,580 has its main combustion chamber in the piston crown. The engines of US patent No. 3,916,864 and German patent No. 2,001,518 have both the chambers in the piston crown. This provides the possibility to modify convenient engines.
   The objective of this invention is to achieve uniform blending and finest dispersion of fuel-air mixture in order to decrease fuel consumption and harmful components of engine exhaust gases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

   Above objective is achieved by means of executing the auxiliary combustion chamber in the shape of a sonic fluidic oscillator formed by a closed loop channel having its inlet opposite to and outlet crossing said communication passage, in order to return fluid flow and deflect the initial stream away from the communication passage.
   Internal combustion engines with sonic generators are known (e.g. Jan P. Norbye, Ultrasonic Fuel Systems Promise Cleaner Exhaust and Better Mileage from Standard Piston Engines, Popular Science, 1973, March; Should We Have a New Engine? Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, v. 2, 1975; US patents Nos. 3,533,606; 3,756,575; 3,893,434; 3,907,946; 3,949,938; 3,955,545; 3,977,604; 4,000,852; 4,038,348 and 4,067,496; Soviet Inventor’s Certificate No. 497,410, etc.). None of known generators in engines is of fluidic type and arranged in a combustion chamber. Yet, the fluidic sonic oscillator of the present invention represents the combustion chamber itself.
   The first embodiment of the invention is executed in a manner similar to the engines on US patents Nos. 3,924,580; 4,076,000; 4,005,684 and 4,058,090 with the auxiliary combustion chamber disposed in a cylinder head.
   The second embodiment of the invention is made in a manner similar to the engine on US patent No. 3,916,664, both the combustion chambers being disposed in the piston crown. The closed loop channel communicates with a cavity spaced apart.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

   Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one cylinder of the internal combustion engine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the piston reaching the upper dead center in its compression stroke;
   Fig. 2 is the same as above according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
   Fig. 3 is a top view of the piston of the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

   A main combustion chamber 1 (Fig. 1) is formed in one end of a cylinder block 2 on which a cylinder head 3 is secured by means of conventional means (not shown). A reciprocal piston 4 is disposed in a cylinder bore 5 of the cylinder block 2 and is kinematically connected to an engine crankshaft (not shown).
   The cylinder head 3 is formed with an intake port 6, valve 7 and an exhaust port and valve 8 (shown only in Fig. 2).
   An auxiliary combustion chamber 9 is shaped as a fluidic sonic oscillator in the cylinder head 3 above the main combustion chamber 1 and is provided with a spark plug 10 and a fuel injection nozzle 11. Chamber 9 communicates with the main combustion chamber 1 via a communication passage 12 in the cylinder head 3.
   Above fluidic sonic oscillator represents a closed loop channel having its inlet 13 opposite to and outlet 14 crossing the communication passage 12 to return the fluid flow and deflect the initial stream away from the communication passage 12.
   The latter is inclined in a direction providing the delivery of the stream of air firm the intake port 6 via the main chamber 1. The crown of the piston 4 can be made in a shape assisting said delivery, e.g. with an inclining, or grooves shown in US patents Nos. 3,924,580; 4,005,684 and 4,058,090.
   During the suction stroke of the piston 4, air is drawn into the cylinder bore 5 through the port 6 (the dash line arrows show the clean air flow, the solid line arrows do combustion gases flow). As the initial portion of air passes through the communication passage 12 into the closed loop channel and returns back, the latter flow interrupts the initial stream and deflects it away from the entrance of the channel. This causes the pressure in the latter to drop, the deflected stream again entering the channel. Then the process repeats, the waves of increased and decreased pressure propagating along the channel.
   The geometrical parameters of the channel determine the frequency of the created oscillations.
   When the intake valve 7 is closed during the compression stroke of the engine, the sonic oscillations of the air in the fuel-injection nozzle 11 of the auxiliary combustion chamber 9 inject, disperse, and uniformly blend the fuel.
   The fuel-air mixture is ignited to initiate combustion in the auxiliary combustion chamber 9. The burning gas jets into the main combustion chamber 1 through both ends of the closed loop channel, the jets impinging upon each other. This produces secondary oscillations. Thus, the burning gas flow is satisfactorily mixed with air (or lean fuel-air mixture) in the main combustion chamber 1, thereby improving the rate of secondary combustion.
   As a result, harmful gas components including unburnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide contained in the burning fuel-air mixture from the auxiliary combustion chamber 9 are reliably oxidized into harmless carbon dioxide and water, nitrogen oxide formation being small due to low combustion temperature.
   When working with gasoline, the engine in Fig. 1 can be provided with a carburetor to supply a lean fuel-air mixture into the main combustion chamber. The same engine can work or be specially designed as a diesel engine (instead of the spark plug 10, appropriate auxiliaries are installed).
   In the second embodiment of the present invention, both the combustion chambers are arranged in the piston crown of a diesel engine in a manner similar to that of the US patent No. 3,916,864, identical details bearing the same numerals with Fig. 1.
   The closed loop channel of the auxiliary combustion chamber 9 is executed in the crown of the piston 4 and communicates with a cylindrical cavity 16 (Fig. 2 and 3). The channel and cavity 16 are spaced apart equidistantly on opposite sides of the piston crown.
   After the suction stroke of the piston 4 filling the compression chamber with clean air, the piston 4 travels upward again in the direction of the cylinder head 3. The subsequent compression divides the turbulence of the aspirated air into two turbulences in the cavity 16 and the channel 9 producing sonic oscillations (as explained above).
   During the second phase of the first stage of combustion, fuel is injected into the channel 9. Because of the lack of air there, an incomplete combustion at low temperatures takes place, excessive concentrations of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide resulting, but nitrogen oxide formation being negligible.
  Then the combustion gases move from both ends of the channel 9 into the cavity 16, impinge upon each other and generate secondary sonic oscillations. The air still available in the cavity 16 oxidizes hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. That gives low concentrations of harmful exhaust gases. Produced sonic oscillations disperse the fuel and uniformly blend it with the air for the primary combustion, and so do they with the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide for the secondary combustion.
   It is clear that those skilled in the art can made many modifications and changes without departing from the scope of the invention.
   What is claimed is:
   1. In an internal combustion engine that comprises a cylinder in which a piston with a crown is reciprocally disposed, main and auxiliary combustion chambers with a communication passages between them and a fluidic sonic oscillator promoting efficient combustion, the improvement lying in that said oscillator is formed by a closed loop channel having its inlet opposite to and outlet crossing said passage, above channel representing said auxiliary chamber.

A hybrid electric car (HEC) is a car that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the car. A HEC combines an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. HEC’s consume less gasoline than conventional (internal combustion) cars because the batteries in the HEC get charged when the car breaks. This electric energy is used to fuel the electric engines. 

On the European market there are currently approximately 9 HEC’s on the market:

1. Toyota Prius
2. Honda Civic Hybrid
3. Honda Insight
4. Mercedes S400 Hybrid
5. Lexus RX450h
6. Lexus LS600h
7. Lexus GS450h
8. Citroën C4 Hybrid
9. Peugeot 308 Hybrid

Audioslave – Show Me How To Live

On my rock sh*t today.  If you want to listen to a really good album, definitely listen to Audioslave’s self-titled debut album from 2002.  Back in high school, my buddy Los  put me on to Rage Against the Machine.  Then after Zach de la Rocha left the group, I kept listening to the rest of the band when they formed Audioslave.

When I go to the gym (about once every 3 months) I really can’t listen to hip hop.  Just doesn’t get me pumped up enough.  I usually keep this album, Rage’s Evil Empire, the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Greatest Hits (with Dani California added in) and a little Lenny Kravitz in the I-pod Nano and I’m good to go.  Maybe I should visit the gym this week seeing that they automatically debit my bank account monthly whether I go or not.  Ehhh…we’ll see.  No promises.

Check after the jump for a couple more videos.

Audioslave – Cochise

Audioslave – Gasoline (Live at Late Show with David Letterman)

Christopher Burton, Co-Lead Portfolio Manager for the Credit Suisse Total Commodity Return Strategy said, “The commodities market continues to perform well as global markets remain on track for recovery. Despite minor losses in equity markets, performance remains positive year-to-date. Although commodities have recovered some of their losses from 2008, we continue to believe current prices offer an exceptional entry point into the asset class, especially as central banks announce their intention to maintain low interest rates, which could lead to the stockpiling of certain commodities.”

Co-Lead Portfolio Manager, Andrew Karsh, added, “As inflation has not yet developed in terms announced by government figures, the potential for unexpected inflation remains quite high. Considering the fact that commodities are a leading indicator of inflation, we believe the time to invest in commodities is now, well in advance of lagging indicators such as in increase in CPI.”

The Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index Total Return gained 3.28% in October as a result of positive performance from all sectors, bringing the year-to-date performance of the Index to 12.64%. Lean Hogs, continuing its positive performance from September, was the top performer in October, gaining 14.33% most likely due to the conclusion of China’s ban on U.S. pork products. Gasoline also demonstrated strong performance this month, up 10.51%, because of a larger than expected reduction of stored gasoline. Sugar was the worst performer in October as it reversed its recent gains, declining 10.16% in October, but is still up significantly, 57.63%, for the year.

Related Links

Credit Suisse Report
-Clarifying Misconceptions About Commodity Indexing

IBISWorld industry reports
-Commodity Dealing and Brokerage in the U.S.
-Cattle & Hog Wholesaling in the U.S.
-Excise – Petroleum Product Wholesaling – Federal
-Global Sugar Manufacturing
-World Price – Agriculture – Sugar

I try to eat an apple every day. My habit is to swing by the grocery store on the way to work and get an apple every morning. When apples are 98 cents a pound an apple will cost about 48 cents each depending on the size. Stopping by the store every morning guarantees I’ll get, at least theoretically, the freshest apple I can possibly can.

What I’ve been noticing, though, is that this year the quality of apples has been going down. Some have been downright inedible.

Then I realized I’ve been seeing the same thing with onions. You’re in the mood to cook so you swing by the grocery and grab the freshest ingredients. You get home and slice open the onion and … yuck! It’s rotten on the inside.

This got me to thinking. We Americans are spoiled. We expect the store to have what we want and assume it will always be good and available. I realized that was an assumption I was operating under. We just expect that we’ll always have our “good life” stuff like electricity, gas for our cars, TV, toilet paper, and a produce section that offers a full selection of fresh and high quality items.

Can you imagine what would happen if we went shopping and our ten different varieties of Wheat Thins* weren’t there any more?!?!?! You have to admit, when your civilization has reached the achievement of ten different varieties of Wheat Things, you have finally arrived. Bronze age? Ha! Industrial revolution? Ha! Information age? Oh, please! It is only the Wheat Thins that matter.

Is the assumption that our good life things will always be there for us a good one, though?

No, it is not. I think that “here today, gone tomorrow” is a phrase Americans are going to get to know pretty well. Things change; the center does not hold. One day electricity is sold at one wholesale price, then next thing you know the wholesale price jumps 1,000 percent and your state is rationing the product to consumers via random rolling blackouts and Americans are trapped in elevators.

Katrina hit and some Americans learned that when the chips are really down the government just might not be there to help you. You might be on your own. I think it’s best to prepare for the worst and be surprised if it goes any better than that.

I get the feeling that something big is coming, perhaps it will be gasoline, then Americans are going to be quite surprised and in a world of hurt. What, pray tell, will the backup plan turn out to be? Walking? Riding a bike? Come on!

Boyfriend sets pregnant girlfriend on fire

Mom torched
NY Post By JOE MOLLICA, REUVEN FENTON and LEONARD GREENE
November 16, 2009

An embittered ex-boyfriend doused a pregnant woman with gasoline and set her on fire in the doorway of her Queens apartment yesterday as her horrified children looked on, officials and neighbors said.

Then, in the ultimate act of cowardice, after the twisted attacker slipped in the gasoline and accidentally set himself ablaze, too, he tried to pass himself off as a victim until he was identified by one of the injured woman’s friends, witnesses said.

The suspect, Kehman Clarke, 25, knocked on Latisha Shaw’s door in the Queensbridge Apartments in Long Island City shortly before 11 a.m. — after setting a hallway and a staircase on fire to prevent her escape, officials said.

When she opened her door, he tossed the gas over her and lit her with a match, authorities said. The kids watched in shock as their mom went up in flames.

“The mother was burned up pretty badly,” said firefighter Dave Loeser, who helped rescue Shaw.

“We heard the kids screaming in the bedrooms and got them out. He must have started the fire in the hallway to block them in and then threw gas against her door.

“The hallway was completely blacked out, and when we got there, there were kids screaming in the bedrooms. We think he was trying to trap her on the fifth floor.”

Officials said the children, ages 1½ and 3, suffered smoke inhalation after being trapped in separate bedrooms.

“This is really mind-blowing, shocking,” said one of Shaw’s neighbors. “She’s a quiet person. She takes care of her children. She does so much. She’s always in the park with them.”

Firefighters found Shaw, who is in her late 20s, on the roof of the six-story building. She was rushed to a hospital with burns to her legs and back.
Her injuries were not considered life-threatening. No information was available on the condition of her unborn baby.

Clarke was hit with a slew of charges last night, including attempted murder, arson, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Neighbors said he is the father of one of the children and had come by for a visit when he started arguing with Shaw.

They said he then left and came back with the gasoline.

“He knocked on her door, threw gasoline on her, lit a match, and she went up in flames,” said a neighbor, James Rivers, 42.

“I heard the screams from my apartment. She didn’t want anything to do with him, but he kept coming back like a stalker, and this is what happens.”
Shaw managed to get out and run upstairs, with her ex allegedly in pursuit. A sixth-floor neighbor took her in and doused the flames before she ran to the roof again in terror.

Clarke was arrested when one of the victim’s friends spotted him seeking medical care from paramedics outside the building and pointed him out to cops.

Living by yourself has its advantages, and of course it’s disadvantages.

When you live alone, you have freedom, but no one to share it with.  And I’m not sure how you can have both things at once.

Another advantage of living alone is that you have a lot of  peace and quiet to think.  The disadvantage of course,  is that you can think – too much.

So, I’m not sure if living alone is a good or bad thing.  But what I do know is that when I think too much, I usually get myself into trouble.  I start believing I can read other people’s minds and motives, and sooner or later I shoot off my mouth, or send some wild email off to someone in the middle of the night and end up apologizing for the next month or two.

So, as it was almost 70 degrees on this beautiful November day, I grabbed my laptop, put the top down on my car, and went to Starbucks to treat myself to an over priced cup of coffee.

I couldn’t get into any trouble there, right?  I’d be writing, not thinking (which is obvious to anyone who reads what I write), and I’d be with other people.

But sometimes I just can’t stop this brain from careening around like a runaway locomotive, and no sooner did I arrive at Starbucks, when this “thinking thing” started again.

First, all I wanted at Starbucks was a large cup of coffee with some chocolate tossed in it.  At Starbucks they call it a Vente Mocha Latte with Whipped Cream and they charge you $4.50.  I think Vente is about $1, Mocha probably $.75, Latte at least $1.50, whipped cream another $.50 with the remaining $.75 going toward the actual coffee.   (Now I know how this coffee chain came up with the last part of their name.)

The guy behind the counter asked me twice,

“Did you want a Vente Mocha Latte “Cappuccino” with Whipped Cream?”

I considered it.  But it was Sunday and the banks who give out loans to people who can’t afford them were all closed.  So I passed on the “Cappuccino” part of my chocolate coffee.

With my impressively named “cup-a-Joe”  in hand, I sat in one of the comfortable chairs and turned on my 7 year old laptop.  As it struggled to load up and start running, I watched as a constant flow of pedestrian traffic marched in and out of Starbucks, all feeling pretty damned good about themselves because, like me, they could afford to spend almost half a ten-spot on a cup of coffee.

As they walked past me, I thought,  (You see, this damned thinking just won’t stop!)

“I wonder if these are the same self righteous zealots who were bitching and moaning a year ago about ‘those damned A-rabs’ charging Americans $4.50 for a gallon of gasoline, which contains 128 ounces, but who just paid the same amount for 20 ounces of something called a Vente Latte.  (And when did I wake up in a country with another language by the way?)

As I looked out the window and watched them hoist their fat asses up into their gas guzzling SUVs, I wondered if they knew that a gallon of Lattes would cost them about $29 bucks.    That 128 ounces of gasoline at least transports them to work, soccer practice, the mall, and even Starbucks, while the 20 ounces of Vente Latte is literally “pissed away” before they can plop themselves down in front of the TV for the last five hours of the night.

I thought why don’t they quit bitching about the cost of gas and instead organize a national boycott of Starbucks?  Or better yet, buy an economy car, save gas, and buy a Mr. Coffee maker?  Of course Al Gore would be unemployed, but the world would be a better place.

There I was, thinking again.  (Damn, I’m going to get in trouble before this day is over.)

I did want you to know however that I’m not a math genius and didn’t figure out this ounce to gallon conversion thing on my own. My laptop was up and running, kind of like a 14 year old car on its last legs, and I had gotten the conversion information off the internet.  Why think when you can have a machine think for you?  And isn’t that exactly why I got out of the house in the first place, to stop thinking?

But what caught my eye while checking the conversion charts, was a reference to “Imperial gallons and ounces.”  (You would think I would have been interested in those measurements because they give you 160 ounces for each Imperial gallon.)

But instead of being interested, frankly, I was pissed off.

Quick!  Does anyone know what Imperial measurements are?  Or how many kilometers there are in a mile?  Or the temperature difference between Fahrenheit and Celsius?  Or how many kilograms equal a pound?  Neither do I, nor do I care.

Why can’t we have one standardized method of measuring things?  And why can’t it be the American method?  Why does everything have to be so complicated?

I understand that each country has its own standard of measurements, and to be honest, they’ve been around a lot longer than us.  So, I’m not really complaining.  I’m just afraid that pretty soon I’ll be ordering a Vente Mocha Latte and making sure they don’t cheat me by filling it with less than 0.591470 liters of coffee.   (And by the way, if you want to know, those Imperial measurements are used in England.)

But there I was thinking again.  And I knew if I didn’t stop, I would end up doing something stupid.

So, instead, as I listened to my laptop churn and cough and sputter, I looked around to see who was “with me” on this Sunday afternoon.  Maybe I could start up a conversation?  Meet someone new.  Maybe learn something.   Or win the lottery and be a multi-millionaire.

It was not a friendly crowd.

The first guy I saw was a moving target.  He’d sit down in one chair and two minutes later get up and move to another.  A few minutes later he was up again.   In the old days they’d say he had “ants in his pants.”  Today I think it was the guy behind the counter who talked him into getting the double espresso Cappuccino.

Then there were the two women who didn’t know each other, but 10 minutes after saying “hi” were best friends, sharing details of their lives, email addresses, telephone numbers and even besmirching the reputation of some poor person in an adjoining community.

Of course I heard every detail and at one point wanted to say,

“Excuse me.  I was able to jot down your email addresses and telephone numbers, and I’ll certainly avoid the person whose reputation you’ve just ruined, but I didn’t get your social security numbers.  Could I have those too, please?”

What’s wrong with people?  Have they completely lost their ability to be discreet?  Forget about identity theft.  No one has to steal it.  Most people  just give it away.

Then there was the couple from Match.com meeting for the first time.  And it wasn’t going well.   Don’t ask me how I know.  I just know.  Been there, done that.   If you’re going to meet someone for the first time from the dating sites, never sit inside a Starbucks.  They may have tasty coffee, but the dating karma there is like toxic waste.   Meet there, get your Lattes, and then get the hell out.  You’ve been warned.

Finally, the last five people were there by themselves, consumed with their laptops and the internet and only moved their eyes from their screens to check every 5 minutes to see if someone – anyone – had contacted them on their Blackberrys.   I don’t think they were capable of any form of communication that didn’t involve electronics.

And by that time, my Vente Latte was gone, and so was I.

I’d gotten out of the house to be with others and to stop thinking.  Instead I was still alone, my thoughts were bouncing around like a pin ball machine, and I faced the same dilemma I started out with in the first place.

When you live alone, you have freedom and the time to think, but no one to share it with.  Certainly no one at Starbucks.

I have to be honest.  On this warm November day, this  “living alone” thing is getting pretty old.

I have witnessed many beautiful things today. A random skycraft shooting through the sky, undetected. A beautiful historic building with artisan windows and structure. The corporate industries pumping out carbon dioxide, slowly killing us. Yes, even that is secretly beautiful. I did not dare take pictures if these things because I am not in a zoo. I am in a Galleria where thoughtful pieces of art are wonderfully displayed. November 15, 1:26PM

Like my little “poem,” or whatever? I was just in a beautiful town and just had to write about it. So, today I went with my fam to Korean Town, or K-Town, if you will. We went to this wonderful shopping mall, and they had the cutest little asian things! I gotta admit, Koreans are so modern and up to date. The mall was full of natural light, which all buildings should do. I was powerless to all the cutesy stationary and pens and pencils I saw, but only bought three sole things: a beautiful, artistic planner, the cutest multi-color pen, and a little recipe book to keep–well, recipes. It even smells like strawberry cake.

The koreans have a wonderful market. All the fruits and vegetables look as if they have been treated with a touch of toxic growth serum or something. Example A:

No, that picture was not photodocked. Those potatoes are actual size. Cool.

At the market, I also saw some produce whose name or label just didn’t quite go with their appearance.

RED Grapefruit???

I don’t think I wanna eat MOTHER’S FINGER!?!?!?!?

he he. POstick…. There’s just something ridiculously funny about that.

Yeah, um, explain to me why there’s COCOA PUFFS in a KOREAN market?!!?!?!?

This soy sauce container strangely reminds me a gasoline container….

Whoa, a small container of Mayonnaise!!!

Ok, calm down, kiddies. I know mayonnaise is exciting, but that’s all the photos I’m sharing for now. Oh, except for this one.

no comment.

Joi Geen!

-Catherine

My Friend and I are planning another Road trip ^^ and of course at night again…

 - WHY?
Because it’s a lot of fun
- WHY AT NIGHT?
Because I hate traffic, hahaha…

We’re thinking about going to Essen, Germany. From our place it’s like a 2 hours and 5 minutes. So that’s not too long. Maybe we’ll find something else to go on the way though! Either way, I’m sure we’re going to have fun again.

Yesterday I filled up my tank with gasoline already. So the car is ready for it ^^ All we have to do now is buy something to drink and to eat. We’re thinking about leaving between 11 and 12 pm.

Wooohooo… Can’t wait =D

I pay a princely sum of money each year to belong to a car wash club. I pay the same amount for my wife to belong to the same club. No, there’s no secret handshake or special ritual that is required to belong to this club. But there are benefits. For starters, we get a nickel per gallon discount on our gasoline purchases. And, we receive discounts on a variety of different types of car washes. We’ve belonged to this club for a number of years and have generally believed that we receive good value. Once after a particularly poor bout with customer service I wrote one of my favorite Dr. Pistoph letters. The area manager sent me a very nice response and a couple of coupons for upgraded washes – good move.

But lately I’ve become P.O.’d about a pervasive injustice that plagues this chain of car washes. Here’s the Cliff Notes version. I usually buy my gasoline at these car washes once a week. Then I run my car through the wash bay. Except that by the time I finish filling up with gas there’s usually a line of cars from here to next Thursday. And guess what? Nearly every one of them drove right into the wash bay without purchasing gas. This is infuriating. Yes, yes, they are entitled to buy a car wash the same as the next guy. But how about giving us club members our own line so we don’t have to wait behind all of these interlopers?

I can just hear some of you snickering right now. “What a ridiculous piddling little thing to get worked up over,” you exclaim. Well I have an exclamation for you and it’s unprintable. You must understand that as we get older some of us (me in particular) have much less patience for what seems to us (me) as a lack of good old fashioned common sense. Why should I have to tell the 14 year-olds running the car wash that they should be more sensitive to their club members? After all, isn’t that what they’re paid $8.50 an hour to do? Oh, and by the way; that a-hole who cut in front of me the last time I visited the car wash is going to get a surprise the next time I see him. You know who you are. You refused to look at me after committing your dastardly deed. I have something for you. I’ll roll my window down and all you have to do is get within three feet of my car. Come on. Just a little closer . . .

Cory Harbach, from Delhi Iowa, is a busy guy. He likes to do a whole lot of stuff and packs in every hour of his day with a variety of things.

How long have you been at Runde’s?
I’ve been in this location for seven years now. I started as a technician, then I was the service manager, now I’m in sales.

Do you have any experiences that stick out in your mind from all the years you worked?

Yes, actually… when I was the service manager I had a person come in saying that her car could fly and that it was broken because it couldn’t fly anymore. She said when she pushed a button on the dash, wings would come out and the car would fly. She said that it even said it in the owners manual. So we tried our best to understand where she was coming from and after investigating the owners manual with her, we found the section on “hydroplaning” so we told her what hydroplaning was and she was good to go.

What do you do around the area?
Shoot pool. I go to Strokers Pub in Manchester usually.  I also do Demo Derby’s.

Demolition Derby’s? You participate in them?
Oh yeah.

How long have you been crashing, smashing and demolishing cars?
I’ve been doing Demo’s for about seven or eight years.

How long does it take to make your car ready for the derby?
It takes a long time to get a car ready as in … lots… and lots of hours.

(Cory gets on his computer and shows me the car to the right)
Woah, that’s a really nice car! You WRECK that!?
That one is a ‘77 Hornet, everyone says it’s a nice car ha. I took that one to the drag strip to pick up my buddy and had this one on a trailer to go demo it and a lady working there, she’s from the south, said “yall comin’ in for some fuel” I had to tell her “No hunny I’m not going in for some fuel, I’m gonna wreck this one.

Nice Runde’s sticker, way to represent.
Oh yeah, I gotta bring some love to Runde’s.

How many Cars have you gone through?
(starts counting…) Eight of em.

Do you have your own body shop?
My dad and I have a shop at his house. My dad and I have been gearheads since I was born. I had my first Honda 50 when I was five and could change the oil in it when I was six.

Ever get any injuries?
Nah, not really. You build in your own safety. There’s bars and other things that you can put in for safety but you don’t have to. If you do, though, it adds strength to the car.

Demolitions go until there is only one car standing, right?
Yep. You keep going until all the other cars can no longer move.

Going to any more this year?
No, I think I’m actually done for the year. It was a pretty horrible year this year. No trophy’s no money.

How many kids do you have?
Two, one’s 11 and the other is 4… oh excuse me, the other is 5 now – they grow quick.

Do they like to go out and watch you Demo?
Oh yeah. They also like to ride dirt bikes, motorcycles, four-wheelers… and all that fun stuff.

They also like sports – the fact that they link sports means that I get to coach those sports.

Are you like your father with your kids – always tinkering with cars and mechanics?
Yep. My daughter can ride a motorcycle and she’s only five. I love to take them out to play.

What do  you and your family do when you’re all together?
We all like to get out and ride our four-wheelers and all those other toys.

Do you do any tricks on your bikes or four-wheelers?
No no, I’m too old to try that stuff anymore. Stuff that I used to do as a kid just flat out hurts now.

You said that you play pool, you play just casually, or…?
I play in league. Usually end up going to state tournaments.

Got a pool table you practice on?
Yep, sitting there in the living room. I’ve been playing pool since I was five, so I had to get one.

Got a favorite movie?
The Usual Suspects.

I love that movie too — I like the part where the guy in the hospital goes: Kaiser Soze … Kaiser Soze … Kaiser Soze .. That’s a cool name Kaiser Sosa — be a good name for my first born if future wifeagrees to it.  I also like the part where the suspects have to read the line on the cop’s cue card when they’re in the original line-up, but I can’t really quote any of that here.   Awesome movie.

What is one invention you can’t live without?
That’s a tough one… I suppose technology… I can live without my cellphone, I can tell you that much. On second thought, I’d have to go with Gasoline. Most of my life revolves around the power it gives.

Why should people come to Runde’s instead of a different dealership?
We are laid back and our customers are our number one concern. That’s the main reason why I agreed to sell cars for Runde’s, because I know that they give the customer the best deal. And it feels good to be honest and fair, especially since most of the people that come here are my friends from Manchester. Some nights I’ll go play pool and talk to my buddies and have them come by the next day to check out a car they are interested in.

If you were to win the lottery what would you do with the money?
I’d buy a house and a bunch of toys.

Not sure how you manage to do all the stuff you do Cory, but thank you for giving me some time for this interview.-

The Flaming Lotus Girls inspire awe

Click to enlarge

Let me tell you about great art. It’s still out there, but it’s not where people are used to looking for it. Great artists, innovative artists don’t hang out in cold clean sterile galleries. They’re out there, in the dirt with the masses. They make shit because they are compelled too, not because they’ve got some rich douche bag on the hook who needs to decorate his office. Enter the Flaming Lotus Girls, superstars of Burning Man and art festival staple. Art should be awe inspiring. Art should be dangerous and art should be accessible to everyone. The Flaming Lotus Girls get these facts and man do they get them right.

-Marcus Abrey
Swellco & Swellco 24534b

After you check out their bad ass flame thrower scupltures, go check out their site

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Kerosene Lamp

Kerosene is a kind of oil that is used as a fuel for jet engines and for burning in lamps and in stoves—especially camping equipment—for lighting or cooking.

Most kerosene comes from petroleum, the oil that comes from oil wells.

Petroleum is a mixture of many materials.  Separating petroleum into its many parts is called refining” it.

At an oil refinery, the petroleum is heated until the kerosene part changes into a vapor.  The hot kerosene vapor is drawn off and condensed back into its liquid form.  The kerosene is processed to make it pure.

Other fuels, such as gasoline and diesel oil are refined from petroleum in the same manner as kerosene.

Petroleum also provides oil and greases for machinery lubrication and asphalts for paving highways.

Kerosene is often called “coal oil” because kerosene was first obtained by refining the oil from coal.

Visual source:  bombayharbor

Yes, it is a fact that it takes approximately 1/2 gallon of oil to make a gallon of methanol.  Methanol occurs naturally in the atmosphere as a byproduct of biomass and landfill decomposition, but as an industrial product, methanol is a liquid petrochemical that can be made from renewable and non-renewable fuel containing carbon and hydrogen.  Methanol is called wood alchohol because it can be made from renewable and non-renewable resources like wood.  Most methanol today is made from natural gas because it is cheaper.  It is a fact that methanol is safer than gasoline.  It is used in some racing cars for this reason and because it burns cooler.

DUBAI 2009 – Summit on the Global Agenda

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Historic meeting in Dubai
Summit destined to shape our global future brings together the finest minds 

MEDIA – ” TO IMPROVE INTERNATIONAL COORPORATIONS”, Martina Gmur, Head of the Network of Global Agenda Councils

    For the second consecutive year, the World Economic Forum and the Government of Dubai will host the Summit on the Global Agenda from 20 to 22 November 2009. The Summit will bring together over 700 council members of the most innovative and relevant minds from over 90 countries – leaders from academia, business, government and civil society – to address some of the most pressing issues on the global agenda. “Dubai provides the most convenient environment for effective exchange of ideas among global thought leaders” said Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, United Arab Emirates and Co-Chair of the Summit.  

ARABICLucy Jay-Kennedy, Communications Department: Tel.:+41 (0)22 869 1349; E-mail: lucy.jaykennedy@weforum.org

 

• Dubai welcomes back the World Economic Forum’s Summit on the Global Agenda from 20 to 22 November 2009
• For more information on the Summit and the Network of Global Agenda Councils, visit www.weforum.org/gac
• Note to the media: Should you wish to sign up for the media programme, please submit your accreditation request at www.weforummedia.org.

     For the second consecutive year, the World Economic Forum and the Government of Dubai will host the Summit on the Global Agenda from 20 to 22 November 2009.

    The Summit will bring together over 700 council members of the most innovative and relevant minds from over 90 countries – leaders from academia, business, government and civil society – to address some of the most pressing issues on the global agenda.

    The councils will be represented by 3 Nobel Laureates, 300 business leaders, 240 members from academia, 100 leaders from civil society – NGOs, think tanks, over 50 leaders from international organizations and 30 public figures.

    In all, there will be 76 Global Agenda Councils represented at the Summit, each bringing together the finest minds in each sector to propose solutions to the key issues and help shape a post-crisis world. Global Agenda Council members will explore ways to tackle governance gaps at the local, regional and global levels, as well as examine the new and continued interlinkages among the various councils. These deliberations and the councils’ recommendations to improve global cooperation will serve as the framework for organizing sessions at the 40th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters in January 2010.

   “The world has never faced such a complex global agenda as we do today, when so many challenges need to be addressed simultaneously,” said Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

   “The Summit on the Global Agenda in Dubai will complement the efforts undertaken by the G20 and other international organizations to address the global economic crisis. But this meeting will go beyond the immediate situation and provide a long-term strategic approach to shape our global future. Bringing together the best minds and foremost experts, this meeting will be the starting point for global efforts to redesign our international system according to the needs of the 21st century.”

    “The first Global Agenda Summit held last year in Dubai laid out the direction for crucial discussions and recommendations on concerns that affect the whole of humanity. This year, by hosting the Summit again, Dubai is reiterating its position as a role model in the post-crisis world of being one of the most resurgent economies. Dubai provides the most convenient environment for effective exchange of ideas among global thought leaders,” said Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, United Arab Emirates and Co-Chair of the Summit.

    This year, the Global Agenda Councils have been tasked to contribute to the World Economic Forum’s Global Redesign Initiative (GRI). This initiative is a global multistakeholder dialogue to improve the processes and structures of global cooperation in the 21st century. Fifty Global Agenda Councils are developing proposals in the following areas:

1. Creating a Values Framework – considers the shared values needed for constructive coexistence in an interdependent world characterized by cultural diversity
2. Mitigating Global Risks and Addressing Systemic Failures – includes all eventualities and risks which may have adverse consequences on a global level
3. Strengthening Economies – encompasses all aspects of economic growth and development
4. Enhancing Security – speaks to the need for global, national and human security
5. Ensuring Sustainability – addresses human behaviour in the global ecosystem
6. Building Effective Institutions – reflects on the necessary institutional context for effective global governance

The list of some of the leading experts who chair specific councils at the Summit can be found here.

Global Agenda Councils – The World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils were created to further the Forum’s mission and strategic vision. They are multistakeholder groups of the world’s most innovative and relevant experts, established to advance knowledge and collaboratively explore actions to the most important issues in the global arena. For further information on the Councils, please visit Network of Global Agenda Councils.

Dubai TV is the host broadcaster of the Summit on the Global Agenda

___________________________________________
 

Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests (http://www.weforum.org/).

 

Quite frequently I get asked questions concerning why the price of gasoline or diesel has gone off the charts. Even with my experience in the petroleum distribution industry this can be a convoluted topic. This week I turned this question over to Glen Sokolis who had a pretty simple answer. All things considered this is not always the case with fuel pricing, so thanks Glen.

Here is a reprint of Glen’s article this week; “Fuel Prices, fuel prices where are you going?” In the fuel management business we are often asked where do we think fuel prices are going to go.  I basically tell them, if I knew that I would be long retired back when I was in my early 30’s.  The problem with fuel is so many factors effect it’s price.

Over the last several weeks we have seen diesel fuel prices increase 20 cents a gallon, gas prices increase 16 cents a gallon and crude oil go up by over $13 dollars a barrel.  Most people ask why.  We ask why.  The fuel market is crowded with supply and not enough demand yet.  Though over the last few weeks we have seen inventories go down a little but we are still swimming in fuel supply. 

The reason for the sharp increase over the past month has been a weak U.S. Dollar.  Since oil is priced in dollars on global markets, a weak dollar drives oil prices up.  The weak dollar leads investors to put cash into assets such as oil and gold to protect against the weaker dollar.  When this happens the price of oil is driven up higher not because there isn’t enough supply, it’s due to the fact more people are buying which just pushes the cost higher.

We all know why the dollar is weak, right? As a country we have been able to take the national debt from under 6 trillion dollars in 2000 to over 12 trillion dollars and growing. (You thought your credit card bill was high).  To do this we have to borrow money, as we borrow money it puts pressure on the U.S. Dollar.  With 12 trillion dollars owed and economic stimulus still being rolled out in one form or another, don’t expect the pressure to be taken off fuel in this segment anytime soon.

Glen Sokolis of Sokolis Group help to develop money-saving fuel strategies and deliver comprehensive fuel programs that will improve your company’s bottom line. Learn more at:  http://www.fuelmanagementsokolisgroup.com

Do you feel it’s okay for our government continue to give money away and devalue the dollar? I know that’s a “can of worms” type question, but how long can this go on?

Down the Road – Mike