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Showing posts from January 11, 2009

LavaCon 2026 and the future.

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LavaCon is a conference now going on 25 years. Its always fun at conferences where folks collaborate on what the future holds. This year I drove to Charlotte NC from Duluth GA to attend. I used the Tesla in Full Self Drive. I went park-to-park without touching the wheel for over 200 miles. It's crazy. I don't think most people understand how well it works. Lots of nay-sayers still, but it really does work. Be on guard, but enjoy. I spent some of my time "driving" while conversing with Grok as part of my daydreaming. I was discussing with Grok an idea I have of building a West system (cold molded) old style barrel-back runabout maybe 20 feet long- all varnished Mahogony. Of course this boat would have an exotic 12-cylinder engine under a transparent engine hatch between the twin cockpits. We discussed the designs, available actual study plans and pre-lofted design documents for the hull. We also discussed the best engine (perhaps a BMW N73) coupled with a Velvet Dri...
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I need to do something different with this blog. I have been thinking about it for quite a while. This is my 836th post over the course of 8 or so years. I originally started blogging because it was new technology and a new way to communicate. It was novel. Now it is mature. I was impressed by the USAIR flight that ditched into the Hudson river the other day. Everybody was unhurt. Wow!! I understand that the aircraft has a "Ditch Switch" that is thrown to seal through-hulls and helps it float a lot longer. That must have helped. The event was definitely impressive in a lot of different ways. I am surprise the engines didn't rip the craft apart when they hit the water. I wonder what the angle of attack was like when it first contacted the water? My flight instructor and I have discussed the philosophical aspects of what our reactions will be in absolute emergency situation like that one. You never really know until it actually happens. A big part of flight training is le...
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I am Chicago for a few days. I haven't had to put a winter coat on for a few days because my commute is walking through a a maze of carpeted corridors and fancy lobbies. It is a pretty good time to be inside with some nasty storms and cold weather. I have had a few really good deep and long laughs with my co-working friends. It is hard to believe that Bonnie and I have been separated for almost a year. I looks like we are going to move my Mom to Florida. It is a challenge on that front.
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