Somewhat Daily Mutterings

Fort Zachary Taylor, Key West

I got a new scanner about a week ago (an HP Scanjet 4670, very cool) and have been busily scanning artwork and selected photos. I have a long way to go, but I also have plenty of time, and am in no particular rush. Anyway, one of the photos I scanned and processed is this picture of Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West, FL. I took this picture about 14 years ago,and it's a color print. I scanned the print, rather than the negative (didn't feel like looking for it!), and brought it into Photoshop Elements for processing. I kind of like the results.

Ft. Zachary Taylor, Key West

Boat Displacement

I offer a sailboat performance calculation software package and a web-based performance calculator on this site. I also have a page that shows the formulas.

Because of this, I get tons of search referrals from Google and other search engines resulting from folks searching for information on how to calculate boat displacement. Here is the answer: you don't really calculate displacement - displacement is really just a fancy, scientific, way of saying weight! If you know what your boat weighs, you know its displacement. Simple, eh?

Must ... Have ... Squeezebox

OK, Slim Devices has finally done it - they've come out with an improved SliMP3 with built-in wireless called the Squeezebox. There is no question. I must have one.

Finally, a BMW Top Box!

My search is finally over. Once I'd seen this cool, custom BMW top box for the BMW K1100RS/RT (and K75RS/RT) in a photo on the 'net, I knew I had to have one. Trouble is, they're very difficult to find. I finally gave in and asked a dealer about them. It turns out they are still stocked, but the price for a new one is well over $300!! A little rich for my blood. I decided to put a want ad on IBMWR to see if I could get a used one.

Lo and behold, a few weeks later I got a response from a guy who totalled his K75RT, and was parting it out. After some back-and-forth, we agreed on a price of $75. I received it last week and immediately put it on the bike. I intend to just leave this box in place all the time, so I swapped my pristine rack for the very worn one that came with the box (what a pain). Anyway, here are a couple of pictures:

Front

Rear

12k-mile Service for the Goblin

A couple of weekends ago I took the Green Goblin in for his 12k service (with 12.5k on the clock), and a new rear tire (Bridgestone BT-54). I knew it would be an expensive trip, but whoa!! The total was about $840, and that was with club discounts! At the time of service, I'd had the bike almost exactly one year.

Better Late than Never

The 50 Most Loathesome People in America, 2002