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Showing posts from October 9, 2022

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...

Fall in Georgia -- rethinking buying an old defender--Honda lawn mower engine with stuck valve

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Fall is definately upon us in North Georgia. We have been burning leaves and brush. There is an unlimited supply in the jungle here.. every year. I have been doing more with the cooking hobby lately. I made a nice beef roast on the charcoal weber grill... and I got to use my new commercial slicer. The slicer was definately an indulgence, but a better indulgence than the mid 90s defender I was looking to buy. It was a police vehicle in Ghana, West Africa. I am glad I got talked out of it. I have too many projects already. The guest bath is almost done. I think I have been saying that for at least 6 months. It looks like we are going to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade again in NYC. We will be banner carriers again. We said we weren't going to do it again, but here we go planning some cool vacation travel beforehand. I put some old gas in the lawn mower by mistake. It ran, but it caused the intake valve to stick open. That ruined the Saturday afternoon time budget. But...