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http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/01/fordson_snow_machine_handles_drifts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw-propelled_vehicle
I want one...
g
Saturday, January 16, 2010
This is too cool
I saw this on the MAKE blog the other day.
Fordson Screw Drive Tractor
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/01/fordson_snow_machine_handles_drifts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw-propelled_vehicle
I want one...
g
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/01/fordson_snow_machine_handles_drifts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw-propelled_vehicle
I want one...
g
Sunday, January 10, 2010
One of the silly things we are building...
This has not been altered in anyway.
The 8 foot diameter Antenna is spinning at 30rpm AND is mounted to the back of a truck!
g
The 8 foot diameter Antenna is spinning at 30rpm AND is mounted to the back of a truck!
g
Friday, January 8, 2010
Biking Statistics 2009
The following is too keep a record of my cycling and KEEP my butt motivated to ride.
In March of 2009 I decided I would try my hand (legs really) at a goal of 2000 miles for the year. The goal seemed feasible and at the time was necessary to provide suitable motivation for riding everyday. Then the Exploder started having issues that I didn't want to deal with so subsequently it was donated just to be rid of it. This provided more inspiration than anything since we had only the one car and the buses stop running for the summer.
The 2009 Highlights:
I rode a total of 2875 miles between 18Mar and 16Dec (40 weeks).
On July 3rd I crossed the 1000 mile mark and on September 14th crossed the 2000 mile mark.
Commute route: 13.3 miles one way
Bike/Bus/Bike: 11.8 miles per day
Road bike: 2497.8 miles
Commuter Bike: 377.5 miles
Mtn Bike: 0 miles :-(
For fun: 7.8miles
The Details:
The only part of this that makes me sad is that for all these miles, none are on the mountain bike, my favorite bike.
g
In March of 2009 I decided I would try my hand (legs really) at a goal of 2000 miles for the year. The goal seemed feasible and at the time was necessary to provide suitable motivation for riding everyday. Then the Exploder started having issues that I didn't want to deal with so subsequently it was donated just to be rid of it. This provided more inspiration than anything since we had only the one car and the buses stop running for the summer.
The 2009 Highlights:
I rode a total of 2875 miles between 18Mar and 16Dec (40 weeks).
On July 3rd I crossed the 1000 mile mark and on September 14th crossed the 2000 mile mark.
Commute route: 13.3 miles one way
Bike/Bus/Bike: 11.8 miles per day
Road bike: 2497.8 miles
Commuter Bike: 377.5 miles
Mtn Bike: 0 miles :-(
For fun: 7.8miles
The Details:
g
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Yup it's hereditary
When I was a young I had a thing for lamps.
When I was real young, less than 2, I burned the palm of my hand grabbing an exposed light bulb.
I broke a lot of lamps before I was 4. My parents had these ugly glass globe lamps and I guess my inner eye knew these things were ugly and had to go. I must have massacred 5 or 6 of these.
My father, possessing the Yankee ingenuity gene, took a pair that I killed and rebuilt them in such a manner that I could do them no more harm. He took a section of 4 inch PVC pipe the height the globe had been and put it between the upper and lower collars that once held the globe. Then to add "style" he wrapped the pipe with blue yarn to match the living room decor of the time. I could not damaged the finished product and believe me I tried. These lamps lasted about ten years when finally it was decided they outlived their purpose and replaced.
DaBoy has taken a liking to lamps as well and tonight I came home to this...
Yes, this is a three legged lamp with one leg broken off. Yes, this lamp is made of wrought iron. Yes, DaBoy is only 18 months and 25 pounds.
So just how do I make wrought iron stronger?
g
When I was real young, less than 2, I burned the palm of my hand grabbing an exposed light bulb.
I broke a lot of lamps before I was 4. My parents had these ugly glass globe lamps and I guess my inner eye knew these things were ugly and had to go. I must have massacred 5 or 6 of these.
My father, possessing the Yankee ingenuity gene, took a pair that I killed and rebuilt them in such a manner that I could do them no more harm. He took a section of 4 inch PVC pipe the height the globe had been and put it between the upper and lower collars that once held the globe. Then to add "style" he wrapped the pipe with blue yarn to match the living room decor of the time. I could not damaged the finished product and believe me I tried. These lamps lasted about ten years when finally it was decided they outlived their purpose and replaced.
DaBoy has taken a liking to lamps as well and tonight I came home to this...
So just how do I make wrought iron stronger?
g
Monday, January 4, 2010
Gestapo in the school
DaMom is sick today, she has the same stomach bug I had on Friday night. Not a pleasant topic. At any rate she's sleeping in and I'm taking the day off to handle DaKids.
I carry out DaMom's mumbled instructions and get both kids out the door by 8:45. (Getting them in the car is another story) Now I know DaGirl is supposed to be at school for 9:00 but I'm unsure of the time lienency they give. We're in the parking lot at 8:52.
Apparently this is too early.
DaGirl sees the teacher's aid getting out of her car and is overly excited to see her and is emphatically attempting to get her attention. She's shouting hello, banging on the window and generally making a rucus. We're a little slow to get out of the car (you know two kids in car seats) and when we cross the parking lot DaGirl is trying to chase down the aid...
...and we go to the wrong door.
I'm very rudely told of this fact by a teacher who is younger than I and she's backed up by an even younger teacher. They point across the cafeteria to the door I should be entering, which ironically is merely 40 ft away straight through the room. "you have to wait for them to open the door" one of them barks at us.
Lets paint the full picture here:
A dad carrying an 18 month old toddler, who doesn't want to walk but doesn't want to be carried either, is being dragged across a snow/salt/sand mess of a parking lot by a 3 year old hell bent on catching a teacher she adores. The teachers saw us walking up to the door and try close it in our faces but thought better of it when I looked at them with a crooked head and inquisitive face.
I'm obviously out of my element and these people offer no compassion at all. I guess what pisses me off is that when DaGirl turned three on Halloween and was eligible to start preschool the following Monday. No one offered DaMom any help either. Apparently 2 months into the school year no one is allowed to start fresh. The crappy paperwork the school hands out is all geared toward kindergarden and up. There is no mention that there is even a preschool in the joint and certainly nothing telling someone how they are supposed to get past the guards armed with nothing more than bad attitudes. I understand that the school policy is to lockdown the school during the day but come on, I'm trying to drop off my kid, nothing more.
I'm starting to remember why I never liked the teachers I had when I was in school, they had rules that made little sense in the big picture of life and offered no rational explanation of them. Explain the rules to me and why they exist and I will gladly follow. I have not nor will not follow any one/thing blindly.
Then when they do finally open the doors and I'm trying to escort DaGirl to her class room I'm reminded of why I hate school breaks. Floor polishing. While carrying DaBoy I step off the mat in front of the door and look like a comic book character trying to regain his footing and fall on my back. Great new year.
They really ought to post the entrances better.
g
I carry out DaMom's mumbled instructions and get both kids out the door by 8:45. (Getting them in the car is another story) Now I know DaGirl is supposed to be at school for 9:00 but I'm unsure of the time lienency they give. We're in the parking lot at 8:52.
Apparently this is too early.
DaGirl sees the teacher's aid getting out of her car and is overly excited to see her and is emphatically attempting to get her attention. She's shouting hello, banging on the window and generally making a rucus. We're a little slow to get out of the car (you know two kids in car seats) and when we cross the parking lot DaGirl is trying to chase down the aid...
...and we go to the wrong door.
I'm very rudely told of this fact by a teacher who is younger than I and she's backed up by an even younger teacher. They point across the cafeteria to the door I should be entering, which ironically is merely 40 ft away straight through the room. "you have to wait for them to open the door" one of them barks at us.
Lets paint the full picture here:
A dad carrying an 18 month old toddler, who doesn't want to walk but doesn't want to be carried either, is being dragged across a snow/salt/sand mess of a parking lot by a 3 year old hell bent on catching a teacher she adores. The teachers saw us walking up to the door and try close it in our faces but thought better of it when I looked at them with a crooked head and inquisitive face.
I'm obviously out of my element and these people offer no compassion at all. I guess what pisses me off is that when DaGirl turned three on Halloween and was eligible to start preschool the following Monday. No one offered DaMom any help either. Apparently 2 months into the school year no one is allowed to start fresh. The crappy paperwork the school hands out is all geared toward kindergarden and up. There is no mention that there is even a preschool in the joint and certainly nothing telling someone how they are supposed to get past the guards armed with nothing more than bad attitudes. I understand that the school policy is to lockdown the school during the day but come on, I'm trying to drop off my kid, nothing more.
I'm starting to remember why I never liked the teachers I had when I was in school, they had rules that made little sense in the big picture of life and offered no rational explanation of them. Explain the rules to me and why they exist and I will gladly follow. I have not nor will not follow any one/thing blindly.
Then when they do finally open the doors and I'm trying to escort DaGirl to her class room I'm reminded of why I hate school breaks. Floor polishing. While carrying DaBoy I step off the mat in front of the door and look like a comic book character trying to regain his footing and fall on my back. Great new year.
They really ought to post the entrances better.
g
Thursday, December 31, 2009
....and it was over just like that.
The dream of a new bicycle.
After numerous delays and procrastinations we finally broke down and bought another car. I was hoping to make it through the winter with just the car. If we did, I promised myself a nice new bike to commute in the spring with. But the best laid plans of mice and men....
It was nice not having any car payments to make and only needing to feed one car (and truck, albeit bi-monthly).
If we made a one car family work for 7 months, why do we need another car now?
1 - Was it the cold?
2 - Was it the snow?
3 - Was it the ice?
4 - Was it the salt?
5 - Was it the lack of public transportation?
6 - Was it the some of the people on the public transportation?
7 - Was it the constant commentary from some people at work?
and the verdicts?
1 - Sorta, I'm no bike martyr.
2 - Yes, roads here suck in the snow.
3 - Yes, see #2
4 - Oh yes, they practically throw marbles out of the sanders.
5 - No, as long as I'm willing to wait for the buses they're not that bad.
6 - Yup, there's some weird people on bus 31.
7 - No.
So, if the weather would cooperate, the insurance company would stay open (they closed early due to snow), the holidays would end we'd have a new to us Element sitting in the driveway.
g
After numerous delays and procrastinations we finally broke down and bought another car. I was hoping to make it through the winter with just the car. If we did, I promised myself a nice new bike to commute in the spring with. But the best laid plans of mice and men....
It was nice not having any car payments to make and only needing to feed one car (and truck, albeit bi-monthly).
If we made a one car family work for 7 months, why do we need another car now?
1 - Was it the cold?
2 - Was it the snow?
3 - Was it the ice?
4 - Was it the salt?
5 - Was it the lack of public transportation?
6 - Was it the some of the people on the public transportation?
7 - Was it the constant commentary from some people at work?
and the verdicts?
1 - Sorta, I'm no bike martyr.
2 - Yes, roads here suck in the snow.
3 - Yes, see #2
4 - Oh yes, they practically throw marbles out of the sanders.
5 - No, as long as I'm willing to wait for the buses they're not that bad.
6 - Yup, there's some weird people on bus 31.
7 - No.
So, if the weather would cooperate, the insurance company would stay open (they closed early due to snow), the holidays would end we'd have a new to us Element sitting in the driveway.
g
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