Posts

Machinery Infatuation

-
Image
I bought my first NEW piece of farm machinery. I am not sure if this is a failure or a success, but it is different. I picked up a NEW Rotary Cutter (bush hog, brush hog, mower, etc) from a dealer. It cost me almost as much as the tractor did with its bits of hardware and options. It seems to work well on the CNH Boomer 33. I planned on getting up to NY in the next couple of days, but Gracie has been sick.. she has been up and down. The steroid treatment and a change in diet seem to be helping at this point. Besides hauling the tractor and mower up to NY I have numerous events planned over the next month. I will be in Charlotte for a conference as well as Tucson Arizona and of course other events and activities. I started installing radio equipment in the Humvee. It now has a telescoping 30 foot antenna, a 24 volt to 12 volt converter, a removable SDR radio and some other stuff to be sure. I'd like to get it to the Stone Mountain Hamfest -- thats what i am shooting for. I thr...
Post a Comment
Read more
-
Image
Moscow Subway and a Moscow Winterland pic with twinkle added.
Post a Comment
Read more
-
Image
Fall has been good. Plenty to do for sure. My boat will be in the water soon. I ended up putting a new speed controller and motor on it. It is a 24 volt propulsion motor with 12v accessories. Leaves are everywhere in the yard now. They need to get cleaned up. The pine cones and needles certainly keep coming. My new electric car is fun. I had it plugged in at the Doraville MARTA station when we flew down to FL to see my Brother and Sister for Thanksgiving. I find opportunities to plug it in at most stores. The electric signs often have electric outlets as a convenience for electric vehicles. The cold weather really surprised me on the de-rating of battery capacity. I had read about the de-rating in the manual, but when the battery heater comes on and it reduces range quite a bit. The car is a perfect fit for my everyday needs. I am still shopping for a sports car. Here are some pics I like from a few months ago.
Post a Comment
Read more
-
Image
Another week. Indeed. What is the measure, a litre, a Lb., a fortnight, a dribble? My friend Bill and I attended an AOPA (Airplane Owners and Pilot Association) President's breakfast in Atlanta. I have to sometime remind myself that I live in a city and the power is in cities. Although that is absolutely the wrong place for a political power base. The weather was too crappy to fly, but was spectacular to experience in my back yard at sunrise. I had to move my orange tree inside this week. We had a real cold snap. We noticed that there was some excellent urban planning in my area. A co-located Waffle House and medical care all in the same building. We enjoyed the "Scattered, smothered, covered" at waffle house nevertheless! I noticed weirdly that I had accumulated some significant symbols on my dresser. This picture is not "made for TV". It sums things up. I had the privilege to study under a professor in graduate school that understood and could communicate what...
Post a Comment
Read more
-
Image
I have been traveling. This past week I was in Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota. It snowed. I realized the last time I saw snow was in Finland last winter. It wasn't in NY. Winter is fine and even snow is ok, but I am remembering that early snow in Winter (or late in Fall). It is a bit depressing and certainly the last snow in April will not become a holiday anytime soon. Some of my ducks are back. I am again working on them to be less fearful with bribes of food, it seems to work. I bought a new car. I ended up getting a Nissan Leaf. It is all electric, no engine, none of that hybrid stuff. It is a near zero maintenance car (Nissan says zero maintenance). It doesn't even have any belts. It has a very simple single ratio transmission, a battery and a motor. It is fun and has almost no noise. It is like driving in the future. My plan is to "plug in" everywhere except for home. I have a keen look out for electric outlets in parking lots everywhere. There are growing nu...
1 comment
Read more
-
"In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm... in the real world all rests on perseverance." -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Author
Post a Comment
Read more

Back from Europe again

-
Image
I am back from Europe. I am looking for a new car as the other guy's insurance has finally admitted 100% liability. The other driver was a loud mouth and figured if he kept whining somehow the insurance company would apply partial blame to me. It was very clear, the police report, my witness, his bad driving. I am getting some more firewood as it is getting into the 50s at night here in Duluth. The traffic in Brussels was epic, both the driver techniques and the roads and control devices are astonishing for the developed world. I thought driving like what I saw was reserved for Africa. Driving is Paris is much easier than Brussels. The "No Turn" signs were at a fork in the road. And who on earth knows how to interpret these traffic lights. People passing on the left or right just as if everyone was walking through a airport terminal. Crazy.
Post a Comment
Read more
-
Image
Fall is very nice in Atlanta. It is just starting to come on as fall now; the leaves are just starting to change. I took these pics the other day thinking that "I live in a city now". This is at a mall in Buckhead, an affluent part of Atlanta about 20 minutes from my house if there is no traffic. Traffic can turn it into an hour+ trip. I remember some written inspirational advice I read many years ago. It said something like "Some point in your life, live in the Country and also live in the city." I guess I have. I am off to Belgium and France in a bit. Many meetings. Tonight is my regular Thursday night Portuguese Class. I am making progress, slowly. Understanding your personal learning style is important. Understanding your learning style for other languages is... well different.
1 comment
Read more