text:
The neighbors always knew they would be surprised by what's inside the house on Dhel, or shadow, street. But when they got the first glimpse of Muammar Gaddafi's house in southeast Tripoli last Sunday, they were in complete shock. "It's amazing. We didn't believe [it]," says Hassan Salem, a 46-year-old engineer who lives in the neighborhood. "We thought we are in a dream."
There have been many rumors about the Saharan madman's palaces and underground bunkers over the years, testaments to a dictator's ego and paranoia that in some cases seemed to outdo his peers, like Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Well, as it turns, the rumors are true. "There are a lot of hidden things inside," says Bahauldin Babai, 28, a doctor who also lives in the neighborhood and now helps guard the house from looters. In order to prevent further damage and looting to the compound, rebel military leaders have sealed the doors. The only way in or out is with a ladder, which some neighbors are happy to supply.
The house was built by Gaddafi in the '80s and later given to his son Mutassim. It looks inconspicuous enough on the outside with an ordinary gate and dun-colored walls, which blend with the surrounding houses. On the other side of the gate, it's a step through the looking glass: an inner ring of 30-foot-high walls surround a huge, beautifully manicured garden with trimmed hedges, small ponds, and pink bougainvilleas. The earthy smell of fresh grass fills the air in late afternoon.
But the garden isn't there only for aesthetic purposes. It's also a labyrinth that hides and separates the various parts of the sprawling compound, including an elaborate 40-foot-deep bunker. The main house is a '70's-style one-story structure, built in an L-shape around a large pool with a hot tub. The pool is now half-filled with green water but the grey-and-black marble- top bar beside the pool hints at the swinging parties that must have taken place there. Just beside the pool is a cocktail lounge with another bar and a five-foot bust of what appears to be a Greek goddess, perhaps Aphrodite, broken in half in one corner. A large pond, complete with a waterfall and small black fish, has been built a short distance away. The Gaddafi clan clearly liked to enjoy themselves. In a nearby annex, there is a color booklet for a 280-foot yacht called the Annaliesse. The flashy gym inside the house, decked out with the latest weight machines, looks unused.
About 40 yards away from the house, in the middle of a large grass lawn, is an ordinary looking rectangular hedge. What's inside is far from ordinary. A set of stairs go down and down, about 40 feet altogether, into a heavily reinforced bunker with neon lights, a fire alarm system and wall-mounted telephones. Light green steel doors about a foot thick separate a complex series of tunnels and rooms, which seem to have been built as a last-ditch hideout. Neighborhood residents say they found a fully equipped operating room in the bunker which included an X-ray machine. Surgical masks are strewn around various rooms in the bunker, too. The usable medical equipment was taken out and donated to local hospitals. A couple of the rooms are decked out with bunk beds, perhaps for a security detail or other family members. Gaddafi, or his son Mutassim, did like to muse about self-defense in their underground lair. In one room, there is a 404-page book by Jane's Consultancy called Protection of Libyan Military Assets.
But it's not all business down in the bunker: there were a number of magazines in English, including Playboy, Vogue, and National Geographic, scattered around various rooms, along with an empty box of Corona beer. "He's one freak," says Ashraf al Khadiri, a 30-year-old doctor who also lives in the neighborhood. "He's been preparing for this moment for a long time." Neighborhood residents had long suspected there was an underground facility on the property because of the large amount of dirt that was trucked out during construction. "We always thought he could be walking under our houses," says Khadiri with a smirk and a shrug. "We didn't know."
When the regime teetered earlier this week, the house was still watched over by eight guards who had no news of the dramatic events outside. Neighborhood residents were able to contact them by phone and convince them to turn over their weapons peacefully. The first group of ordinary Libyans who came to see the compound had a natural reaction: they went on a rampage and trashed the place. They smashed every window in the gym and kicked in doors. Down cushions in the living room were ripped open and the white feathers now roll across broken glass in front of the house at the slightest breeze. "This is the dictator that we have been living with for more than 40 years," says Salem, the engineer, shaking his head. "This is what we want the world to know."


text:
David Linthicum| Infoworld
InfoWorld's own Paul Krill has the skinny around a recent Evans Data survey that found developers are split on the benefits of building in the cloud. This is an important data point: One of the true "killer" use cases for cloud computing is app dev and test. The payback from using public cloud-based assets to build, test, and deploy applications is already compelling, but it will become immense in the near future.
The results of the Evans Data Cloud Development Survey, conducted in December and released this month, found that cloud platforms reduce overall development time by an average of 11.6 percent. This is largely due to the cloud platform's ability to streamline the development process, including the ability to quickly get the development assets online. Moreover, cloud platforms provide the ability to collaborate on development efforts, which is also a benefit.
However, about 10 percent of developers cited no time savings in using cloud-based development environments. An equal amount said they had experienced more than 30 percent in time savings, and 38 percent cited savings in the 11 to 20 percent range.
Cloud-based development platforms in PaaS and IaaS public clouds — such as Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Salesforce.com — are really in their awkward teenage years. But they show cost savings and better efficiencies. Most developers are surprised when they review the metrics.
Right now, there are two "killer" use cases for cloud computing: big data and app dev and test. If you don't have a program in place to at least explore the value of this technology, you should get one going right now. Here are the benefits:
- The ability to self-provision development and testing environments (aka devops), so you can get moving on application builds without having to wait for hardware and software to show up in the data center
- The ability to quickly get applications into production and to scale those applications as required
- The ability to collaborate with other developers, architects, and designers on the development of the application
The value is very apparent, the technology is solid, and the opportunity is clear. Are you in?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In the article Byron "ponders the point" of "snow bikes", (a term which is rife with misunderstandings right up front), and goes on.....well, go read it by clicking the link above!
Byron happens to also be on Facebook, and messaged me for my response to the article, knowing I was a fan of this sort of vehicle. I have decided to take the liberty of posting my entire response, verbatim, which I present here today. A couple of things to note...
- Once again- read the article linked above, or you won't understand the rest here.
- "You" in my response refers to Byron DL, the author of the "Wired" article linked here.
- Byron may or may not post some of the following in a follow up he mentioned he may do to me. (I gave him my blessing to do so.) This is one of the reasons I decided to go ahead and post this message from Facebook here, and besides, I stand behind everything stated here.
"My take? Well, you raise some points that found me nodding my head in agreement, but you also seem to have some feelings that I find contrary to the experience of riding in conditions that are otherwise unrideable with "ordinary mountain bikes".
You seem annoyed by the slow, mind numbing pace of the riding, the high focus on handling, and some technicalities with components. I ask you- would you rather be riding rollers/trainers? For many, that is the only other option at times.
I also find that the high focus on handling actually pays dividends when I do get back on my "typical mtb" in the regular season. In this sense, I get a benefit, albeit not an immediate one. The bikes are heavier- this makes me stronger when I ride my other bikes. The bikes have technical challenges now- but as you point out, with refinement, you will see those overcome. (By the way, Grip Shift is the bomb on a fat bike with thicker gloves. )
The slower paced riding is actually peaceful, and not unlike what one might experience while hiking- only you are riding a bicycle. I am not holden to the belief that speed "has to be" a part of an enjoyable cycling experience, but many are. I get that, but I don't think everyone is this way.
Furthermore, I have witnessed first hand how many first time off roaders are tickled to death to find such a stable beast, which a fat bike is, which slows down the need to react to inputs, and is giving them traction for days in corners and on climbs. In this sense, it opens the off road doors to folks who are otherwise terrified of many of the mountain bikes you specifically call out in your piece. The "ATV" of mtb vs the "Honda 250 motocrosser", if you will.
That said- yes- they could be better, and I think companies like On One, who developed their fat bike with trail riding in mind, are on the right track. It also is interesting to note that J&B Importers, who have the house brand, "Origin 8" are coming out with a fat bike exactly as you have envisioned, (albeit heavy), by the way of the introduction of the Nuvinci 360 hubbed "Crawler", available in April.
I feel a front suspended, 3"-3.8" tired, fat bike with trail geometry would be the best representation of a bike that would bring a different flavor to mountain biking. I feel there is potential there. (Check out the Belgian brand, Sandman, for where I think this is going)
Anyway, I think there is much potential for a larger audience for these bikes, that isn't the "typical" 5 inch travel mtb freak of today."
As a follow up to the above, it should be noted as well that there is more to riding these fat tired bikes than snow. I know- most of you folks landing here "get that", but it needs to be drilled again to underscore the point.
Are fat bikes better or worse than mountain bikes? Well, first off, they are mountain bikes. Secondly, while they are not the best for going really fast, dropping in a 12 footer, or for climbing as fast as you can go, they will cover much of the same territory as most mountain bikes, just differently.
It is that "difference" which likely appeals to those fans of fat bikes who are willing to accept the short term limitations to the genre for the immediate benefits of this type of rig. Can they be better? Sure they can. I suspect "fat bikes" will become something a lot different than we know them as now, much like a 1980's era "mountain bike" is not very similar to the modern incarnations of the genre today.
As if on cue in terms of the above statement, SRAM officially announced their fat bike crank offerings yesterday. I see that as just the tip of the iceberg, as it were, in fat bike refinements. Time will tell, but I don't think the "Wired" piece is as negative as many seem to think it is. A bit misguided or misinformed? Maybe that, but certainly there are some points there that make sense, and given what I think will happen, in the end, it won't be a big deal at all.


text:
At a pilot facility in Singapore, Siemens has cut the energy needed to desalinate seawater by more than 50 percent. The plant processes 50 cubic meters of water per day, consuming only 1.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity per cubic meter. The most efficient desalination technique currently in use is reverse osmosis, which consumes more than twice as much energy. The magazine "Pictures of the Future" reports that the new technique uses an electric field to remove the salt from the water. Plans call for demonstration units to be set up in Singapore, the U.S., and the Caribbean by mid-2012.
Experts estimate that global water consumption will rise by 40 percent over the next 15 years. Because desert countries and small nations such as Singapore have few sources of fresh water, they are increasingly desalinating seawater, which still consumes a lot of energy. Turning one cubic meter of seawater into steam takes about 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity. By contrast, reverse osmosis, which presses the water through a filter, consumes about four kilowatt-hours for the same amount of water.
The new energy-saving system from Siemens uses electrodialysis. It extracts the salts' positively and negatively charged ions from the water by means of an electric field. Special membranes that only allow a single type of ion to pass through create channels that collect either the resulting brine or the purified water. However, the process becomes inefficient as the salt concentration declines because the water's electrical resistance increases. That's why a Continuous Electrodeionization (CEDI) system is used to extract the last percentage of salt in the water. In this system, ion exchange resins located between the membranes capture the ions and transport them away from the water.
Experts from Siemens Corporate Technology are currently working on a simulation model that will help further improve the process. As part of a project sponsored by the German Research Ministry, the researchers will simulate the processes at the molecular level. They hope the model will help them to better understand the transport of the ions through the membranes as well as the dynamics of the water flow in the electric field.
Siemens developed the new desalination technique at the Singapore WaterHub, a research center for water treatment systems. The technology is part of Siemens' Environmental Portfolio, with which the company generated about €28 billion in sales in fiscal year 2010.
This free educational webinar will provide a detailed process for climate-driven "pre-response" in a variety of key areas including: Supply Chain Disruptions, Employee Safety and Productivity, Regulatory and Compliance Risks …and many more areas.


text:
The UIS is currently developing new surveys and methodologies needed to help track the ways in which people access and use media and information and generate knowledge in the digital age. In particular, the UIS media survey provides a global perspective on print, broadcast and digital media. The Institute has also developed a new survey to monitor trends in the educational use of information and communication technologies (ICT). Furthermore, we are developing a new methodology to help countries measure the media and information literacy skills of their citizens.
Our work in this field entails close collaboration with UNESCO's Communication and Information Sector, experts, national statisticians and other statistical agencies.
The UIS is developing a survey on use of new technologies in classrooms around the world.
A new framework to collect information on how people access and use information.
Consult the reports from UIS training workshops and expert meetings.
Build your own statistical tables using the UIS database.
Direct access to our collection of publications on communication issues.
Consult UIS questionnaires used to collect data on issues related to communication and information technologies.


text:
In my last blog, I presented some ideas on how local government, colleges and community groups might help to strengthen the local food economy. In this blog, I will share some ideas on how individuals can contribute directly to the long-term health of local food systems by changing our behavior.
But wait you say….. how can individuals make a difference when government, corporations and university research and education all support industrial agriculture?
Well, lets begin with the assumption that investments in a local food economy make sense in the long term as we face increasing stress to the industrial food economy. Then if we look at the systemic structure of large systems like corporations and government, we see that their behavior is governed by powerful mental models that discourage their leaders from acting on a long-term perspective. Let ask…. \"who among our leaders has a planning horizon that allows them to think in the long term?\" Afterall…..
- those we elect to the U.S. Senate want to get elected every 6 years,
- the President of the United States wants to get elected (or be succeeded by their own party) every four years,
- those we elect to the House of Representatives want to get elected every 2 years,
- most local officials run for election every 2 or 4 years, and
- corporate leaders must show increased profits every quarter (3 months) to be successful!
Given our expectation for immediate results, how can any of these leaders take actions that will pay off in the long term and expect to remain in leadership? WE have to begin to change the mental models governing western culture by changing our own behavior FIRST!
As I suggested in my last blog, if WE START A \"LOCAL FOODS PARADE\" (based on new mental models), these leaders will jump right up front and carry our flag!
Leadership of the local foods movement is in our hands!
While we need to continue to work with local government, businesses, colleges and community groups, we also need to take action as individuals to directly support local food and begin to shift mental models. Here are a few things we might do now:
- If you live in an apartment, plant a few vegetables or herbs in window boxes or on the patio. And of course walk or bike to one of our farm stands or farmers markets to buy local food whenever possible. Better yet, join a CSA!
- If you live in a suburban neighborhood, tear up that lawn and just grow food now! And then teach your neighbors how to grow more food. Can and freeze as much as possible, and share it with your neighbors.
- If you are in less populated part of town and maybe have a large yard (like some owners of \"McMansions\"), grow a large garden with fruit trees. And don't forget hens, chickens and rabbits for meat, perhaps a milking goat, and bees!
- If you live on a farm, grow more food crops (for people). Much of the farmland in New England is used to produce hay (some for cows, but much for riding horses). Is this the best use of farm land?
- If you are responsible for a public building, grow food on the rooftop. This not only produces food but makes heating and cooling the building less expensive. Or look to re-configure parking lots and other open areas with raised beds such as the urban organiponicos in Cuba.
And no matter where you live, think about ways we can make food farming a more attractive lifestyle. Farmers (especially those who don't own land) struggle with the economics of a food system that keeps prices artificially low through public subsidies and failing to pay for externalities. If we want more local food, we need to help these farms compete more effectively within the global food system.
We all need to begin by imagining possibilities and then getting to work in our backyards, neighborhoods, local government and educational institutions. There are plenty of examples of ways in which you can get involved in creating a sustainable food system.
Individual Actions
1. Join the Slow Food movement, which \"unites the pleasure of food with responsibility, sustainability and harmony with nature.\"
2. Buy Fair Trade food products which ensure that farmers receive a fair price for their labor. And why not try out this cell phone app to determine which products are \"healthy, ethical and green.\"
3. Support Bioregionalism which encourages us to get our food from an area defined loosely by natural boundaries and distinct cultural human communities.
4. Work for clear public commitment to a nutritious diet for all, fair wages and working conditions for farm labor, and a living wage for farm owners. Share the idea of a local Food Commons with your neighbors.
5. And perhaps the most effective way to support local food is to begin to uncouple your diet from the global industrial food economy starting with avoiding all factory farmed animal products such as eggs, milk, meat, and cheese. Try to increase the number of food products you buy from farmers you know!
What else? What would you add to this list?
For more ideas, videos and challenges along these lines, please join my Facebook Group; Just Food Now. And go here for more of my World.edu posts. And for those of you who still wonder if one person can make a difference, please see an essay I wrote on this topic called \"Saving the world – one clothespin at a time.\"


text:
EcoCAR 2 announces year one winner: Mississippi State University
Student Teams Gather in Los Angeles to Compete for $100,000 in Prize Money, 15 Receive Keys to a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu for Eco-Reengineering
Los Angeles, Calif. (May 24, 2012) – EcoCAR 2: Plugging In to the Future today named Mississippi State University its Year One winner at the EcoCAR 2012 Competition in Los Angeles. The 15 universities competing in EcoCAR 2 gathered for six days of judged competition this week with $100,000 in prize money up for grabs. EcoCAR 2, a three-year competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), General Motors (GM) and 25 other government and industry leaders, gives students the opportunity to gain real-world, eco-friendly automotive engineering experience while striving to improve the energy efficiency of an already highly-efficient vehicle – the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu.
Year One of the competition series emphasized engineering design though modeling and simulation to select and virtually test their plug-in hybrid electric vehicle architecture. Teams also started developing their hybrid control strategy using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation tools and designing major vehicle subsystems, including hybrid powertrain, energy storage, and high-voltage electrical systems.
Throughout the competition events in Los Angeles, EcoCAR 2 teams put their designs to the test, giving presentations to industry and government professionals based on their mechanical, electrical, control and HIL strategies, project initiation approval, outreach and business plans, and trade show display.
"The design and simulation portion of this competition really challenges us to balance detailed engineering analysis with overall vehicle design trade-offs," said Matthew Doude, team leader for Mississippi. "We are excited to receive the keys to our 2013 Malibu and start implementing our series-parallel plug-in hybrid electric vehicle design."
Mississippi State University was named the Year One winner after impressing more than 100 judges representing various EcoCAR 2 sponsors with its series-parallel plug-in hybrid electric vehicle design. The team produced top tier design reports, won Best Facilities Inspection, Best Final Technical Report, Best Project Initiation Approval Presentation, Best Trade Show Evaluation, and Best Controls Presentation categories. The university started competing nine years ago and has since taken first place three times previously.
"Mississippi State University's students brought tremendous ingenuity and innovation to their vehicle designs that will help them launch successful careers as leaders in the clean energy field, ensure the United States leads in the global auto industry, and create an American economy that's built to last" said David Danielson, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "Competitions like EcoCAR2 support the Administration's all-of-the-above approach to energy by providing students with hands-on experience and training in fuel-efficient vehicle technologies that reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, protect our air and water, and save families and businesses money."
While Mississippi State won the top prize, it wasn't the only winning team at the Year One Finals. The eco-engineering teams participated in more than a dozen different events ranging from outreach to powertrain design as they competed for more than $100,000 in prize money. In addition, the second place team is The Ohio State and University of Waterloo took third place overall. Now that their vehicle architectures are finalized, the 15 teams also received the keys to the GM-donated 2013 Chevrolet Malibu they will spend the next two years rebuilding, testing and refining.
"Our goal is to provide students with the most realistic career experience, and we chose the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu for EcoCAR 2, as we believe it is a great platform to allow students to show us what they can do," said Kent Helfrich, executive director, electronic controls and software engineering, of General Motors. "The students are exercising their talents and are truly making great strides. We look forward to their developments over the next two years."
Additional information about EcoCAR 2 is available on the competition website and blog, Flickr stream, Facebook page and Twitter stream. Sponsors have contributed a total of $745 million in software, hardware and cash donations include: General Motors; U.S. Department of Energy; Natural Resources Canada; MathWorks; California Air Resources Board; Clean Cities; dSPACE, Inc.; A123 Systems, Inc.; Freescale; AVL Powertrain Engineering, Inc.; National Science Foundation; ETAS; Snap-On Tools; Magna E-Car Systems; Magna Powertrain; Robert Bosch, LLC; FleetCarma; Siemens PLM Software; CD-adapco; Ventor CANtech, Inc.; GKN; Blackberry; QNX; Woodward; Delphi Foundation; Caterpillar and Women in the Winner's Circle.
About EcoCAR 2: Plugging In to the Future
EcoCAR 2: Plugging In to the Future is a three-year collegiate engineering program that builds on the successful 24-year history of Department of Energy advanced vehicle technology competitions by giving engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicles that demonstrate leading-edge, eco-friendly automotive technologies. General Motors provides each of the 15 competing teams with a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, as well as vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, provide competition management, team evaluation and logistical support. Through this important public/private partnership, EcoCAR 2 provides invaluable experience and training to promising young minds entering the North American job market. EcoCAR 2 follows the widely acclaimed competition series EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge.


text:
Bobby Green's '31 Ford Roadster - The Real Deal
Bobby Green's '31 Ford Roadster
Ask any gearhead over the age of 50 what he thinks of the current "traditional" craze sweeping the rodding ranks, and he's likely to tell you that this new "trend" is in fact nothing new at all, simply a bunch of young guys (and gals) looking to re-create the glory of stripped-down speed and simplistic beauty enjoyed by the original rods of yesteryear. Of course, many of these re-creations are more than a little lacking when it comes to actual tradition, as whitewall-wearing, 'glass-bodied cars sporting flat-black paint and brand-new crate motors are becoming more and more popular-not that there's anything wrong with fiberglass cars or crate motors, as yours truly is currently using both in a project. The oddity lies in the fact that many young rodders new to the "scene" try to pass off their current rides as nostalgic artifacts from the hobby's formative years, when more often then not the cars are recently assembled collections of new parts with just a taste of vintage style. The super-sano A V-8 roadster you see here is not such a car. In fact, Bobby Green's outstanding hair blower is the real deal, a born-to-run hot rod built from a pile of vintage tin with the singular goals of speed and style in mind. We think he succeeded on both counts.
Thirty-year-old Green owns a bar in the Los Angeles area and is a card-carrying member of not one, but two SoCal hot rod clubs. One has an amazing history, the other tries to re-create history. The club plaque proudly displayed on the nose of the roadster bears the name THEM!, an L.A. club known for its traditional ways and period-perfect rides. Bobby credits fellow club members Piero, Zack, Charles, and Troy for helping him in the construction of his bitchin' Model A, which went together in a year for the bargain basement price of around $14 grand. The other organization he calls home is the Sidewinders, a group legendary for their annual pilgrimage to the dry lakes and salt flats for sanctioned land speed racing, something they've been doing since 1938. Why join the two clubs, you ask? Because Bobby is no cruiser or car show shiner; he's a hot rodder in the truest sense of the word. The roadster has been driven to the lakes and raced at the drags, and the next project on the drawing board promises to be even wilder: a vintage belly tanker infused with Ford four-banger power.
Speaking of power, the 283 Chevy sporting triple Rochesters and ported fuelie heads provides more than enough grunt to turn a 13.90 at 120 mph at the drags, which are pretty stout numbers for an open-roof street car on bias-ply tires. The motor is nestled between the rails of a Cornhusker frame that has been pinched in front and Z'd in the rear, while a Ford 9-inch rearend with Traction-Lock puts the power to the pavement and '41 Lincoln drums pull in the reigns when it's time to stop. The body was an old hot rod Bobby found with the floor cut out for a channel job and an Auburn dash leaded in for a touch of extra style. After replacing the firewall, cowl sides, subframe, and floor, the body was delivered to Fine Lines Auto Body in Venice, California, for a little smoothing out. Bobby then sprayed his own custom shade of PPG red with flattener to get the perfect shade of red. A Victor Montez black and white roll tuck 'n' roll job on a Glide Engineering bench is set off by Stewart-Warner gauges in an owner-built panel. Other vintage touches include a Lincoln Zephyr wheel and a "telescoping" mirror from a '60s Jaguar.
So did Bobby accomplish his goal of attaining vintage rod nirvana? Judging by the constant flock of people surrounding the car while your humble photographer attempted to shoot this month's cover, it appears so. However, like all hot rods, this car is a continuously evolving work in progress, and we expect to see more great things to come from this young gearhead, including what promises to be an outrageous take on one of racing's coolest animals: the land speed racer. In the meantime, the import-driving young street racers of L.A. would do well to steer clear of the little red roadster bombing down the blacktop, because this car is no fancy trailer queen; it's the real deal.
Bobby GreenLos Angeles, California'31 Ford Roadster
Drivetrain: The old standby, a small-block Chevy, was utilized in this buildup because of its endearing price and outstanding power, but this is no late-model granny motor. A '57 283 was fitted with 9.5:1 pistons and ported '64 fuel injection heads, which draw fuel through a trio of Rochester carbs nestled on an Offy intake. A COMP Cams hydraulic bumpstick chops up the idle, and a Spaulding Flamethrower distributor fitted with electronic internals lights the fire. "Chazmatic" at Auto Craft assembled the balanced mill, and Bobby estimates power to be around 300 ponies. Cal Custom valve covers are spaced up a bit to make clearance for roller rockers. Corvette ram's horn manifolds dump into vintage-sounding glasspacks for the perfect tone.
Body: The '31 roadster body was an old hot rod that Bobby found in a backyard in Pomona, and at the time it was sporting green paint, black striping, and some seriously mangled sheetmetal. After replacing the firewall, cowl sides, subframe, and floor, the cowl was smoothed over, and a thick coat of red wine-hued custom PPG enamel with a hint of flattener was laid down. BIC headlights sit atop Speedway motors stands, and the custom windshield is from Hot Rod Hell in San Diego.
Interior: A Glide Engineering seat looks the part adorned with black and white vinyl tuck 'n' roll by Victor Montez. The '32 Auburn dash was already in the car when Bobby got it, so he fabricated a custom panel filled with SW gauges to complete the look. Wiring comes from a Painless kit, and the steering wheel is Lincoln Zephyr. According to Bobby the rearview mirror is from a '60s Jag, and the air conditioning is courtesy of Mother Nature.


text:
Manchester City full-back Maicon is certain the club is destined for Champions League success.
City have again failed to impress in Europe's elite competition this season and are condemned to a group stage exit for a second successive year. But Maicon, who won the Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010, believes it is only a matter of time before the Barclays Premier League winners crack it in Europe.
The Brazil international said: "There is nothing missing at City. It is a great club and is working to get better in the Champions League. You can see us progressing on a monthly basis."
He added: "The club is growing all the time, and sooner or later City will win the Champions League because everyone is working for that. The big difference is that here you have to play in the Premier League as well as trying to do well in the Champions League. It is a very different competition.
"They are great players here, but they need more experience of the Champions League. You have to tune in to playing in Europe, as it is very different to playing in your home league."
City face Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion in the final Group D match of their doomed campaign this week. Although qualification is no longer at stake for either side - the Germans are already confirmed as group winners - City can still secure the consolation of a place in the Europa League. To do that they will need to win and hope that Ajax fail to secure maximum points from their trip to Real Madrid.
Maicon said: "We are playing for pride on Tuesday, but also for practical reasons, because we want to carry on playing in Europe, even if it is not in the top competition. The Europa League is important to us, so we need to try to stay in Europe until the end of the season if we can."
Maicon is now starting to find a role at City after being hampered by a foot injury following his August arrival from Inter. The 31-year-old has started four of the last five games and feels City's attacking philosophy fits his game well.
He said: "I am enjoying life in Manchester - everything's fine. I am a family man so the first thing that is important to me is that my family is okay. When they are settled, as they are now, my mind is only on training. I am training very well, to contribute to the team.
"The team is full of quality players, and the way City play they give the full-backs the ball and get them to attack. This suits my game. I am only sorry that I couldn't contribute at the start of the season because of my injury. Little by little I am getting back to my best, and trying to add something to the team."


text:
Happy Birthday Buddha
Monday, May 7th was an amazing day for me. It was Buddha's birthday, and it started out in an amazing way. I had seen the begging monks before. They wore long black robes and wooden sandals. On each of their heads was a large, finely woven straw hat shaped like huge bowl. It looked like one of those Chinese hats. It would be good if you turned it over and filled it with popcorn. They came by my workplace about once a week it seemed, though never on a schedule. They always came early.
I had gotten into the habit of arriving at work early so that I could get some work done before the frenzy of kids and staff started. The monks walked up and down the narrow streets, passing every house, all the while loudly chanting, "How." They make no effort to sing together or on the same note, so if you listen to it musically, it can be quite interesting. At lunch one day I asked my Japanese colleagues about the monks.
"Oh those are monks-in-training. Did you give them some money?"
"No. I just looked at them. Do they want money?"
"Yes. They will accept anything that you give them. It is part of their training to be humble. Many of the monks have to do that for years."
So that morning when I heard them chanting outside I hurried to the door, reaching into my pocket as I went, and pulled out a fistful of coins. After picking out the big ones I stepped outside. As one of the monks walked by, he looked up and saw me. I didn't motion to him but somehow he knew that I had something to give him. He glided over as if being drawn by a large magnet and pulled on his outer robe. It revealed an apron with a large pocket. I dropped the coins onto the apron, he lifted it up and they slid into the pocket.
He didn't look at what I put on the apron. After I did it he bowed deeply twice. I looked at him and felt his profound respect for me as a human being. A deep reverence. Did I deserve this deep respect? I did. I felt honored. He had honored me. He bowed again deeply. How did he do that without losing his hat? Then he spun around and walked away chanting. I watched him until he turned the corner.
There is some controversy about the date of Buddha's birthday. Everyone agrees that it was on the night of a full moon. The Thaiss and the Sri Lankan's celebrate it in May. Most Japanese celebrate it in April. However, there is one faction of Japanese Buddhists that celebrate Buddha's birthday on the full moon day in May. A friend arranged for me to meet one of these monks at a coffee shop one day.
He looked very different from the monks in training that I had seen on the streets. He spoke English quite well because, as he explained, before he became a monk he had worked with a travel agency and often had to speak English on the job. Then when he turned 50, he had decided to become a monk. He left his wife and family and found a teacher. After "hanging out" with his teacher for two years, he became an ordained monk.
He had a shaved head and wore the plain pajama-like suit of a monk, but he was unconventional in every sense. He belonged to no temple and explained that, though he cherished the teachings of Buddhism, he had nothing but scorn for the way that it was practiced in Japan. He felt it was a business and that too many of the priests never practiced the teachings that they were supposed to be masters of. Instead they led an easy life, supported mostly by funeral charges. The charge for a funeral in Japan is high, as much as 6000 dollars. Not bad for a few hours work. Many of the priests drive fancy cars and live a very comfortable life indeed. My friend called himself a freelance monk and I think he was really serious about Buddhism. For him, life was "practicing Buddhism."
"Life is my dojo," he said with a grin. A dojo is a word that is usually reserved for a place where people go to practice martial arts.
"Go placidly in the midst of praise and blame." It all sounded good to me, but only because of the twinkle in his eye and his open friendly manner. He said he supported himself by teaching massage and reiki, a kind of Japanese massage that doesn't actually involve touching. Reiki originated near Kyoto on the top of Mount Kurama. Which is also where the Buddha's Birthday celebration was held.
It was a rainy day, so I didn't know if I wanted to go. But it seemed to clear up around 6 p.m. so, along with about 15 of his other students, I met the priest at Kurama station, 30 minutes north of Kyoto by slow train. Just as we stepped off the train, the full moon struggled through the clouds and we got a clear glimpse of it. It seemed to be the only patch of sky that wasn't covered in clouds.
"You see, everyone. We are lucky," the priest proclaimed. We started the long hike up the mountain. Kurama temple sits near the top of Mount Kurama. It's about a 30-minute hike up. All along the way there are small temples, shrines, and fountains to keep you interested. The scenery is beautiful. At one point we passed a huge old tree. It was a holy tree we were told. It had a thick rope as big as your thigh tied around it. All of the Reiki students gathered around it, touched the tree with their palms, and closed their eyes.
"Do you feel the power of the tree?" the teacher asked. I held my hands out with everyone else, waiting for something to happen. The students nodded that they did. I felt nothing, but I didn't feel like I needed to tell everyone that.
We finally reached the top, sweating and out of breath. There were about 500 people sitting on the ground in a circle around a big mandala. They were meditating and each had a candle in a little glass cup. I walked over and got one of the many candles that were lined up along the temple and sat with the others. I tried to meditate with the others but I wasn't too successful. Mostly I was sleepy. I walked around for a while listening to the sounds and enjoying the beautiful rugged mountain scenery. Around 10 p.m., there was a formal service with chanting and prayers. There were some monks from other countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand who had come to be there for this event. They gave prayers as well.
After about 20 minutes, the service ended and most of the people went to one of the buildings near the temple. It looked like a small building, but it was built into the mountain, so it went down four levels. The priests were handing out free tea and sweet rolls. I gratefully accepted two (I had forgotten to eat dinner and there were no convenience stores in Kurama!) and followed the people down. On the lower levels there were huge tatami-floored rooms where people were sleeping. It was like a big party. I thought about joining them but then I decided I would rather enjoy the beauty of nature and sleep outside.
I found a quiet place under one of the temple eves and spread out my sleeping bag. I put my candle down by my head so that no one would step on me. I had a great view of the mountains and the moon when it decided to appear. Around 12 a.m., I was awakened by the start of the second service. I thought about getting up for a few seconds and then drifted happily back to sleep. Again I heard sounds and singing. I looked at my watch. 3 a.m. The 3 a.m. service. Again I thought about getting up. I really did. Maybe all this supernatural stuff wasn't for me. I didn't really feel anything special about this night or this place other than that it was a beautiful place to be.
I've been waking up early these days, with the sun. That day was no exception. I opened my eyes and lay there motionless. I could see that the sky was getting light. I saw my candle still burning. Then a strange thing happened. As I looked at the candle and my brain started to register thoughts, I watched the candle go out. It had burned all night beside me. Then, as I awoke, it went out. Whoa. That made me wonder.
I got up, put my things together and walked around a bit. Most everyone was still sleeping. It was 5 am. I walked over to the temple, sat down and started to meditate.
Beginning Buddhist meditation usually centers on trying to quiet the mind. Most of us keep up a constant internal dialogue that we are not even aware of. The Buddhists feel that this constant thinking about things keeps us from really experiencing life directly, because we aren't really paying attention to what's happening, to our reactions to what's happening, and to our thoughts about what's happening.
Did you ever try to still your mind? Well, take my word for it, its not easy. I spend 99.9% of my meditation time spaced out, not even remembering what I was thinking about. A teacher once told me that your beginner's mind is like a spoiled child. Still I keep trying to meditate, if only for a few minutes a day. So I sat down and started to meditate.
Amazingly, I had the most wonderful meditation I've ever had. Nothing weird happened. I didn't have a vision or anything. It just that for the almost the entire 30 minutes, I was really aware. I just sat and watched my mind go from here to there, then back to my breath. It was great. It was like watching a movie but I was the movie. Maybe it would be a boring movie for you to watch me, Frank Lev, sitting on a mountain watching his thoughts. But for me, it was fascinating. Since then, however, my meditations have returned to their normal, dismal, spacing-out sessions.
Around 6:30 a.m., I walked down the mountain and took the train back to Kyoto. Then I went to work. People said I looked very calm and happy. Maybe there was something special about that mountain and that day after all. I just had to find it in my own way.


text:
No inspiration? No problem!
So you can't evoke the muses. No problem, we got you covered. Choose among thousands of professional photos and lots of amazing ready-made templates. They are all infinitely customizable. Change as little or as much as you want and with just one click, upload them to your Facebook Page, YouTube Channel or Twitter.
Get the size right!
They say size doesn't matter. But somehow you can sometimes spend endless hours trying to get it right. Right? Well, no more. Just choose the type of banner you want, be it a Facebook banner, a YouTube banner or any kind of banner. We'll make sure it is pixel perfect.
One less thing to worry about.


text:
Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Air Bag Questions
2003 Chevy Silverado 4X4 V8 4.8 Ext Cab
I'm looking for some initial tips to get started on replacing my airbag clock spring. Bare with me, by initial, I also mean some "obvious" tips on where to get started. I have someone with Chevy expertise, but an Airbag clock spring replacement isn't something he's done before, so I wanted to check with all of you on what I need to do before, during, and after the install.
I had just bought a hanes manual (it's at home, I'm at work). Also, I don't expect anyone to provide me with a 20 page diagram/literature, but more of a summary, and things to check for.
I'm looking for some initial tips to get started on replacing my airbag clock spring. Bare with me, by initial, I also mean some "obvious" tips on where to get started. I have someone with Chevy expertise, but an Airbag clock spring replacement isn't something he's done before, so I wanted to check with all of you on what I need to do before, during, and after the install.
I had just bought a hanes manual (it's at home, I'm at work). Also, I don't expect anyone to provide me with a 20 page diagram/literature, but more of a summary, and things to check for.
geo9 Member Posts: 735DOM.....Have you posted about this in any GM truck forums??
I have seen another post about the clockspring on another
forum. Is it you?
Never seen one of those posts before!0 -
cj1280 Member Posts: 3A friend put 02 leather seats in my 2005 GMC Sierra SL crew cab truck. It has 26,000 miles and has the 5.8L V8 engine.
The truck came with cloth seats. They were able to hook up all the of electrical except for the airbags so the airbag light is on. The adapter/plugs for the wires were changed between 02 and 05 and we are concerned about the airbags deploying by changing the adapter to make it work. Also there is a concern that the airbag sensors in the seats are different between the leather 02 seats and the cloth 05 seats... any ideas or suggestions to get the air bag light off and insure the airbags are in working order would be appreciated because the truck is for sale and hard to sell with the air bag light on0 -
cj1280 Member Posts: 3That is my problem, I sold the seats when they assured me their would not be any problems. (sorry should have included this in the forum. Any other ideas.0
obyone Member Posts: 7,841Not to be a wiseguy. But shouldn't "they" (the person or persons) who assured you that there would not be any problems take care of your current problem since you bought the seats on the premise that there would be "no problems"?
Actually the best place to start would be with the parts department at your local GMC dealer. Ask them if the plugs are interchangeable and if the sensors would cause any problem. They can look up the wiring diagrams of both the '05 and '02 and give you a better answer.
There are other forums where you could post this question and perhaps get better results. Unfortunately, I would be in violation of the TOS by posting it.0 -
marcb2 Member Posts: 9I was driving and all of a sudden my air bag light came on as well as a message on the dash display in my 03 Silverado 1500. I have not hit anything nor have I messed with anything. Is this a major issue that I need to take to a mechanic or can I still drive around without any issues? Is the fix simple? If so, what all do I need to check to get this fixed? Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] with any suggestions/fixes.0
amart1963 Member Posts: 1Hello All, I am A repair Shop in florida. Recently we got a wrecked 2004 Gmc 2500 Truck. Air Bags Did Not Deployed in The Accident. We paired the vehicle Back to its Pre Accident Condition, We got a code for the front inpact sensor B103. We trouble shooted the wiring and sensor,we found the wirring harness had been damaged in the accident, at the front sensor under the radiator support.. we replaced the front impact sensor and wiring harness new from GM. we cleared the code and it imediately comes back On Same Code B103 Front Impact sensor.. So what could i have gotten a bad sensor? is this Likely? any Sugestion this is driving me crazy.. Will a tech2 Scanner give you more in detail? Thanks..........A.J.0
trenttonb Member Posts: 1Hi My question is regaurding my 06 silverado. I recently hit a tree head on dead center in the bumper at thirty five miles an hour. The air bags did not deploy when I asked chevy why they read the black box on board of the truck and said the truck speed did not drop 15mph in 5mil a sec so the bag would not deploy is this true? The truck is totaled frame twisted cab folded motor moved into fire wall. What gives I thought my family would be safe in this truck by having onstar but than i find out onstar only works on silverado if airbags deploy. Any info on air bags would be helpful0
obyone Member Posts: 7,841There is a formula to calculate the rate of deceleration for the airbags to deploy. At 35 mph the sensors didn't detect a rapid deceleration, thus no airbags.0
zamorad25 Member Posts: 1Hi, did you ever get this problem fixed i had the same problem with a tree getting on my way , I fixed everything except now my dash board never goes off and keep draining the battery. did you have this problem due to the sensor?0
jabbott4 Member Posts: 1I have a 2006 Silverado and I had a front end impact approx. 3 years ago. I got everything fixed in this wreck. About 4 months ago, an error appeared on my dash that said "Service Air Bag". I ignored it which led to it starting to drain my battery. I would park the truck and come out two hours latter to a dead battery. I got it fixed and my battery quit draining itself. About two weeks ago, the same problem started again with the "Service Air Bag" error". It drained my battery again. It ended up being the other front side sensor. So I now have replaced two Air Bag sensors which have costed me about $1000. I think it is rediculous that if your airbag sensor goes bad that it drains your battery. This is a poor engineering design. Whats next...my tire goes flat and the radio quits working!0
carelessidiot Member Posts: 1A few days ago my '06 GMC Sierra 1500 began showing the "Service Air Bag" in place of the digital odometer. I thought maybe it was because I'd changed the hitch receiver, but found nothing back there. While reading the replies here, I suddenly recall that a couple of weeks ago I accidentally pulled forward over a truck transmission. But it didn't hurt my airdam, so I backed off. Still no hurt to the airdam, so I drove around the transmission.
Seems I'll need to check the harness and sensors tomorrow. But this hasn't run my battery dead.
The real issue is why they put this expensive stuff in such a vulnerable location? I WILL be re-locating my sensors, probably inside the frame rails.0