The simple life

Volkswagen death spiral, again

2009-08-23T13:43:00.003-04:00

After twenty years of sales decline, primarily caused by the appalling quality of their cars and dealers, Volkswagen has determined that it will cement its doom by making its products "more American."

The Jetta platform will provide the basis for VW’s new workhorse for the American market, and the company is “pretty much convinced” that Jetta will be the name as well, Mr. Jacoby said. But he promised a retooling that would try to blend European design and allure with Americans’ practical needs.

For instance, there will be more and different types of cup holders — a must-have for American consumers.

A different suspension will yield a smoother ride. Folding mirrors, a necessity in tight European streets, will not be standard. The acceleration and braking pedals will be farther apart in response to American complaints that it is easy to accidentally press both simultaneously.

And some other device will replace the balky dials used to recline seats in European cars. Market research in the United States found that “women break their fingernails or scratch their hands,” Mr. Jacoby said.

Of course we've been here before, when VW turned its excellent Mk I Golf into the americanized Rabbit, complete with vinyl woodgrain accents on the dashboard and Buick-esque hub caps:

VW seems unable to remember why it was successful in the US in the first place: Inexpensive, carefully engineered cars that were reliable, cheap to operate, and easy to maintain and repair. Now VWs are expensive, unreliable, and ferociously expensive to maintain (try changing a burnt out headlight without a dealer visit). Naturally making them bigger, heavier, and softening up the suspension will do the trick.

Sheesh.

Morning Hike

2009-04-30T05:07:00.001-04:00

These beautiful days, I'm trying to get out for a walk in the morning before work. Last week, I had a great view of the Boston skyline at sunrise:

Optimizing Safari 4

2009-04-30T04:43:00.002-04:00

So I love the Apple Safari 4 beta -- it is screamingly fast and it runs nicely on a PPC Mac (unlike Chrome, which only runs on Intel).

One big drawback, when compared with Firefox, is that targeted links cannot be forced to open in a new tab instead of a new window (the preference setting has no effect).

Turns out that there is a way to make this work: Open a Terminal window and type

defaults write com.apple.Safari TargetedClicksCreateTabs -bool true

And restart Safari. That's it.

(Now, if only Safari 4 supported blogger's wysiwyg editing features.)

Peepers

2009-04-07T05:49:00.004-04:00

They're all done for the season, but a week ago they were out in force:

Living the high life...

2009-04-01T21:05:00.002-04:00

... in my El Camino Super Sport.

Some Great Clothes Sources

2009-03-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

If you're 2 metres tall (or more), finding shoes and clothing is tough! Here a couple of sources you might try:

For hipster doofus styles (think Chuck, or Kramer), go to oddball.com.

Basic blue jeans at a basic price? Try Carhartt jeans from dungarees.net.

Columbia has a great line of big and tall shirts and outerwear (with long, long sleeves!). Good prices from supercasuals.com.

And these links are untainted by any commerce -- they're just places that I like!

Places I don't like? Casual Male XL, with poor quality, limited sizes, and wildly inflated prices. Like $60 for a pair of ill-fitting Levis jeans.

Antidiscrimination law

2007-08-06T04:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's Boston Globe reports on a law before the Massachusetts legislature that would outlaw emploment (and some other) forms of discrimination based on a person's height and weight.

I say bravo!

"How's the weather up there?" A hate crime, I say.

"If you're going the minivan route, you wind up with the Odyssey"

2006-12-05T05:45:00.000-05:00

That's what our friend Maureen says anyway. It turned out that way for us, as we just traded in the grey BMW wagon for a 2007 Odyssey:

Here's how we got there.

Step 1: Enough legroom for tub (who is 6'9" tall):

Caravan SXT -- excellent
Pontiac SV6/Saturn Relay/Chevy Uplander/Buick Terraza -- excellent
Honda Odyssey -- adequate
Hyundai Entourage/Kia Sedona -- barely adequate
Toyota Sienna -- hopelessly inadequate

Not evaluated: Ford Windstar, Dodge Sprinter

Step 2: Basic driving dynamics?

Caravan: Marginal handling, with vague sloppy steering. Excellent throttle response and very crisp shifting from a 4-speed manual transmission. Lots of road noise.
GM: Terrible handling with excessive body roll. Poor throttle response, sluggish 4-speed transmission, and marginal overall power.
Hyundai/Kia: Adequate handling and throttle response, reasonably quiet. Smooth-shifting 5-speed transmission.
Honda: Smooth handling, shifting. Adequate power. OK ride. Not particularly quiet.

Step 3: Research

Caravan: Poor reliability, poor resale value. Excellent incentives ($4000 cash rebate) and reasonable base price. Mediocre mileage (18/25)
Honda: Average reliability. Good gas mileage (20/28) with EX-L and Limited trim. No incentives and relatively high base price. No options.
GM: Named by Forbes magazine as one of the 10 worst cars you can buy in America due to abysmal reliability scores.
Hyundai/Kia: Unknown reliability (new model). Anecdotes from edmunds.com not promising. Mediocre mileage (18/25) with anecdotal reports of much poorer mileage.

Step 4: Extended test drive

Caravan: Rented a white 2007 SXT from Enterprise for a weekend trip to New Hampshire. Versatility of stow-and-go seating was excellent. Tons and tons of room for people and stuff. Very relaxed driving experience. Very secure during a torrential rainstorm (kept up 65-70 MPH under abysmal conditions without trouble). Controls were extremely simple to use. Front seats offered zero lower back support, with squishy cushions and revolting fabric colors. Dashboard and interior materials cheap in the extreme. Somewhat bouncy ride, and not especially quiet. Wife declares "no way" because of the uncomfortable seats.
Honda: Borrowed a 2007 EX from Bernardi Honda for the day. Very pleasant, car-like driving experience with good visibility. Controls somewhat complex. Seats comfortable. Reasonably quiet. No problems.

Step 5: Model selection

LX: Manual front seat doesn't offer as much legroom as power seat in EX and above, so scratch this.
EX: Cloth seats only. Not good for 3 year-old who requires continuous feeding.
EX-L: About $2500 more. Leather seats plus variable-cylinder control motor for better mileage, and sunroof.
Touring: Another $2500 gets you fog lights, lazy susan underfloor storage, power liftgate, and run-flat tires with an oddball wheel size.

So, EX-L it is.

A few testing highlights:

Best Feature:

Dodge Caravan power doors: Switches work easily but you can always open and close the door manually (it has a simple clutch mechanism). Contrast this with the Honda, where you must disable the power doors to use them manually.

Biggest Surprise:

The Hyundai looks great on paper, and it's gotten great reviews from media as diverse as Consumer Reports and the New York Times, but it is as unrefined and crude as a pickup truck (and that includes the dealership experience).

Where Honda is Behind:

A separate key fob for the remote controls. Even the Dodge has the buttons integrated into the head of the key.

The best Porsche 911

2006-11-20T20:50:00.000-05:00

Well my 1988 non-sunroof coupe, naturally, but why?

It has a galvanized body shell, which means that, in general, rust isn't a problem. Porsche started galvanizing with the 1975 model year. Some would say that this makes 1974 the absolutely worst year, since it has the heavier bumpers without the compensation of a rust-free body.
It has a 3.2 litre engine, which is the largest possible displacement using the original case (given the size of the case and the spacing of the bore centers). The 3.6 litre engine introduced with the 1989/90 C2/C4 964 cars uses funky offset head studs to achieve its displacement (which in turn led to the oil leak problems on the early cars).
It has simple digital engine controls, which means no points to adjust or replace, and long-life spark plugs. Throttle response is excellent with a single oxygen sensor, and the power is good (217 BHP) if not spectacular. It is very nearly completely user-serviceable, with the only microprocessor in the car being contained within the DME brain. All the mechanical bits are essentially the same as a pre-electronics car.
It has no ABS. The 964 introduce ABS to the Porsche 911, but ABS requires close to zero-offset steering. This meant that the Fuchs wheels wouldn't fit. The zero-offset geometry also meant that the cars needed power steering. Which made them heavier. Which led to the development of the 3.6 motor. See above.
It has torsion bar suspension. This means a nice roomy trunk in the front (unlike later cars).
It, along with other 87-89 cars, has the best legroom of any Porsche 911 ever made. The G50 shift linkage puts the shift lever further from the steering wheel than in earlier (915) cars, while the seat track is mounted lower and further back than in both pre-1986 and post-1989 cars. The 86-89 cars include small recesses in the central tunnel to allow the seats more travel, while the post-89 cars have airbags, which cause the designers to limit seat travel so as to guarantee good performance for unbelted drivers.
It has no sunroof. This means an extra 3" of headroom, plus about 30 pounds less weight up in the roof of the car. Three inches? Really? Yes, because of the shape of the 911 roof, the movable panel in the sunroof has to drop significantly in its rearward travel. The sunroof mechanism includes a steel box into which the panel travels, and this box forms a chord across the otherwise highly arched roof:
It has no air conditioning. The pre-1990 Porsche 911 AC system is a Rube Goldberg monstrosity that includes a huge compressor hung out over the tail of he car, one condenser mounted on the engine cover (where it thoughtfully pre-heats the intake and cooling air charge and where the constant hose flexing leads to leaks) and a second condenser mounted underneath the front bumper, so perfectly hidden from airflow that a blower is required to draw air from behind the front bumper and blow it down through the condenser). The evaporator is mounted in front of the footwell, and it only operates in recirculating mode, drawing air from the footwell, cooling it, and blowing it out the dash vents (which means that no fresh air comes out the dash vents). These components are strung together with about 20 feet of AC hose. Without this system in place, and with the dash vents replumbed to blow fresh air, the car is about 70 pounds lighter and frankly more comfortable to drive.

So in summary, this 911 - which is really one of a kind -- is about the best there is. It has the classic looks (except for the modern bumpers, which are only available if you accept the rust problem, plus less legroom), it is only about 150 pounds heavier (bumpers, sound deadening, a couple of extra heater blowers) than the lightest of the early cars), and it has the highest power rating of any user-serviceable 911 (to get more, you either need devilishly complex MFI or soul-sucking modern engine management).

212

2006-11-10T06:38:00.000-05:00

Not the boiling point of water (in Fahrenheit), but how much I weighed this morning. Maybe not a weight that would make most people happy, but if you're 6'9", then 212 is a nice weight.

I decided to try to lose some weight last spring in the hopes that it might reduce the pain associated with my bad back. I dropped about 35 pounds, basically by just eating less (I was, and still am, exercising regularly). It was surprisingly easy, and being thinner has really improved my happiness level:

I have more energy
Less back and hip pain
Clothes fit better
Look better
Cars fit more comfortably

So yay.

Air

2006-10-22T16:08:00.000-04:00

As the seasons change, and temperatures start to fall, the air pressure in a car's tires begins to fall. Typically, about 1 PSI per 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Finding a gas station that has a working, free supply of compressed air can turn what should be a five minute chore into a 30 minute hassle.

Our house has a bifurcated garage -- a small wood-framed two-car garage next to a big cinderblock structure -- and a couple of years ago, I decided to install a source of compressed air. I have a small contractor's compressor which is plumbed into a pair of hoses, one in each garage:

The compressor is a small, oil-lubed compressor intended for nailguns. I use it to pump up tires and run an impact wrench. It will run any kind of an air tool except for a drill, air-chisel, or cut0ff tool.

What I like about it (as opposed to a "normal" large-capacity shop compressor) is that it does every automotive chore for which compressed air is required (blowing out fuel lines, running an impact wrench, and blowing pistons out of brake calipers). The things that it doesn't do, can be done using electric tools. Because it is small, it builds pressure quickly (like 20 seconds from empty), so when it's time to pump up the tires, you're up and running quickly. With a big shop compressor, you have to waste the time and energy of pumping up the whole tank before you can do anything.

Tall bike: nearly complete

2006-10-22T06:42:00.000-04:00

I'm working my way through the componentry on the tall bike, replacing and upgrading things that are worn out or obsolete. I was unable to get the existing cup-and-cone headset to adjust properly, probably because it was missing a spacer, so I decided to splurge and have Harris Cyclery in Newton install a new Chris King headset. So at this point, the key "big bearings" on the bike (headset and bottom bracket) are now high-end sealed units (Phil Wood BB and Chris King headset).

When I picked up the bike I happened to see a 68cm Rivendell Atlantis bike that was also in for service. It had a very high stem called a Nitto dirt drop. I asked if Harris had one for sale, and they did, so now I have my bars high enough and I don't have that ugly, kludgy, heavy, steel steerer extender no more!

So at this point, the only components that haven't been upgraded are the derailleurs, brakes, and wheels. The wheels are kind of a conundrum. The 126mm rear dropout spacing means that it's hard to find a good hub (although Phil Wood has one). Plus, because of my weight, a freehub would be a much better choice than a standard hub. Also, the current wheels are 630mm, while must replacements are 622mm. I'm not keen about dropping the bike by another 4mm, given the long 185mm cranks.

Or should I get a new bike? I love the look of the Rivendell Atlantis, which is available in a 68cm size. Or I could get Mike Flanigan to build me a custom. Or I could do the Peter Cole thing and get a used 68cm Cannondale touring frame.

Hmmmm.

OK, maybe not...

2006-10-14T06:57:00.000-04:00

So I actually went so far to go to the local Saturn dealer to price out the Saturn-badged version of the Montana (the Saturn Relay). But then I found out about the Relay was named to Forbes Magazine's list of the Ten Worst American Cars of 2006.

Oh well, guess we'll squeeze into the BMW for a while longer.

My little hiker

2006-10-14T06:31:00.000-04:00

My older son is 3 1/2 years old, and for a while I've been taking him on little "adventures" in the woods. Mostly, these involve walks of perhaps a mile across mostly level ground.

On Thursday, however, we broke new ground by hiking to the summit of Noanet Peak in the Noanet Woodlands in Dover, MA. This hike is about three miles and includes a climb of about 250 feet. The summit is open, and offers a nice view of the Boston skyline.

He astounded me by making the entire hike without needing to be carried, including several steep rocky scrambles. He had so much energy on the way down, that he ran about 1/4 of the way!

This first sign that he and I will be able to enjoy the outdoors together has made me really, really happy!

Nitto "dirt drop" stem

2006-10-09T06:26:00.000-04:00

As discussed elsewhere, after a 25-year layoff, I've been doing some bike riding. When you're 6'9" tall setting up a bicycle (like lots of other things) isn't always straightforward. The bike frame that I'm using is the largest production frame ever made (68cm), but it's not big enough for me with normal components. Until recently, I had been using a steel steerer extender plus a Nitto technomic 100mm stem to get the handlebars high enough:

Last week, I had the bike in to Harris Cyclery in Newton to get a new Chris King headset installed, and when I picked up the bike I happened to see a 68cm Rivendell Atlantis bike that was also in for service. It had a very high stem called a Nitto dirt drop. I asked if Harris had one for sale, and they did, so now I have my bars high enough and I don't have that ugly, kludgy, heavy, steel steerer extender no more!

This makes me happy, because now I have a bike that is comfortable to ride, with decent components, and no obvious kludges:

Pontiac Montana SV6 Trounces Toyota Sienna

2006-10-02T06:10:00.000-04:00

A significant personal upheaval recently took me to Las Vegas for a week, and while there I rented a minivan from Hertz. The first car they provided us with was a 2006 Toyota Previa:

Based on my experience owing a Toyota Matrix, I expected this car to be easy to operate, stone-reliable, and to have really uncomfortable seats. Well, I was right about the seats. Awful, cramped, squishy with absolutely no lower back support. But after driving for 15 minutes (temperatures in the low 80s F), the AC would stop working and the engine temperature would peg to the redline.

I took the car back to Hertz and they replaced it with a Pontiac Montana SV6 minivan:

This car was great! The driver's seat had enough travel and adjustment that I could get my 6'9" self comfortable, and the seat was supportive. The controls were simple to understand and clearly laid out. The on-board computer was especially nice. A set of three menu buttons atop the center stack, with a red alphanumeric display embedded in the speedometer. The driving dynamics were reasonable. Plenty of body roll made for slow transitions, and the tires had abysmal grip. Somewhat underpowered, with a lazy 4-speed automatic made for easy cruising. The AC worked perfectly on a trip through the mountains outside of Vegas to Hoover Dam.

All in all, I have to say I much preferred the Pontiac to the Toyota. If I were in the market for a minivan (which I might be, since the personal upheaval was my wife and I adopting a new baby), I'd be tempted by the Pontiac (or it's Chevy clone, the Uplander).

From the Archives: The tall bike 25 years ago

2006-09-11T06:20:00.000-04:00

And now a word from the archivist:

That's me on the bike in 1980 or so, in it's as-delivered state (except for the enormous, solid aluminum seat post). Note the tiny little handlebars, cramped up riding position, quaint Bell helmet, and those unbelievable electric blue Adidas sneakers...

From the Archives: My First Car

2006-09-11T06:11:00.000-04:00

A 1966 VW Bus:

I think this had a claimed 60,000 miles on it when I bought it (for $1200). It powered me back and forth to Oberlin from New Hampshire, and also on adventures in the Maritimes, around Lake Superior, and elsewhere. I remember it being a bit of a tank, with such old-school technology as

Drum brakes all around
Kingpins
A 1-barrel Solex carb with oil bath air cleaner

The most amazing thing is that it weighed less than my new Mini does: 2350 pounds empty, as you can see from this spec sheet:

The tall bike project

2006-09-09T08:33:00.000-04:00

I've been spending a lot of time working on my bike recently. After riding it for a short while with the upright MTB stem and riser bars using SRAM twistgrip shifters, I decided that:

It didn't handle well. The steering was extremely light and twitchy. I attribute this to the fact that the riding position put most of my weight over the rear wheel.
It wasn't comfortable. The trouble with the riser bars is that you don't have any choice of hand position, so I was finding that my wrist was getting stiff and sore.
It wasn't aerodynamic. When riding on the flat or downhill, I could feel the wind pressing against my chest.

So I decided to re-do the bike using drop bars. The existing drop bars that were on the bike were tiny, and the existing stem was normal size, so the bars were too low. I decided to go with a set of 46cm Nitto noodle bars and a Nitto technomic stem. But even this combination put the bar too low for me. So I got a steel steerer extender which, when used with the Nitto stem, puts the bars about 2 cm below the level of the seat. I also got a set of Take-Offs from Kelly, which let me mount old-style friction shifters in a geezer-friendly location near the brakes. Despite how wacky they look, they're actually extremely nice to use:

As I started to think more about the fit of the bike, my attention turned to the crankset. The existing crank was a low-end three-piece crankset with steel chainrings and 170mm cranks. After reading various articles on crank length, I decided to see if I could come up with a set of 185mm cranks for the bike. But, as with all of these upgrade paths, there were constraints. First, I didn't want to change the front derailleur, so that meant sticking with a double. Second, I didn't want to change the chain or the cluster, so that meant avoiding hyperglide or ulgtraglide chainrings.

Harris had a promising solution: a set of vintage 185mm TA Vis Pro 5 ("cyclotouriste") crankarms.

Unfortunately, they did not have chainrings that would allow me to maintain the current gearing on the bike (which I like, chart appended below).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SP  CRxFW    GI      GIdf      DI      diff      DF        PRPM      RT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1>  40x32   33.75   14.29%   106.03   15.15    8'10.03"   597.57   1:1.25
2>  40x28   38.57   13.75%   121.18   16.66   10' 1.18"   522.88   1:1.43
3>  52x32   43.88    2.56%   137.84    3.53   11' 5.84"   459.67   1:1.62
4>  40x24   45.00   11.43%   141.37   16.16   11' 9.37"   448.18   1:1.67
5>  52x28   50.14    7.69%   157.53   12.12   13' 1.53"   402.21   1:1.86
6>  40x20   54.00    8.33%   169.65   14.14   14' 1.65"   373.48   1:2.00
7>  52x24   58.50    8.60%   183.78   15.80   15' 3.78"   344.75   1:2.17
8>  40x17   63.53   10.50%   199.58   20.96   16' 7.58"   317.46   1:2.35
9>  52x20   70.20    9.89%   220.54   21.81   18' 4.54"   287.30   1:2.60
10>  40x14   77.14    7.06%   242.35   17.11   20' 2.35"   261.44   1:2.86
11>  52x17   82.59   21.43%   259.46   55.60   21' 7.46"   244.20   1:3.06
12>  52x14  100.29    0.00%   315.06    0.00   26' 3.06"   201.11   1:3.71
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SP  CRxFW    GI      GIdf      DI      diff      DF        PRPM      RT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

But I found a fellow in Toronto (Bicycle Specialties) who had a stock of TA Cyclotouriste rings, so I had him send me the rings and the mounting hardware.

Next stop was a new bottom bracket. The experts at Harris (Jim, Sheldon, and Dave) put their heads together and decided that a 116 (+5 asymmetry) Phil Wood bracket would work for me. Pricey at $112 plus two mounting rings and two Phil consumer tools.

When I got this home, I obsessed for a long, long time about whether this setup was going to work. There are a lot of considerations when selecting a bottom bracket, especially when you have long feet and you're sticking ginormous 185 cranks on an existing bike:

Chainline
Front derailleur operating limits
Clearance between pedal and ground, which is related to
Q-factor (tread)
Interference between rider's heel and rear derailleur
Clearance between crankarms and rear wheel stays
Interference between rider's toe and front wheel when turned

And the problem is that there's no way to tell if it's going to work without actually installing it on the bike. Which means your pristine $112 Phil Wood bottom bracket ain't going to be so pristine when you take it back to exchange it. Plus, of course, you cannot assemble and disassemble the crankset without an appropriate crank puller, which in the case of a TA crank takes a 23mm (as opposed to the normal 22mm) thread. This is not a case of blame the contrary French, however, as the TA crank predates the other cranks that used 22mm.

Now there are two suppliers of 23mm crank pullers, Park tool used to make a reversible 22/23mm puller with handle and VAR still does, although their distribution in the US is spotty. Turns out that Harris didn't have one of these, but VELO Orange did.

In order to minimize potential pedal-to-ground interference problems (all of the technical advisors to whom I spoke had the same response: "Don't pedal through the turns, buddy"), I bought a set of MKS platform pedals, which are narrow and slightly shallower than the non-name touring pedals that had been on the bike. Plus, they take 'standard' MKS toeclips.

So last night I put this whole thing together, and the end result is pretty amazing: The chainline is quite close in, the crank arms clear the rear stays by just 3 or 4 mm, and my feet clear the derailleur. Because of the closer Q-factor and the smaller pedals, I have at least as much pedal clearance through turns as I did before. The only real interference is toes-to-pedals, which is a non-issue above parking lot speeds.

Parenthetically, I would note that this upgrade has been extremely satisfying on a personal level. From the moment I first acquired the bike about 25 years ago, I was not satisfied with the crankset. I disliked the cast-in-place nonremovable chain guard, the heavy steel chain rings, and the fact that the damn thing was warped.

Sweet new TA crankset

Nasty old "custom" crankset

I never had the time or money when I was a kid to go through the rigmarole of putting on a proper crankset (and before the whole internet thing, living up in the woods of New Hampshire, it would have been impossible to find the components anyway.)

Anyway, the only thing left to do now is take it out for a ride!

Which I did. It works well, and is very comfortable. Biggest problem is that the front shifting requires more finesse than the old chainrings. In particular, if you don't downshift firmly and with an appropriate amount of pedaling force, the chain gets hung up on the inner ring, and then wedges itself into the chainstay.

Selling MINIs

2006-09-09T08:19:00.000-04:00

I'm writing this in the waiting lounge at MINI of Peabody, while I'm waiting for my car to get its oil changed. I've had the car for about three and a half months but only put on about 2700 miles. I'm scheduled to do a track event at Lime Rock in two weeks, and because I'm so lazy I've hired MOP to do the change.

I had a beautiful drive up this glorious sunny Saturday morning, and a nice chat with Hrach, the legendary MOP "Motoring Advisor".

Next door to where I'm sitting, the MOP sales staff is having their morning sales meeting with the dealership manager. Here are some snippets from this morning's order of battle:

We have got a lot of used cars to move. We've got a bunch of overaged cars here. Whatever cars we don't sell by the end of the month are going to auction.

So we're having a special contest, and a special bonus for these cars. You will get an extra $100 for each car you sell. If you sell five, you get the $500 plus another $500. And we're having a contest. The person who sells the most of these cars gets an additional $1000, so the maximum possible bonus, plus your regular commission, is $2000.

This should be great motivation for you guys.

It's always interesting to get a glimpse at how the sausage gets made.

2006-08-22T20:52:00.000-04:00

Just a little arty shot of the Porsche and the Mini in the driveway.

Can a car make you happy?

Maybe not.

But it doesn't hurt.

You do it electronics

2006-08-20T14:55:00.000-04:00

A nagging problem here has been that the wireless router, along with the backup file server, is located in a very inaccessible spot, tucked under the stairs. I had been meaning for some time to

Hard wire some Ethernet ports in the kitchen, so that I could connect to the router with a laptop without needing to crawl under the stairs (a necessity when changing wireless network settings).
Add an Ethernet port in the basement, so that I could relocate the backup server.

I've never done any Ethernet wiring, but I'm reasonably clever. I went to CompUSA looking for Ethernet wall jacks, a punchdown tool, and some bulk Cat5E cable. They had all this stuff, but it was expensive and poor selection.

Then I remembered the Needham institution You Do It Electronics (or, to the initiated], You Blew it Electronics). Wow. They had exactly what I needed, and at excellent, excellent prices.

And subsidiary goodness: I actually got all the wiring installed and it works!

Tall web resources

2006-08-20T07:27:00.000-04:00

The height site.

Tallpeople.org.

And (drum roll please) an actual tall blog. Kind of.

Poor, stupid (but not hapless or hopeless) Ford

2006-08-20T07:05:00.000-04:00

Unlike GM, Ford seems to be facing up to the reality that the age of the gas guzzler is finally gone.

Also unlike GM, they have a reasonable passenger car and crossover range:

Fusion (aka Mazda6)
Edge (reskin of Mazda CX-7)

500
Freestyle

What they're missing of course is a decent subcompact and a B-car. When are they going bring over the (no longer) new second-generation Focus, and what about the Ka and Fiesta.

I give Bill Ford credit for telling some truth here:

As you know, our response to the challenges to our business is the subject of ongoing speculation in the news media, on Wall Street, and in our own hallways and lunchrooms. That's to be expected at a time of great change in our industry and renewed urgency among all of us.

That's why I want you to hear directly from me how I view our situation. First of all, the company's top priority remains the turnaround of our North American operations. As I said when we released our second quarter financial results, Mark Fields and his leadership team are accelerating their efforts, and we expect to tell you in the next couple months what additional measures we will take. These measures may be difficult, but are necessary.

Secondly, I will continue to evaluate the rapidly changing landscape of our industry and review the best ways in which we should adjust. That's why I've hired Ken Leet to assist me and our senior management team in evaluating our business and exploring strategic options. You can read more on Ken in the news release below.

Contrary to speculation, nothing has been decided and we will not rush to judgments. I'm proud of the progress that our operating units and brands around the world are making. Nearly all of them have been through turnaround efforts and have improved as a result. They will continue to pursue the strategies that have guided their progress.

And, as we've said before, Ford Motor Credit Company is a strategic asset to Ford that generates solid profits and dividends. The automotive financing unit continues to have strong business fundamentals and provides key support for Ford vehicle sales worldwide.

It is prudent in a time of rapid change in our industry for us to carefully examine all of our options. In the meantime, however, all of us must continue to remain focused on doing our part to get our company on the path to sustained profitability and success.

Thank you for your continued support of Ford Motor Company.

Bill Ford

More on Casual Male "XL"

2006-08-15T19:47:00.000-04:00

A reference to Casual Male's target customers as tall but not fat.

Traffic safety program unlikely to work in Mass

2006-08-15T19:26:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to reduce accidents followed by tailgating, Washington state DOT officials...

...painted dots 80 feet apart and posted signs telling drivers to stay at least two dots -- 160 feet -- from the vehicle ahead, based on the traffic safety principle of being at least two seconds behind another vehicle when going 60 mph.
Long backups developed Saturday, the day after the program began, when drivers slowed down because of heavy traffic and continued to maintain the two-dot separation, although that much distance was not necessary at slower speeds, said Lisa Mordock, a Transportation Department spokeswoman.

Can you imagine. People actually

(a) followed the instructions on a road sign
(b) maintained a safe following distance
(c) didn't cut each other off

Read the full story here.

Poor, poor, hapless, helpless, stupid GM

2006-08-14T06:38:00.000-04:00

Hummer ads fight 'misconceptions' (or, if you don't have a Wall St. Journal subscription, see the original press release).

It's enough to break your heart. GM brings out the Hummer H3 as a way to broaden the affordability and appeal of the Hummer brand, but at a lower price point. Gas goes to $3 a gallon, and suddenly there's a Hummer backlash. Now the 'affordable' ($30,000+) and 'economical' (20 MPG, if you get the lame 5-cylinder motor) Hummer is left out in the cold.

I mean the thing sure looks economical, compact, and environmentally friendly to me:

Plus you get the gunsight windows, high step height, and an interior that's so cramped there's no place for a spare.

Having a family

2006-08-13T14:23:00.000-04:00

I was going to write about the tremendous walk that I took on Friday morning. My neighbor's field was completely mown and cleared, a full moon was setting over the treeline, and my friend the red tailed hawk was soaring high overhead.

But something else wonderful happened on Friday. My wife and son came back from a week down on Cape Cod. I couldn't make this trip, due to the pressures of work. It was just so wonderful to see them and smell them and hold them. I mean things are nice and quiet around the house when they're gone, but it's a quiet that gets old fast.

So it is wonderful to share this life with a family of warm, caring, wonderful folks!

A recent trip to the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence -- a simple thing all by itself!

Haying

2006-08-08T19:42:00.000-04:00

Over the past few days my neighbor's field has been hayed. The racket that the machinery makes is incredible, but when the grass is down, the whole look of the field changes.

I really appreciate that my neighbor keeps his field in active cultivation. It provides an excellent habitat for birds (I saw my friendly red tailed hawk this morning) plus air and light. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts provides an incentive for keeping land in cultivation. Chapter 61a allows cities and towns to abate property taxes on land in agricultural use.

Something simple that I like.

The best car in all the world...

2006-08-08T06:22:00.000-04:00

My Alexander Technique teacher and I were talking cars the other day. She said that she owns the bestest car in all the world: a first-generation Toyota Rav 4:

Why? Because of the "styling".

But she also said that she used to own a car that was also the bestest in all the world: 1963 Dodge Dart.

I concur. The chirr-chirr-chirr of the starter, the gimcrack chrome trim, the fake wire wheel hubcaps with fake knockoffs, the square speedometer, pushbutton shifter...

A really tall bike...

2006-08-08T06:17:00.000-04:00

Yao Ming's Gunnar Rockhound:

I'm not sure that Yao's bike is that much bigger than mine, even though he's 10 inches taller than me.

By the way, I've been out riding on my tall bike a few more times. After 25 years, I have to say it takes a while to get used to riding with cars. The roads around here are narrow, and the drivers are...well...not particularly skillful or considerate. But I have a little loop that I like first thing in the morning.

I posted to all four of my blogs tonight

2006-08-02T20:52:00.000-04:00

Not that they were great posts, but I did it. And it's not even 9:00.

Something simple that I like!

Branded

2006-08-02T20:28:00.000-04:00

Today's Wall Street Journal has an interesting article (subscription only) on the problems at Ford's Premier Automotive Group, Jaguar in particular.

Ford has done a singularly inept job managing the european nameplates it's acquired over the past 15 years (Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover). Volvo has lost all of its signature features (safety, good load capacity, and rear wheel drive) and now sports an expensive, bloated, gas guzzling SUV model. Jaguar styling and engineering have vanished, leaving only the legendary British quality to go along with re-hashed Taurus styling jobs.

The only company that's done a worse job is GM's trashing of SAAB.

Tall bike

2006-08-02T20:12:00.000-04:00

Twenty-five years ago, I used to ride a bike a fair amount. I had a Univega Viva Sport bike that I purchased around 1981. It was a low to mid-range Japanese road bike with a Chrome-Moly butted lugged frame, Sun-Tour drive train, no-name cranks and headset, and Dia Compe side pull brakes.

In order to ride the bike, my Dad fabricated for me a 14" seat post turned from billet aluminum (solid). There did not exist at that time seatposts longer than about 8 inches. The bike was never that comfortable, because the handlebars where way below the level of the seat.

Anyway, recently I decided to try to rehabilitate that bike as a more relaxed cruising/commuting bike. I found that the selection of seat posts and stems was much greater now. This is what I came up with:

The work I did on it to bring it back to life (it had been sitting in a series of barns and garages since the mid 80s):

Disassemble, clean, repack, and adjust wheel bearings. Old-style cone and cup bearings in 27" wheels.
New tires (Conti Gator Slicks) and tubes. The selection of tires for old-style 27" rims is pretty limited. I may switch over to 700c wheels at some point, along with long-reach brakes.
Clean and lubricate chain.
Replace seat post, seat, and handlebars with MTB units. Switch shifters to indexed SRAM MTB shifters. These worked perfectly with the Sun Tour Vx derailleurs on the bike.
Install a taillight and buy a Gilo helmet.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the variety, quality, and low price of bike components nowadays.

How's the riding part? I would say tentative. It's hard to get used to riding with cars, and I quickly determined that the original saddle was no longer compatible with my 25 years older behind.

If you're 205 cm tall, how much should you weigh?

2006-08-02T19:49:00.000-04:00

After many years of weighing about 250 pounds, I recently decided to lose some weight. It was a lot easier than I thought, and now I'm down to 215 pounds. But I don't really know if I was overweight before or not, and I don't know if I'm underweight now.

	250 lbs	215 lbs
BMI	27 (overweight)	23.2 (normal)
Tall BMI	26.1 (overweight)	22.4 (normal)
Dr. Koop	Ideal (232-255)	Underweight
People's Choice	Overweight	Ideal
Devine Ideal Weight	Overweight	Ideal

So clearly, everybody except Dr. Koop (a bit of a pudge himself) thinks I was overweight at 250, and pretty much at a good weight at 215.

So why are there no tall blogs?

2006-07-29T07:30:00.000-04:00

Because being tall is so incredibly boring? I mean there are scads of fat blogs, and I don't think being fat is any more interesting than being tall. More common, maybe. Short people blog, but being tall is much more difficult than being short.

Car to hurry in

2006-07-29T07:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, late for a meeting, I found myself needing to travel from an outer suburb of Boston (Natick) to an inner suburb (Newtonville) in a hurry. This turned out to be a perfect application for the Mini Cooper S.

Each control (steering, throttle, and brake) has immediate response and prodigious range. As soon as you see a gap in traffic, you can fill it. Not just because the car is small, but it's also fast and it changes direction quickly.

The only limiting factor is how obnoxious the driver is willing to be.

New cell phone

2006-07-29T07:07:00.000-04:00

I have a pretty good job, but just recently I was given a bunch of new responsibilities that entailed a lot of talking on the phone with folks in other parts of the planet. I really loath talking on the phone, so I extracted from my boss an agreement to get a company-paid cell phone.

I ordered a Motorola RAZR phone, because it was compact and seemed to have good battery life. I have it now, and with the exception of a couple of odd usability choices, I'd have to say it's a pretty good phone.

I happened to come across the first cell phone I ever owned, which by chance was also a Motorola from the late 1990s. I thought it was interesting to compare the size of the two phones:

Small cars

2006-07-26T06:24:00.000-04:00

As you can see by the list of cars I've owned (and that I now own), I like small cars. This is ironic, of course, since I am anything but small myself. Now that I drive the Mini on a daily basis, I get a lot of razzing about being so tall while driving such a small car.

I'm not sure why I like small cars so much. They're generally fun to drive, since they have low polar moment and less inertia sloshing around. I like that making a car lighter creates a positive feedback loop (a lighter car can use smaller brakes, which makes it lighter, which means it can use a smaller engine, which makes it lighter...).

People often wonder why, since I'm so tall, I don't drive a big car or SUV. Being 205cm tall, the first thing I look for in a car is how roomy it is for the driver, and I have not found any correlation between exterior size and interior room. Some cars that I have looked at that have excellent room:

Mercedes E-class, S-class
BMW 3-series and 5-series
Mini Cooper

And some cars that have rotten interior space:

Porsche Cayman
Porsche 911 (1965-1986, 1999-on)
Ford Explorer/Expedition
Nissan Quest

Being tall has kept me out of some cars that I would have loved to own:

Formula Ford
Mazda Miata

The circus

2006-07-26T06:18:00.000-04:00

My son is just getting to be old enough to enjoy the circus.

The last time we went, he was such a mass of fidgets that I didn't really enjoy it. But this time, he made it through nearly the entire show, and I had a great time. I especially enjoyed the clowns and the trapeze artists.

Bottom freezer refrigerator

2006-07-22T10:12:00.000-04:00

I'm visiting relatives today, and they have a normal refrigerator with the freezer on top and the refrigerator on the bottom. Bending over to fish a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator made me realize how much I like our refrigerator at home. The refrigerator section is on top, so it's easy to reach the stuff you use every day, like milk. The freezer is on the bottom. I love it.

Field of grass

2006-07-18T07:32:00.000-04:00

My neighbor has a 20 acre field behind his house, which he uses to grow hay (and thus save money on his taxes, as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a program to abate taxes for active farming operations). With his permission, I walk across this field on my morning walk, and lately as I'm walking back, the sun is rising above the field.

If you stand in just the right spot, you can see the twin white chimneys on his house rising above the field of hay, creating the feeling that Wyeth's Christina evokes in me:

Something that made me happy this morning.

Washed

2006-07-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

The BMW wagon is now almost six years old, five of those years with us. It has 54,000 miles on it, and I've spent this weekend fixing little broken bits, like a new cup holder and a new exterior temperature sensor. A couple of weeks ago, I had Landshark Automotive in Natick change all of its fluids (brake, coolant, transmission, final drive, and engine oil). It is going to need new tires soon, and it has a bit of a shimmy at 62 MPH, which I think is from worn bushings in the front trailing arms.

I'm hoping this car will serve our needs well for another five or six years, and I also figure that giving it a nice wash can't hurt:

Not having to work weekends

2006-07-15T07:22:00.000-04:00

The workload at my job fluctuates, like most jobs. It's been pretty intense lately, and last weekend (and on my vacation the week before) I needed to spend some time working, just to keep up.

But this weekend, all I really need to do is take an hour or two to go through my e-mail inbox and clear out the debris from the last two weeks.

Plus no social engagements and no travel.

So I can mow the lawn.

Something simple that I like.

How rare?

2006-07-15T06:46:00.000-04:00

The 99th percentile for the height of adult USA males might be 6' 3 5/8" (192 cm). So if you're 6' 4" tall, you're taller than 99% of other adult males.

If you're 200 cm tall (6' 6 3/4"), then you're taller than 99.98% of other adult males.

If you're 205 cm tall (6' 8 5/8") like me, then you're taller than at least 99.999% of other adult males. Among the US population, you are taller than all but about 7,000 other adult men.

Which is why, in my life, I have only met 2 people who were taller than me. And one of them was Robert Parrish.

Toys

2006-07-15T06:11:00.000-04:00

Three oddball toy cars that my darling wife gave to me:

Replica of a wind-up tin toy (even the tires are folded tin) loosely modeled Malcolm Campbell's Bluebird LSR car:

LEGO model of Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F1 car, circa 2001:

Automoblox C9 sports car:

No reason, just for fun.

BMI (Body Mass Index) for tall folks

2006-07-11T06:14:00.000-04:00

If you went through high school physics, you probably learned the cube rule: as you increase the size of an object, the surface area increases by the square of the linear size while the volume increases by the cube. Thus, if an object is twice as big in linear size, it has four times the surface area and eight times the volume.

The (often discredited) BMI or body-mass index formula is designed to provide a quick estimate of whether one is underweight, of normal weight, or overweight. The formula assumes that weight increases with the square of height rather than the cube, so it tends to overstate the BMI for tall folks.

This page provides a calculator which adjusts for this effect.

Extremely lame Mini swag

2006-07-11T06:10:00.000-04:00

I received my "Motoring Welcome" kit in the mail from Mini yesterday. Truly some of the lamest swag ever:

- "Buy a Mini" trading cards to hand out to my "like-minded" friends
- Window placards with such charming messages as "Hey, Sexy"
- A cheesy ballpoint pen
- A really cheap Moleskine knock-off notebook from China
- Various come-ons for Mini financing
- A duplicate roadside assistance card

The only remotely cool item was two "Interstate Bingo" cards. Of course they were bent in half by the ape who packed the box.

Blogger

2006-07-11T06:01:00.000-04:00

I have to say, I've really grown fond of blogger. It's so easy to create a reasonably good-looking blog, easy to add pictures and other media, and easy to post videos. I'm running four blogs now, and I just like it. Free, easy, satisfying. Something simple that I like.

Casual Male thinks I'm "freakish"

2006-07-09T13:13:00.000-04:00

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Casual Male CEO David Levin displays the contempt with which he regards the customers of Casual Male Big and Tall, recently renamed Casual Male XL.

Q. What exactly makes the name XL more palatable than Big and Tall?
A. It is strong. It exudes confidence. Whereas big and tall is like, 'I am a freak.'

Other tidbits from the interview include a discussion of the travails of getting "premier" clothing labels to manufacture (or license the manufacture of) large sizes:

Q. Casual Male XL has persuaded elite brands to manufacture big and tall sizes. Why did it take them so long?
A. These brands do a lot of aspirational, inspirational-type branding. To see it on a big size — they don't want to go there. It took us a year to work with Reebok, to have them shop our stores and realize that a lot of these customers are jocks themselves. These were football players and basketball players so why would you not try to continue the brand heritage into those sizes?

I find Mr. Levin's cynicism breathtaking. In an earlier interview with the Boston Globe, he said:

Q: You recently changed the name of stores from Casual Male Big & Tall to Casual Male XL. Why such a fuss over a few letters?
A: The big and tall market is a $6 billion business. It was puzzling why our market share -- at $430 million -- was so small. We got a focus group together of men those sizes who never shopped at Causal [sic] Male. We asked them what their perception was and it was alarming. They thought we didn't carry their sizes, that we don't have their brands, and that our clothes are for older men. When we asked them about the big and tall market, they said: 'We're not those guys. Those are obese guys, overweight guys.'
Q: But these sound like big and tall men. Aren't they?
A: Even though at a 42- or 44-inch waist, they are pretty big guys, it's a matter of self-perception. Today, we don't think we're as old as we are, as big as we are. We don't look in the mirror and see ourselves that way. Lazy, fat, and unmotivated were what they associated with the words big and tall. XL, though, that's powerful, that's masculine. So the light bulb went off.

It's wonderful for David Levin's wallet, I'm sure, that he has figured out how to sell clothes to overweight men without forcing them to admit that they are overweight. But what about tall guys? Casual Male retail stores do not stock any pants with inseams longer than 36 or waist sizes smaller than 44.

Ruins

2006-07-07T06:10:00.000-04:00

Many (OK, ten) years ago, I lived in the small town of Maynard, MA. I lived at the edge of the town forest, which abutted a large, abandoned US Army facility.

Then, as now, I love to walk in the woods, so I used to venture from the town land onto the Army land. The annex was, I think, about 600 acres, and it included some truly beautiful wetlands. I particularly enjoyed exploring the old networks of roads. You could see the traces of the original farm roads (the Army seized the property during WW II) overlaid with the newer paved roads used by the base. There were numerous abandoned ammunition bunkers as well. At that time, the annex was not open to the public, and in fact was actively patrolled, so you had to be on your toes to enjoy a decent walk.

When the toxic cleanup and remediation is finally completed, I believe that the land is going to remain undeveloped. I also understand that the bulk of the land is to be opened for hunting, which is great for hunters but not so good for everybody else.

What brought this to mind was a walk I took yesterday, to the abandoned US Air Force base in Truro, Massachusetts on outer Cape Cod. The same derelict buildings and roads, but this time sited on a 200-foot high bluff overlooking the Atlantic ocean.

I really enjoy walking through abandoned ruins, even modern ones. People (and societies) are happy to talk about themselves, but it's what they leave behind that really tells their stories.

Garage Queen

2006-07-07T06:01:00.000-04:00

Well not really, but ever since I got the Mini, I only take the Porsche out for fun, and only on nice days.

911 Handling

2006-07-06T06:14:00.000-04:00

The Porsche 911, especially the pre-964 cars (1965 through 1989, except the 1989 Carrera 4), have a bad reputation for handling, particularly unexpected oversteer.

The first time I took my 911 on the track, it was with a fair bit of trepidation. But I found that when driven normally, it handled wonderfully. Brake steadily for the turn, begin turn in while the brakes still on (to get some weight on the front), then steady throttle to the apex, followed by full throttle from the apex to the exit. At any point in the turn, minor throttle adjustments can be used to trim the line. Perfect, just like a race car.

I've done a fair amount of racing and time trialing, and I've also done a lot of instructing at BMW and Porsche driver schools, and I would say that a Porsche 911 also serves as an excellent error amplifier. For example, if you get on the throttle before the car is turned into the corner, you will experience tremendous understeer. React by cranking in more lock and easing off the gas and you will experience a dramatic shift to oversteer (as the cranked front wheels find grip) followed by tail-first exit. Or if you come in to a turn too hot, turn in to early, then get off the gas in mid turn, same scenario.

But in the hands of a capable driver, what a thrill:

Land conservation groups (in general), Mass Audubon (in particular)

2006-07-06T05:53:00.000-04:00

When I need a simply sublime experience of the outdoors, I head for one of Mass Audubon's sanctuaries. Mass Audubon sanctuaries are masterpieces of land management. The sanctuaries provide extensive, protected wildlife habitat, wonderful passive recreation (walking trails), and extensive educational programs.

I'm a big fan of land conservation groups in general, such as the Trustees of Reservations (TTOR), but Audubon is one of my favorites. The three sanctuaries that I know the best are Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, Wellfleet Bay, and Broadmoor in South Natick.

Deer fly defense

2006-07-03T14:04:00.000-04:00

During their relatively short breeding season, four to five weeks in June and July, the deer fly (Chrysops discalis) can make life miserable for the dedicated woods walker. These flies feed by dive-bombing the victim, quickly slashing a hole in the skin, secreting saliva with irritating chemicals that increase blood flow, then eating blood from the wound.

These flies typically feed on large mammals. They are attracted to the plume of carbon dioxide that typically emanates from such mammals, as well as to the movement of large dark shapes. Their brute-force feeding style does not work well on fur-covered surfaces, so the flies tend to seek out parts of the body without protection, such as the eyes and ears.

In my experience, the use of DEET-containing repellent has absolutely no effect on deer flies. What does work is to wear a broad brimmed felt hat. The flies lock on to your CO2 plume, then home in on the hat, then dive in and attempt to feed madly on the brim of the hat. Their behavior pattern is fixed. They do not attempt to move around on the victim prior to feeding; the dive bomb and instantly start chewing.

Discovering this quirk of deer fly behavior has really improved my experience of the woods this time of year!

Spare tires

2006-07-01T08:11:00.000-04:00

My BMW has the best spare tire in the world: The spare wheel is an OEM alloy that matches the four on the car, as does the tire, a 235/45-17 Michelin Pilot. Any kind of flat tire or wheel damage and I can pop on the spare and continue my journey for any distance at any speed. If the tire must be replaced, it is a standard size available anywhere.

The Porsche has a temporary service spare which must be inflated using a pump prior to use. It has restricted speed and distance limits.

The Mini has no spare. The tires are run-flats, which can be driven on with zero air pressure for a limited distance (120 miles) at a limited speed (50 MPH). Once they've been run flat, they must be replaced. They are not commonly available, especially outside of the core Mini markets (the Northeast, California, and the Pacific Northwest).

The two types of tire problems that I've experienced in my motoring career (not counting delaminating retreaded tires) have been slow-to-fast leaks caused by nails in the tread and catastrophic loss of pressure caused by bending the wheel rim on potholes. The former can typically be repaired, and as long as you keep pumping up the tire, aren't a big deal. The latter, of course, require a new tire and a new wheel.

To make the Mini more useful and usable, and to reduce the chances of needing to buy a new run-flat tire just because I pick up a nail, I assembled the following on-board tire kit:

The items in the kit fit, more or less neatly, in a small bag:

which in turn nestles happily in my newly installed euro parcel tray:

I also purchased the smallest tire pump that I could find, which fits easily in the glove compartment:

I'm going to live with the run-flat tires for a while, but I expect to ultimately replace them with regular tires with better performance characteristics.

My life

2006-06-30T05:41:00.000-04:00

My life is just making me happy right now. I've been going on adventures with my son (we hiked up a really steep trail, in the rain, last weekend and he did an amazing job). I'm having fun with my new car. I've been facing a lot of new challenges at work, which I had been dreading, but which are actually really stimulating.

And physically I've been feeling the best I've felt in a while. I've dropped about 25 pounds over the past few months, and it's making a huge difference in how I feel.

I guess part of being happy is not needing to spend a lot of time blogging about the stuff that makes me happy.

The Banzai Pipeline?

2006-06-30T05:32:00.000-04:00

The traffic reporter on Channel 4, in a passing remark this morning, said that the State Police refer to route 128 (aka I-95) as the "Banzai Pipeline". This term certainly captures the essence of driving on 128, and if true, it also provides a clue as to (a) why you never see anyone pulled over on 128 and (b) what the likely limits of acceptable driving speed and behavior are, at least in the eye of the law.

Cowabunga!

Round headlights rock

2006-06-21T18:52:00.000-04:00

Just an odd coincidence. Three cars with round headlights. Some old, some new. English. German. No reason.

Not a typo: Really did have two 525 Wagons

2006-06-21T07:47:00.000-04:00

For a while, two years in fact, I really did have two nearly identical 2001 BMW 525iT wagons:

I bought the first one in November 2001, used. It had 10,500 miles on it and was less than a year old. It was such a great car that I bought another one in 2004, to replace the Toyota Matrix, which I couldn't drive after a back injury (not enough leg room). The second one came to us with 3 years and 36,000 miles on it (an ex-BMW financial lease car). It recently left, a victim of its own quiet competence, to fund the purchase of the new Mini Cooper S.

A car that I had never seen

2006-06-20T21:30:00.000-04:00

I've been watching cars for about 40 years, and it is rare that I see a car that I couldn't identify. But this past Sunday, at the fast-growing Elm Bank Classic Car Show in Dover, I came across this one:

Clearly an Alfa Romeo, but small and ... ahem ... not very attractive. The size and proportions are reminiscent of a SAAB Sonnett III. The detailing, very '70s Italian.

The interior, classic Alfa, arms-out driving with the gear lever at a 45 degree angle.

The answer? A 1972 Alfa Romeo Zagato Junior 1300.

VW Headed Down-Market

2006-06-20T20:43:00.000-04:00

Fresh off their ridiculous ad campaign showing inattentive, distracted drivers getting into completely avoidable accidents in their Jettas, VW announced that it will be cutting prices on US-market Jettas for model year 2007.

VW: Crap cars for bad drivers

Porsche Ramble

2006-06-20T06:08:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite weekend activities is taking the 911 out for some exercise:

I said it before, and I'm saying it again now

2006-05-03T06:18:00.000-04:00

I love walking in the woods in the rain.

It's been raining here in Boston for about two days now. Morning temperatures are typically in the low 40s, Fahrenheit.

Yesterday I put on a pair of shorts, a Gore-Tex shell, and an old felt hat and set out on what I call the 'short long walk'. There is are approximately 500 acres of conservation land just south of my house, and there are many different possible trail journeys. But in essence, there's the northern loop complex and the southern loop complex. The two complexes are connected by a single trail that runs through a big wetland. The 'short long' walk involves making it all the way to the southern loop complex, but taking a short path once there. (The 'short short' is a short path just in the northern complex, the 'long short' is a long path in the northern complex, and a 'long long' is... well, you get the idea.)

It was about an hour and half walk, probably 5 or 6 miles, of pure bliss. The sound of the rain on last fall's fallen leaves, the sheen of the water on the trunk of an enormous silver beech, the squish of mud under my feet.

The sound of the rain is like a blanket around you when you walk. You can't year the distant sounds of traffic, or construction, or airplanes. It is as if you have the world to yourself.

Wildlife

2006-04-15T05:43:00.000-04:00

This past Tuesday, while out walking I came across a pair of big fat beavers trying to build a house. The trail I walk takes me across an intermittent stream. For much of the year, the stream carries a pretty good flow of water, draining from a nearby pond. In fact, Horace and the local boy scout troop built a wooden walkway across the stream about 6 years ago. In the late summer, the water level in the pond recedes to the point where the stream dries up, so it turns out that this wasn't going to be a great place for a beaver lodge. I didn't see the beavers the next time I was there.

I enjoy seeing wildlife when I'm out walking. Here are some of the animals that I've seen lately in the woods:

White tailed deer (too numerous too count)
Chipmunks
Beavers
A Fisher cat
Turkeys
Garter snakes
Frogs
Toads
Snapping turtle
An eastern box turtle
Red tailed hawks
Chickadees
Woodpeckers

I really enjoy coming across the other types of creatures with whom I share the woods.

My Mini spec

2006-04-10T06:15:00.000-04:00

I've got a 2006 Mini Cooper S currently on order. Mini really encourages and facilitates the special ordering of their cars. Their web site has a very easy to use tool for creating a custom configuration, which you can then view, print, or dispatch directly to your local dealer.

It took me about a week to come up with my configuration:


My 2006 MINI Cooper S
Base MSRP*		$20,900
Destination & Handling		$550

paint
	British Racing Green Body Color	$450
	White Roof/Mirrors	$0
	White Bonnet Stripes	$100

package
	Cold Weather Package	$300
	Heated Front Seats
	Heated Side Mirrors and Washer Jets

performance
	Sport Suspension Plus	STD
	Limited Slip Differential	$500
	16" V-Spokes (All-Season)	STD
	Front Fog Lamps	$150
	Rear Fog Lamp	$100
	6-Speed Getrag Manual	STD

cockpit
	Sport Seats	STD
	Leatherette: Black	STD
	Int. Surface Anthracite	$0
	3-Spoke w/Cruise and Multifunction	$250
	6-spkr AM/FM CD Player	STD

TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED*		$23,300

accessory**
	Black Carpet Floor Mats (4) (installation not incl.)	$95

TOTAL ACCESSORIES **		$95
TOTAL MSRP AS CONFIGURED*		$23,300

TOTAL COMBINED		$23,395

My color choice was driven by what I think of as the classic Mini color scheme, with a white roof over British Racing Green. I'm not thrilled that the current BRG is metallic, but I think it will look OK.

My other choices were really driven by my experience trying to find my Porsche 911. When I first bought a 911, it fit me, but snugly. But when I decided that I wanted to do a trackday, I absolutely could not get a helmet on. It took about a year, but I found another 911 of the same year without a sunroof, and it was definitely worth the wait. I was grateful to the original owner that he specified such a basic car: no sunroof and no optional equipment other than body-colored Fuchs alloys.

I decided to do a similar thing with my Mini: I wanted to get a light, performance-oriented car. I'm 6'9" tall, and I fit fine in a Mini. But when I put on my helmet, I need the extra headroom that comes from not having a sunroof. Plus, the sunroof adds about 40 pounds to the car in the worst possible location.

I did not order the 17" s-lite wheels, because they weigh 25 lbs each, as opposed to 17 lbs for the V-spokes. This means that I have fewer tire choices, and also that I won't be able to fit the JCW brake kit.

Finally, the fogs. I ordered those because I didn't like the look of the blanking panels.

A good dump

2006-04-10T06:01:00.000-04:00

With the exception of Jamaica Plain, pretty much every town I've lived in has had an excellent dump. Twenty years ago, when I was living in New Hampshire and Vermont, the local dumps were still burning trash. You'd haul your stuff up and dump it, and an old bulldozer would shove it into a burning pile. You could pick through all the non-burnable junk that was lying around, and sometimes there was a swap shop where people would drop off or pick up still-serviceable stuff.

Nowadays, of course, our dump is a transfer station. You put all of your recyclables into the correct bins, then dump your remaining household trash into a big dumpster, which is taken off to a central landfill, or more commonly an incinerator.

I was out walking with Horace yesterday in the woods behind an abandoned state hospital when we came across an old dump from the mid-70s. There are a number of civil war-era dumpsites in town, full of great artifacts, but this is the first intact 20th century dump that I'd seen. There were old cars, appliances, furniture, and bottles. The staples of 20th century life. My favorite find was the back two thirds of an early 70s Ford Country Squire station wagon. Acres of wood grain vinyl siding, great swaths of Naugahide upholstery (where was PETA back then, before the Naugas became extinct?)

So that's today's simple thing. A good dump.

My new Mini

2006-04-09T15:41:00.000-04:00

Like pretty much everybody else who's ever ordered a Mini Cooper, I'm gonna blog about it. To save time, here's the compressed

All about tub's cars

2006-04-06T19:33:00.000-04:00

In my life, I've owned a lot of cars. This blog is where I'm going to write about my automotive history, the cars I own now, and pretty much anything else related to...cars.

People with staying power

2006-04-05T06:09:00.000-04:00

Most folks who turn up at this site are searching for information about Limmer boots or boot grease. I hope those links get you where you need to go. (I am a big fan of the grease, but the jury is still out on the factory-made boots. The take a long time to break in, and they seem to be designed on the theory that if your foot doesn't look like a good German foot, the boot will reshape your foot so that it resembles a good German foot.)

But recently I noticed that there is an actual link to a post on this blog from Universal Hub, a project of long-time internet personality and Rozzie resident Adam Gaffin. Adam doesn't know me, although we exchanged e-mails one when I was thinking about relocating from JP to Roslindale, but I've been aware of his presence and contributions to the Boston community for a while. Here's to staying power.

Walking in the rain

2006-04-04T05:32:00.000-04:00

Such a cliché, but I love walking in the rain. It's been terribly dry for about a month, but this morning it is raining. I love putting on my slicker and my hat and walking in the woods in the rain. The sound of the drops on the leaves creates a feeling of privacy that is hard to match, as if you were alone in the world.

Something simple that I don't particularly care for

2006-04-02T05:22:00.000-04:00

Today is my birthday, which is OK I guess. But it's also the beginning of something that I detest: Daylight Savings Time.

One of the best things about spring and summer is the early mornng dawns. The chance to get outside in beautiful sunlight while no one elese is awake. Well, alas, those days are over.

The end of daylight savings time. Something simple that I'm really looking forward to.

Peepers

2006-03-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

This time of year, in wet spots, vernal pools, swamps, and marshes, it is time for the baby frogs to hatch out and start singing. I absolutely simply love driving home on a warm spring evening with the windows open, driving past a wet bit, and hearing the peepers. Simply love it.

Woods sounds

2006-03-25T06:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I took the big walk, about 7 miles through the woods behind my house. I live about 15 miles from downtown Boston, and it amazes and delights me that I can walk out my back door directly into 600 acres of parkland, forests, and fields. There's immense development pressure on this land, so it's not clear how long this treasure will last, but every day that it's there and that I can walk in it is a special, simple, wonderful day.

On my walk yesterday, I heard some of my favorite woods sounds. When you're in or near a stand of high oaks or beeches, the sound of the wind blowing through the tops of the trees creates a distant, lonely sound. A quiet sound that you can't really hear if you're with another person.

The trees behind my house, and those along my neighbor's field, is home to a red tailed hawk. He is beautiful to see, soaring in endless loops over the field, but his harsh, innocent call is terrifying and stark.

Finally, as I was coming home, I heard a hairy woodpecker tapping away in a tree in my back yard.

I had trouble locating him, but with patience I noticed a dead limb in the tree, and there he was.

The sounds of the woods. Something simple that I like.

Spring

2006-03-22T06:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the vernal equinox. The longer days creep up so slowly that you hardly notice. But I love waking up at 5:30 and having the sky already glowing with light. And I like being able to drive home in the light.

My nemesis, Daylight Savings Time, appears soon. But for the moment, we morning folk have the upper hand.

A wonderful poem from W.S. Merwin, again heard on The Writer's Almanac and reproduced here without permission.

Trees

I am looking at trees
they may be one of the things I will miss
most from the earth
though many of the ones I have seen
already I cannot remember
and though I seldom embrace the ones I see
and have never been able to speak
with one
I listen to them tenderly
their names have never touched them
they have stood round my sleep
and when it was forbidden to climb them
they have carried me in their branches

The house

2006-03-20T07:52:00.000-05:00

Bruder trucks

2006-03-19T20:25:00.000-05:00

Bruder makes the best toy trucks out there. They play well. They're full of clever design touches, like booms and jibs that articulate like the real thing. Little pumps on the fire trucks. My son has five Bruder trucks:

The MAN crane truck:

The ladder fire truck:

The MAN dump truck:

The JCX backhoe/loader:

And the Schaeff mini-excavator:

I love these trucks, because the people who designed and manufactured them really care about the equipment.

Trappist preserves

2006-03-17T05:06:00.000-05:00

It can be tough to go food shopping. Most of the processed food available in this country is manufactured by large corporations who are mostly interested in how much profit they can make. A few years ago, I decided to try to keep as much partially hydrogenated fat and high-fructose corn syrup as possible out of my diet.

One item that met my criteria, and which is also delicious and locally produced, is Trappist Preserves from Saint Joseph's Abbey, a monastery of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance ("Trappists") in Spencer, Massachusetts.

Every time I'm in the grocery store, I appreciate finding that small island of simplicity and tradition.

Rain

2006-03-14T05:31:00.000-05:00

The roads around here are coated with a gritty, salty, layer of slime. A nice steady bit of rain, as we are having now, is wonderful at starting to wash away a winter's worth of dirt. I like walking in the rain too. The sound of the rain on the leaves is just a wonderful background sound.

Other simple things that I like today:

I'm continuing to recover from a bout of back pain
I haven't caught the nasty bugs that have laid low the rest of the folks who live here
The newspaper got delivered before 4:00 AM, so I could read the Journal over breakfast
Did I mention that my back doesn't hurt as much today as it did yesterday?

A wonderful poem, by Louis Jenkins, heard on the Writer's Almanac:

Every fall before he goes to sleep a bear will put away five or six
hundred dollars. Money he got from garbage cans, mostly. Peo-
ple throw away thousands of dollars every day, and around here
a lot of it goes to bears. But what good is money to a bear? I
mean, how many places are there that a bear can spend it? It's a
good idea to first locate the bear's den, in fall after the leaves are
down. Back on one of the old logging roads you'll find a tall pine
or spruce covered with scratch marks, the bear runes, which
translate to something like "Keep out. That means you!" You can
rest assured that the bear and his money are nearby, in a cave or
in a space dug out under some big tree roots. When you return
in winter, a long hike on snowshoes, the bear will be sound
asleep. ... In a month or two he'll wake, groggy, out of sorts,
ready to bite something, ready to rip something to shreds ... but
by then you'll be long gone, back in town, spending like a
drunken sailor.

Used without permission, I'm sorry to say.

When it all comes together

2006-03-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling the best this morning I've felt in five days.
The Bahrain GP was an excellent, exciting race. Great driving from Kimi and an astonishing debut from Nico Rossberg. Closely fought to the finish, the race augers well for an exciting 2006 season.
The boy elected to sleep in, so my wife and I could watch the whole race (nearly) live
Comcast DVR meant that we could skip most of the commercials, simply by virtue of pausing the video while we had breakfast
A crispy fresh Sunday New York Times waiting on the front step

Sunday morning. A simple thing that I like.

It's racing season!

2006-03-12T06:17:00.000-05:00

This morning is the first race of the 2006 Formula One season.

Grinding pain, day four (2)

2006-03-10T20:03:00.000-05:00

Actually, the simple thing that I like today is getting to spend a whole day watching my wife and son going about their daily routines. Normally, I see them in the morning and at night, which are not their best times of day, respectively.

What a joy. What a lot of work. Having a family. A simple thing that I love.

Grinding pain, day four (1)

2006-03-10T19:54:00.000-05:00

So it's hard to find something happy to think about on the fourth day home sick. Lemons? Lemonade? Whatever...

As jobs go, I've got a pretty good one. I'm able to sit for long enough today to actually get some work done. My boss has thoughtfully provided me with a laptop computer to use at home when I'm not able to come to work. The laptop runs a software VPN client that I can use to tunnel over my home 802.11g network to the network at the office. Once connected, I typically just log into my desktop PC using Windows Remote Desktop. Even though I'm using Comcast's cheapest 4MB service, I still get enough bandwidth to run graphics-intensive applications such as InDesign and Illustrator.

So that's a simple thing that I like: Having a job with the flexibility to work at home when I'm sick.

Feeling better

2006-03-09T08:51:00.000-05:00

Today, the simple thing that I like is that I'm not hurting quite so much. That makes everything look a little better.

Sick day

2006-03-08T11:50:00.000-05:00

Despite the fact that I am in grinding pain

a simple thing that I like is a sick day. Or two. Or three.

Expectations are low, and I have an excuse for not doing anything productive. Like this.

On balance, feeling good is better. But if you don't, it's a simple thing that I like to not be at work.

Porsche Ramble

2006-03-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful day today, and the boy and I took advantage of it by taking a Porsche ramble. This involves getting in the Porsche and going for a drive to nowhere in particular. It had been months since I'd had the car out, and it didn't want to start at first. I had to bring the other car into the garage and give it a jump start before it would go.

We drove back and forth across the river several times before our meandering took us to the local community farm, where we walked around looking at the animals. We saw two cows, a sheep, the bunnies, the chickens, and a grey puppy.

A nice ramble.

The boy

2006-03-05T21:26:00.000-05:00

My son turns three tomorrow. He is wonderful, cute, affectionate, smart, active, happy, sad, and simply amazing. And he gives me a window into my own childhood so many years ago. Here he is, wearing a sweater of mine and playing with his new crane.

When I was three, my parents and I were living in Tübingen Germany, and I was wearing that sweater and playing with my own toy crane.

Something simple that fills me with joy, not just makes me happy. My son.

The big walk

2006-03-05T21:13:00.000-05:00

Today was the nicest day of 2006. Clear blue sky, sunshine, not too cold, and not windy. I took advantage of this by dragging my friend Horace on the "big walk". This means walking out my back door, and taking the trail network all the way south to the hunt club, then crossing over to some meadow land around a pond, then back through the marsh. It's about 7 or 8 miles and takes a good two hours, especially if you detour to the market to pick up the paper.

I love a big walk, because you walk, talk, and think yourself out.

When I lived in Jamaica Plain, I called the big walk the "Jamaica Plain death march." I would walk from my house all the way around Jamaica Pond, then down the Jamaicaway to the Arboretum, then go up and down both Peters and Bussey hill in the Arb, then back home.

The biggest big walk I've ever taken was a 17 mile trek from Newton through Wellesley and Dover to Medfield. The big walk in JP that I never took was to summit the five hills of JP: Jamaica Hill, Bussey Hill, Peters Hill, Moss Hill, and the hill at Larz Anderson park. I kind of miss JP .

Anyway, the big walk is something simple that I really, really like.

SuperDuper!

2006-03-05T21:04:00.000-05:00

I recently got a second PowerBook and I created a second disk image file on my firewire server disk and placed a copy of SuperDuper on the new PowerBook so that I could do my wireless network backup.

When I was first getting SuperDuper running, I had trouble getting it to automount the network drive. I created this elaborate scheme where I would open a settings document on the PowerBook through an alias on the server (because I couldn't put the SuperDuper! settings document in the server because it is a package, and some of the filenames weren't compatible with the Windows box serving the disk).

But it turned out that none of that was needed. A properly configured and scheduled SuperDuper! backup will properly mount a network disk.

So all I really needed to do was configure the PowerBooks to wake up 1 minute before the scheduled backup.

Now, if I want to back up a PowerBook, I simply leave the lid up when I go to bed (a PowerBook will not wake up with the lid closed, unless it's connected to an external monitor). The backup just happens.

Simple and sweet.

Garrison Keillor and "The Writer's Almanac"

2006-03-03T06:47:00.000-05:00

Every morning, just before nine o'clock, WGBH in Boston runs a short syndicated feature from American Public Media called The Writer's Almanac. Garrison Keillor talks about a few notable literary figures born on this date and then reads a short poem.

When I happen to be driving to work around this time of day, I am always transfixed. I love Garrison Keillor, and I really enjoy the poems and the bit of history that he provides.

It's a small thing, in the scheme of media, about 5 minutes, but I really enjoy it.

Chickadee song

2006-03-03T06:41:00.000-05:00

I love birds, but I'm no birder. In the spring, there's a particular song that just makes me think of spring. I didn't know what it was, but thanks to Tony Phillips of SUNY Stonybrook's math department, now I do. It's the song of the Black-capped Chickadee. This is distinct from the call of the Chickadee (the familiar chick-a-dee-dee-dee).

One fat robin

2006-03-02T06:33:00.000-05:00

Right outside my kitchen window, where I'm sitting right now, there's a very pretty hawthorn tree. And in that tree, lately, has been one fat robin.

I mean this bird is fat. He's the size of a softball. It's amazing that he can fly. He looks like one of those oversized cargo jets:

But that's not the simple thing that makes me happy today.

This blog has two regular readers: my wife and somebody in Boston who uses RCN for his or her internet access (Hi there!). And that's OK with me, because I'm writing this stuff for my own purposes.

But regular reader #1 wants to know how come I never write about her and about being married. Well, I love my wife and I love being married. I've never been happier in my life. But, and if you're married you know this, there's nothing simple about it. At great personal risk, I am going to list some of the simple things I like about being married:

I like knowing that there are people in the world who love me and care about me
I like knowing that there are people in the world whom I love and care about more than myself
I like not having to wash my own clothes
I like taking care of things, like keeping the cars safe and maintained, so that my wife doesn't have to
I like being able to go to work and really focus on what I'm doing, without needing to worry about who's taking care of my son
I like that my wife lets me have these quiet hours in the morning, and I like that on days that I go to work, she comforts my son if he wakes up early, even though I'm already up
I like that she lets me indulge my wants and desires without making me feel bad about them

So that's something (not) simple that I like.

Breathing

2006-02-28T04:43:00.000-05:00

I am an early riser, and the first thing I do after I wake up is walk down the hall to my son's room. I duck my head in the door and listen for the sound of his breathing. There is no sound more innocent than the breath of a sleeping child. It fills me with happiness, knowing that he is warm and well and sleeping.

Limmer boot grease

2006-02-27T03:55:00.000-05:00

Five years ago I made one of the best purchases of my life. I had a bootmaker named Jim Freeman in Middlebury Vermont make me a pair of custom hiking boots. I've probably logged 3,000 miles on those boots since then, and they have been wonderful.

When Freeman gave me the boots, he told me to use Lexol leather shampoo to clean them and Sno*Seal to seal them from water. Unfortunately, I have found that after five years, these boots have started to show some significant cracking around the flex points.

I decided that it was time to start looking for some replacements to use when these boots got too cracked, and I came across the Limmer family in Intervale NH. I got a new set of boots (factory made in Austria) from them along with what they recommended for taking care of the boots: Limmer Boot Grease.

During the process of breaking in my new Limmer boots, I've been using the grease on the new boots, but I've also been using it on my old Freemans, and it's definitely rejuvenated them. The leather is more supple, and more waterproof.

Something simple that I like: a hand-made product that lets me keep something that I treasure in good condition.

Porsche 911

2006-02-27T03:34:00.000-05:00

It's a foolish thing to give your heart to a car, but mine belongs to my Porsche 911.

Brilliantly simple in design, meticulous in execution. Room for two adults and their luggage, plus room for two small children. A top speed of 150 MPH, vivid handling, astonishing brakes.

It doesn't get driven much in the winter, but come spring watch out!

Limmer boot grease

2006-02-25T05:58:00.000-05:00

Internet

2006-02-25T05:02:00.000-05:00

We recently upgraded our cable service to use a DVR. This lets us record shows to the cable box, and it lets us watch one channel while recording another (or record two channels at the same time). This is great, and a nice simplification.

But every so often, the DVR cable box would get into a state where no sound came out of the TV set. The screen said "Muting", but the TV wasn't muted and pressing the "Mute" button on the cable box remote did nothing. I gave my wife the big shrug and power-cycled the box, which fixed the problem but interrupted the Olympic event she was trying to tape.

On a lark, I did a Google search for "Comcast DVR mute problem" and the first search result provided a detailed description of the problem (a bug in Comcast's DVR software) and a fix (how to reprogram any button on the Motorola remote). Wow.

This is an experience that I often have. I am trying to solve a problem that is so obscure, bizarre, or obsessive that I am convinced no one has ever even thought of it before. But 30 seconds of Googling, and I have an answer.

Another example: my wonderful, sweater-knitting mother-in-law recently got a new Macintosh iBook to replace her ancient iMac. I've been trying to provide her with technical support over the phone, with some success. But it turns out that a person developed a wonderful free, secure toolkit that lets you remotely log in and view someone else's OS X session over the internet. This post was so awesome, because the writer was trying to solve exactly the problem that I was trying to solve, and he had exactly the same concerns:

No cost
Minimal configuration changes to my mom-in-law's system
Easy for my mom-in-law to initiate the connection
Secure, encrypted link.

I guess, in addition to the internet, I also like Apple, Google, and the fact that OS X is based on Unix.

Not simple, but something that I like.

The maple tree

2006-02-25T04:25:00.000-05:00

Right behind our house is very old, very tall maple tree:

This tree keeps our house cool and shady during the hot summer and provides shade for picnic lunches on the deck. In the fall, it turns beautiful shades of orange and red. In the winter, with the leaves gone, it lets the sun shine into our family room. And in the spring, it buds out and provides a new green canopy for the gardens.

The previous owners of our house built a deck around the tree, which is one of the things that's helped the tree do so well. This spring, I need to cut away some of the deck, since the tree has grown to the point the root flare is in contact with the deck beams.

We're concerned about winter moths (they were swarming in November and December), so we've arranged for the tree to be treated in the spring.

Trees, especially this tree, are something simple that I like.

The sweater

2006-02-23T03:41:00.000-05:00

My mother-in-law is a big-time knitter. She's knitted me a lovely black cotton crewneck sweater, many sweaters for my wife, and an extremely cute sweater for my son with a pattern of excavators (his favorite thing in the world).

My favorite sweater of hers was one that she wasn't going to finish. I'm not sure why she started it, but she got about 20% through it and decided that it was "too ugly". I told her I thought it looked fine, and she should finish it:

I wear this sweater nearly every day. It is a heavy wool sweater and I wear it on my morning hikes. I love that it keeps me warm, but it also breathes. When I wear it over two layers of fleece, it's good down to about 10º, as long as the wind's not blowing too hard.

As you can see, it's a big floppy sweater, the kind of thing that Ernest Hemingway was always photographed wearing. It probably makes me look like a big, striped whale, but I don't care because it keeps me so warm!

14° F

2006-02-20T10:01:00.000-05:00

This morning it was 14° F when I left for my walk around 6:30 AM. As I made my way across a nearby meadow, the moon was still high in the sky:

I could hear hundreds of Mallard ducks grumbling and thrushing in the stream behind my house. There is a spring behind our house that keeps a small brook full of flowing water, no matter how cold the temperature. On cold evenings around sunset, I hear the sounds of the ducks wheeling in to land, and all during the night they grumble. In the morning, just at sunrise they leave for the day.

I love our spring, and our stream, and the birds and animals that come to visit us here.

The simple life

Volkswagen death spiral, again

Morning Hike

Optimizing Safari 4

Peepers

Living the high life...

Some Great Clothes Sources

Antidiscrimination law

"If you're going the minivan route, you wind up with the Odyssey"

The best Porsche 911

212

Air

Tall bike: nearly complete

OK, maybe not...

My little hiker

Nitto "dirt drop" stem

Pontiac Montana SV6 Trounces Toyota Sienna

From the Archives: The tall bike 25 years ago

From the Archives: My First Car

The tall bike project

Selling MINIs

You do it electronics

Tall web resources

Poor, stupid (but not hapless or hopeless) Ford

More on Casual Male "XL"

Traffic safety program unlikely to work in Mass

Poor, poor, hapless, helpless, stupid GM

Having a family

Haying

The best car in all the world...

A really tall bike...

I posted to all four of my blogs tonight

Branded

Tall bike

If you're 205 cm tall, how much should you weigh?

So why are there no tall blogs?

Car to hurry in

New cell phone

Small cars

The circus

Bottom freezer refrigerator

Field of grass

Washed

Not having to work weekends

How rare?

Toys

BMI (Body Mass Index) for tall folks

Extremely lame Mini swag

Blogger

Casual Male thinks I'm "freakish"

Ruins

Garage Queen

911 Handling

Land conservation groups (in general), Mass Audubon (in particular)

Deer fly defense

Spare tires

My life

The Banzai Pipeline?

Round headlights rock

Not a typo: Really did have two 525 Wagons

A car that I had never seen

VW Headed Down-Market

Porsche Ramble

I said it before, and I'm saying it again now

Wildlife

My Mini spec

My 2006 MINI Cooper S

A good dump

My new Mini

All about tub's cars

People with staying power

Walking in the rain

Something simple that I don't particularly care for

Peepers

Woods sounds

Spring

The house

Bruder trucks

Trappist preserves

Rain