http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com SpoonyLife fr-FR http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/cameron-reunited-with-stolen-bike-21953.html idely ridiculed for chaining the bike around a two-foot bollard,allowing thieves to simply lift it off.At the time he had admitted he was unlikely to see his much-lovedbike again, which he had described as "priceless" for sentimentalreasons.However, the newspaper enlisted the local community and his"contacts" to hunt down the stolen goods, and presented the bike toa grateful Cameron shortly before he was due to meet USpresidential hopeful Barack Obama.The bike was found abandoned in a side street not far from where itwas taken, and was described as being in almost perfect condition,even with helmet and lock still attached. Only the front wheel hadbeen removed, which the newspaper replaced before handing the bikeback to the Tory leader.Cameron said: "I'm very surprised to have it back  it'sincredible. I never thought I'd see it again. It's priceless to me.I've done over a thousand miles on it and three sponsored bikerides of 250 miles each so it's like an old friend. It'sfantastic."To help them in their hunt, the tabloid persuaded local communityleader Ernest Theophile to speak to local youths and track the bikedown. Theophile, 60, reputedly a Labour voter, runs a communityproject employing local youths to fixing and sell electriceco-bikes.He said "After a chat with some of the kids, I got their trust andrespect and they told me where the bike was. It just shows that thekids want to do good. It's just about the right communication withthem."You never want to see anyone have their bike nicked not even aTory."Fingerprints from the bike have been taken by the police in anattempt to identify who stole it. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:01:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/beijing-advocates-bikes-over-cars-for-olympics-21951.html China"s official news agency Xinhua has just recommended cycles over cars as way of traveling aroundthe Beijing Olympics.In a move to highlight the bicycle"s pros and the cars cons Xinhua have highlighted several comparison points. Cycle hire simplyrequires a deposit, whereas a driver"s license issued by theBeijing traffic management bureau, a visa and ID card are allrequired to rent a car. If you want to explore Beijing"s Hutongs(characteristic narrow lanes) bikes are far more practical thancars.Of course bike rental is far cheaper too cars start at around 25 per day whereas a bike for a day could cost you as little as 1.50! Any car hire will also be of far less use as from July 20to Sept. 20, Beijing will implement traffic control by odd and evenlicense plate numbers. In other words, if you rent a car you couldonly enjoy half the rental period while paying the full rate.Over 100 new rental locations should be set up by the time theGames begin bringing the rental fleet to around 50,000 bikes. There will also be the option of electric bike rental (electricbikes are hugely popular in China), costing around 8 per day.The bicycle rental program is also sponsored by the BeijingEnvironment Protection Bureau as well as the anti-theft arm of themunicipal Public Security Bureau in an attempt to clamp down onbike theft in the city which has been a persistent problem in thepast.Back to topEmail to a friend Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:01:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/electric-bicycles-could-deliver-your-waitrose-shop-21947.html Your next online supermarket shop could arrive with a whisperrather than a roar. News reaches SmartPlanet that Waitrose shoppersin Cambridge can now get their posh organic grub delivered byelectric bicycle instead of a van.The bikes arrive powered by a "superfit" Waitrose cyclist and asmall electric motor. On the back are special trailers (picturedabove) designed to carry six trays of groceries that'll even keepfrozen nosh cool for two hours. The service is the first I've seenfrom one of the big supermarkets.To experience a carbon-free bike delivery you'll need to livewithin 15 miles of Trumpington in Cambridge. The trial servicemakes perfect sense in a nice flat bike-friendly town likeCambridge but it'd be fun to see the Waitrose cyclists puffing toand from a more hilly store, like its Buxton one. If the Cambridgetrial's successful, Waitrose says it may expand to your area.Do any of you SmartPlanet people get your weekly shop by bicyclealready? I usually collect my family's shop by bike -- two pannierscan take a mountain of veg -- and I know green champion TonyJuniper uses a Dutch-style Bakfiet bike. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:01:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/after-boom-years-inflation-bites-in-vietnam-21945.html After boom years, inflation bites in Vietnam1 day agoHANOI (AFP) Hit with Asia's highest inflation rate and asurprise 30 percent hike in petrol prices last week, someVietnamese are rediscovering bicycles and the frugal lifestyle ofbygone years.Galloping consumer prices -- fuelled by record global oil, food andcommodity costs -- have rocked many countries, but few have beenhit harder than Vietnam, where inflation topped 27 percentyear-on-year in July.For many people here the surging cost of living is the first realeconomic setback since the communist country emerged from the leanpost-war years of hyper inflation and food queues to enjoy 15 yearsof solid economic growth."Now I feel like my money is being stolen every day," said TranNgoc Duong, 30, a Hanoi state employee and mother of one. "I spendabout one third more than I did last year when I go shopping for myfamily."More than 90 percent of Vietnamese now worry about high foodprices, according to a recent survey by market research firmNielsen, which listed people's other top concerns as high petrolprices and their children's well-being.The survey, released Friday, also found that, while people remainedoptimistic about the future, 60 percent said they were shoppingless, and many had abandoned supermarkets to bargain for grocerieson local markets.While most middle-class Vietnamese are still coping -- albeitgrudgingly -- with the rising gap between income and outlay, forothers, especially the urban poor, runaway inflation is far moreserious.Development experts say inflation threatens to reverse Vietnam'simpressive poverty reduction from 58 percent in 1993 to around 15percent last year."A lot of people now aren't counted as poor, because they're abovethe poverty line -- but they're not above it by much," said ScottCheshier, a former UN Development Programme economist. "So if ricegoes up, meat goes up, petrol goes up, they start to get intodifficulties."In some coastal villages, media reports say, family-run fishingboats have stayed onshore because the cost of filling their fueltanks is greater than the profit they could hope to make on avoyage into the South China Sea.Industrial unrest has been on the rise, with more than 300 strikesreported in the first quarter alone, reportedly prompting Taiwan'schamber of commerce last week to urge Vietnam to ensure workplacestability.The last time inflation hit this level was in the early 1990s, whenVietnam was launching its "doi moi" (renewal) market reforms inearnest, setting off a period of annual economic growth of sevenpercent or more.Experts say Vietnam's economy has overheated, with too much newcapital chasing too few investment projects and driving upinflation, which first hit double digits last November.Monthly inflation growth had started to slow somewhat -- but lastTuesday state-run oil companies hiked petrol prices by 31 percentto 19,000 dong (1.15 dollars) per litre and also raised diesel andkerosene prices.People worry that the sharply higher fuel costs will drive up thecost of everything from motorcycle-taxi fares to a bowl of noodlesoup, and for many, belt-tightening has become a new way of life.Some people are giving up their Honda Dream, Wave and Futurescooters -- the ubiquitous symbols of Vietnam's economic success --and are flocking to buy bicycles, which ruled the streets hereuntil 20 years ago.Many couples planning to marry in the autumn wedding season arecutting back their guest list, as the costs of venue hire,banquets, and hairstyling have all doubled since last year, TheNation newspaper reported.A popular rhyme circulating by email on office computers looks withwry humour at life in the times of double-digit inflation."I take you to school on my bicycle," it reads, describing a worldwhere "helmets are suddenly useless," "dogs will run through thestreets with the old men" and "my mother races her electricbicycle.""Life in the fuel-saving period is so simple and romantic." Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/automatic-transmission-electric-bicycle-21944.html Man, and I thought that bicycles are meant to make you break out ina sweat to help keep those pounds off as you attack uphills andslopes, but once again technology is here to make life easy withthe Automatic Transmission Electric Bicycle.This is the electric bicycle that uses automatic transmission todownshift into a lower gear when it senses a hill, upshifts forrapid acceleration up to 20 mph on flats, or allows you to pedalnormally because the motor can be disengaged at your command.Powered by a 750-watt electric motor housed in the horizontal chainand motor assembly that provides 1 hp, the 8-speed automatictransmission is capable of four modes of operation, all controlledby a thumb toggle on the handlebars: a setting for rapidacceleration, a low gear setting for inclines (but sloweracceleration), and a setting for manual gear shifting thatdisengages the motor to preserve battery life. Construction beginswith a 12′ straight piece of 3/8-gauge, aircraft aluminum6061 alloy that is roll-formed and annealed for uniform wallthickness into a complete 6′ diameter circular tube with a4″ interior diameter (the NiMH batteries reside within thetube from the front fork to the seat), which is then bisected tomake a 6′ long arc for the bicycles frame. The sturdy framesupports riders up to 300 lbs.BROf course, the Automatic Transmission Electric Bicycle might notburn a hole in the ozone layer but it will surely do a number onyour pockets as it retails for a cool $5,500. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/vietnamese-buying-less-gas-after-price-hike-21941.html Le Thi Anh Man, deputy general director of Saigon Petro, said thecompanys sales had dropped about 30-40 percent since the increasein gasoline prices.Though deputy director of Petrolimex Region II Company Nguyen VanCanh said his client stations in HCMC were still buying the sameamount of gas, he admitted that sales in the provinces, wherepeople are generally poorer, had fallen 15 percent since the pricehike. M., a salesman at a Petrolimex station in Ho Chi Minh CitysDistrict 3, said the number of customers at his station haddeclined noticeably and that they were buying far lower quantitiesof gas per trip.Customers used to buy at least two liters of gas for theirmotorbikes but now most of them asked for only VND20,000 (US$1.19)worth of gas, he said, adding that some even insisted on one literexactly (VND19,000), demanding VND1,000 in change.Going electricKieu Tien, a telephone operator at the HCMC information directory,said she just bought a new electric bicycle to ride to the office,even thought the trip already took her 30 minutes by motorbike.She said it used to cost her VND35,000 to fill up her motorbikeevery four days but after the gas hike on Monday she had to payVND53,000 for the same amount of gas.After riding her electric bike to work for just a short time, Tiensaid the bike paid for itself with the money she saved from notbuying gas.Many electric bicycle shops along Vo Thi Sau Street in District 3said their sales had increased since the surge in gas prices.Shop 152s sales have jumped 50 percent as the store is now sellingeight bikes per day.Two shops selling Asama brand electric bikes in District 3 and TanBinh District said theyve sold out of popular bike models and manycustomers had paid deposits for bikes that were on order.Asama is a popular brand from Taiwan.According to Asamas Vietnam sales department, the companymanufactures 250-300 electric bikes in the country every day, butthe number was not enough to meet the needs of the Vietnamesemarket since the gas hike.Secondhand bicycles are also selling quicker than before.Many shops on Bui Huu Nghia Street in Binh Thanh District arerefurbishing old bicycles to meet the new demand for gas-freevehicles.A bike shop owner named Luong said average secondhand bicycles costonly VND250,000, while higher quality Japanese bikes could cost upto VND1 million.He said his customers were mainly average-income blue-collarworkers who didnt need brand new bikes.Catching the busNguyen Huu Nhan, deputy head of Rang Dong Bus Cooperative, saidmore people were now buying monthly bus passes than before.Phung Dang Hai, general director of the HCMC Transport CooperativeUnion, said the number of passengers on the cooperatives buses hadincreased by 5-10 percent over the first three days this week.The cooperative was expecting a 30 percent increase in passengertransport once major road projects were completed, Hai said.According to the HCMC Public Transport Management andAdministration Center, the number of bus passengers in the citygenerally increased by about 10 percent after every gas price hike.Source: Tuoi Tre Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/setting-the-record-straight-about-scooter-regulations-21939.html I'm talking about the scooters and motorcycles that everyone seemsto be buying in the battle against high gas prices. Police haveseen an increase in the number and frequency of collisionsinvolving these vehicles.There is a corresponding increase in the number of people thatdon't seem to be aware of the laws in place regulating scooters.One mother called from Las Vegas and asked about the scooter lawsfor her child coming to Dixie State College. She "knew" that ascooter under 50ccs didn't need a motorcycle license and she askedabout the number of crashes and the safety of these small vehicles.She was wrong about the need for a motorcycle license, by the way.A man had a scooter with a 2-horsepower electric motor and he saidhe was told it didn't need to be registered because it was anelectric bicycle. This was also incorrect. It needed to beregistered and he needed a motorcycle license.There are three exceptions to the registration requirements: amotor-assisted scooter, an electric bicycle and a personalmotorized mobility device.A motor-assisted scooter has a deck or a deck and a seat, thecapability to be human-powered alone and a small engine under40ccs. They are the skateboard type with the small engine. Thesecannot be operated on any street with four or more lanes, or with aspeed limit of more than 25 mph. If the person on them is youngerthan 15, they must be under the direct supervision of a parent. Noregistration or driver's license is needed.An electric bicycle is a sub-type of moped capable of beinghuman-powered alone, with a small engine not more than 1,000 wattsand not able to go more than 20 mph. A driver's license is neededbut no registration is required. The man in the example above had avehicle without pedals and his could not be human-powered alone.A personal motorized mobility device is the Segway type, with two,side-by-side wheels. No registration or DL is required for these,either.For anything else with a motor and two wheels, a driver's licensewith motorcycle endorsement is needed and it must be registered.Even a moped under 50cc's needs a motorcycle endorsement.There is a new, tiered license system for motorcycles. Under 90cc,under 250cc, under 650cc and 650ccs and above. This means that ifyou take a 350 down to take the test, you will be limited in whatyou can drive. Contact the Driver License Division for specificdetails.Motorists must become more aware as these vehicles, along with newriders, take to the streets. We must allow them full use of theentire lane that they are in and not slide up alongside them sothat a right turn can be made. They can stop faster than a car sowe must back off. They will avoid road hazards rather than drivingthrough them, so we must be prepared for these slower or moreevasive moves as we encounter gravel or dirt on the road.BRAs motorcyclists, we must be assertive - do not substitute"aggressive" here - and make our presence known by not driving onthe edge of the road, by making eye contact with drivers that mightbe turning in front of us, by anticipating drivers not seeing us asthey pull out onto our street or change lanes in front of us. I'vealmost been hit twice by drivers at my side that didn't see mypolice motorcycle and changed lanes with less than a foot to sparebetween our vehicles. I haven't told my wife this yet, so keep itto yourself. Never hang out in any driver's blind spot.The use of a helmet, required under the age of 18, is stronglyurged and highly recommended. So are the motorcycle trainingcourses available through Dixie State College and other privateproviders. Nothing can replace good, common sense, which, accordingto Will Rogers, is not so common anymore, so learn the proper useand operation of the scooter or motorcycle before riding it around.It is not just like a bicycle. Things are different and so are thelaws that apply. It is our duty as motorcyclists and scooterenthusiasts to learn the laws and abide by them.Sgt. Craig Harding is the supervisor of the traffic unit and motorsquad for the St. George Police Department and a contributor to TheSpectrum et Daily News. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:59:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/soaring-petrol-prices-drive-riders-to-plug-in-21936.html As of Monday, gas and oil prices saw a record increase of 31 percent, and electric bike shops in HCM City and Hanoi are reaping thebenefits."My modest salary isn't enough for a motorbike given the recentescalation of petrol prices," said Pham Huy Tung, an employee of aprivate enterprise.Tung explained that last month, the price of oil on the globalmarket had spiked, impacting local prices in Vietnam, so manymotorists could no longer afford the cost of driving. Like him theyopted for an alternative - the electric bicycle.The electricity cost for each bike is around VND2,000 per day, fivetimes cheaper than the daily cost of petrol for a motorbike.A manager at Martin 107 Co bicycle shop, Ho Thi Thu Suong, saidthat their number of customers had increased dramatically due tooil prices. Martin had sold between 15,000 and 20,000 electricbikes, an estimated 10 per cent increase."The quantity of electric bikes is increasing though the presentprice is about VND6.2 million (US$382), up VND200,000 per bike frombefore petrol rose," said a salesman at Thong Nhat Motorbike andBicycle Co on Ba Trieu Street in Hanoi.The situation is similar in HCM City, where various shops reportedan increase of sales from 30-50 per cent in the days following theprice hike.A bicycle shop on Vo Thi Sau Street in District 3 said manycustomers visited the shop after the petrol price rose VND4,500(US$0.3).Most of them were students, housewives and government officials.Nguyen Kieu Tien, a telephone company switchboard operator, saidshe decided to buy a bicycle, rather than use her motorbike, toride to work."I live in District 7 but work on Hai Ba Trung Street in District1. I now have to spend VND53,000 ($3.1) to buy petrol instead ofVND35,000 ($2.1). So I have decided to buy a bicycle to savemoney," she said.Smuggled inElectric bicycles jumped so much in popularity all over the countrythat smuggling of used and electric bicycles over the south-westborder with Cambodia grew as well.There are six warehouses in Ta Mau Market on the Cambodian sidebursting with bicycles ready to be smuggled into Vietnam.The owner of one of them said he can supply any number.Second-hand bicycles from Japan and Thailand are also flooding intoVietnam.Depending on their quality and style, the price ranges fromVND900,000 to VND3 million.According to forecasts, the surging price of oil and gas togetherwith the upcoming school year may further boost the number ofelectric bicycles sold.Because of higher prices and more bicycle sales, - sales of petrolhave gone down, market observers have said.Le Thi Anh Man, deputy director of Sai Gon Petrol, said 40 generalagents and 100 direct agents working for Sai Gon Petrol said saleshad fallen 30-40 per cent, which represents 400-500 cubic metres aday."Petrol for VND19,000 ($1.14) a litre is not available anymore,"she said.According to a survey of several petrol retailers, the volume ofpetrol sold in the last several days has dropped about 20-30 percent.The return to bicycles, which were once very popular in Vietnam, isconsidered an encouraging development given the mounting concernover air pollution from motorbikes in urban areas. (Source: Viet Nam News) Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:59:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/tech-briefs-aug.-2008-21123.html Some U.S. yachts will get Rolls-Royce bridge systems Rolls-Royce Marine has announced a multi-million dollar venturewith several unnamed American shipbuilders led by Atlantic Yachtsthat will put the company"s integrated bridge system aboardseveral megayachts every year. Atlantic Yachts CEO Paul Madden said the customer list cannot bedisclosed: "Suffice it to say that they are high-net-worthindividuals who value discretion." "This is a classic technology and design transfer from Europe tothe United States, where we currently have a significant advantagein the manufacture of sophisticated equipment, such as large steelmotor yachts," Madden said. "We are using the same shipyards thatbuild the next-generation U.S. Navy ships." Madden is the former North American representative for Blohm+Voss,a German yacht builder specializing in yachts 300-500 feet. The Rolls-Royce operator"s chair is a major design aspect of thecompany"s new, integrated bridge system. Rolls-Royce Marine is working in concert with several top Europeanyacht designers, providing engineering and integrated power,propulsion and stability systems on all of Atlantic"s US-builtyachts. Rolls-Royce"s Marine Division provides engineering and equipmenton 20,000 commercial and naval vessels operating around the world,ranging from nuclear submarines to megayachts. It also provides ongoing warranty and unparalleled service fromRolls-Royce"s 40 offices in 30 countries. Tiny modem guarantees Internet Global Satellite USA, a provider of global satellitecommunications, has announced the launch of Thuraya IP, the newadvanced satellite modem that guarantees Internet connectivity at384 kbps for streaming IP across 110 countries, in remotelocations. The modem permits bandwidth-hungry applications such as video, livevideo and video conferencing to be deployed at competitive rates. "It"s exciting to be one of the first organizations in the UnitedStates to have access to a superior lways on" quick Internetaccess, that is ultra lightweight at less than three pounds," saidMartin Fierstone, president of the Ft. Lauderdale-based GlobalSatellite USA. "Although compact, it also has a high level ofrobustness with Ingress Protection (IPSS), making this combinationideal for the oil and gas industry or any other tough environment." The Thuraya IP has an ethernet interface (RJ45), a USB interfaceand there is no software installation required. To set up, simplyconnect the Thuraya IP to a laptop and point it to the satellite.Thuraya IP guarantees a permanent connection and does not sufferfrom any hot spot congestion. Thuraya IP comes complete with GmPRs encryption and can connectseamlessly through a preferred VPN application. For more information, visit www.globalsatellite.us. New EPIRB displays lat/long ACR Electronics has introduced the GlobalFix iPRO, a patented, nextgeneration 406 MHz EPIRB featuring technology that makes it thefirst EPIRB in the world to offer an exclusive digital displayscreen and dual GPS capabilities. ACR debuted the new EPIRB at MAATS in Las Vegas in July. It has notyet been authorized as required by the U.S. Federal CommunicationsCommission and may not be offered for sale or lease untilauthorization is obtained. The Digital Display provides the user with a variety of importantinformation both during operation and self-test. ACR integrated thedigital display after customer feedback indicated users couldbenefit from a digital read out. When activated, the GlobalFix iPRO displays latitude/longitudecoordinates on the screen. If the endangered person has anothermeans of communication, the lat/long data can be provided torescuing parties. The screen can be helpful during emergencies suchas reminding the user of what to do to assure that the distresssignal is sent and continues to be sent. The 406 MHz data is sufficient for the satellite to determine thelocation of an activated beacon. However, the benefit of having GPScoordinates sent along with a 406 MHz emergency signal is that suchdata enhances the 406 MHz signal and reduces the notificationperiod, from approximately 1 hour to 15 minutes, and initial searchradius, from 2.5nm to 100m, (COSPAS-SARSAT data). Suggested retail price is expected to be $1,540 for a Cat I and$1,300 for a Cat II. For more information, visit www.acrelectronics.com. Misting system attaches to bimini Boatmister Misting System is selling what the company says is aneasy-to-install misting system that will help boaters beat the heatby creating a fine cooling mist that drops on-deck temperatures asmuch as 30 degrees. The 12-volt system can be attached to any bimini top or rail withmounting clips and straps. A booster pump draws one amp, but delivers 150 psi of misting powerat the rate of about a gallon of fresh water per hour. Thequick-disconnect misting line, T-connectors, and misting nozzlesmake for quick adjustment or disassembly. The system is sold in a ready-to-use out kit with a lighter-plugand five gallon, foldable water container. It can also be installed for permanent use by tapping into onboardfresh water and electrical systems. For info, visit www.boatmisters.com or call +1 530-295-8026. Scandvik unveils battery isolator Scandvik Marine has announced the release of its Manta IIElectronic Battery Isolator. According to the company, the new battery has a low voltage drop 100mV at maximum current and less than 5mV at the end of acharging cycle. It generates less heat, which allows batteries tocharge faster and without alternator modifications. Traditional diode-based battery isolators run hot, can result insignificant voltage loss at the end of a battery-charging cycle andrequire modifications to alternators to function properly. The Manta II can be used with any battery charging source, frominboard to outboard, DC generators to solar panels and is availablein 100-amp and 150-amp, two and three-bank models. Hatteland enters U.S. market Hatteland Display, a Norwegian marine technology company, hasjoined the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) and plansto make its flagship product line available to American consumersfor the first time through a growing network of dealers. Local stocking and service facilities have been implemented inFlorida, according to a company statement. "Hatteland Display enjoys a strong reputation with boat builders,shipyards and system integrators around the world," said DavidNeal, the sales manager of the company"s yacht division in theUnited States. "Due to growing demand, we are opening up newchannels in the U.S. to help us get closer to the end user, both inshipping and in the recreational sector. Hatteland Display has been in the marine display and computerbusiness for nearly 20 years. It offers products and services inthe commercial, naval and yachting industries, working directlywith boat builders, designers and system integrators. Wesmar: Stabilizers conserve fuel Wesmar said it is stepping up production of its stabilizers inresponse to customers who have contacted the company thanking itfor helping conserve fuel consumption. "Without them we would have to change course at times to operatesafely and comfortably," said Jim Hanna of Jamal Charters inKirkland, Wash. "We could not be without them now. I would nottravel without them." The company said it"s putting the word out because of the risingcosts in fuel and said the fuel conservations comes from being ableto travel along a straight route without having to veer off-trackin search of calmer seas. And Bill Hammer, who owns the 56-foot Longliner F/V Silver Lady , said he estimates that he saves up to 15 percent on fuel becausehe uses Wesmar stabilizers.Dometic a/c units eco friendly Dometic Environmental has unveiled two self-contained marine airconditioning units that run on R417A refrigerant gas, which thecompany says is environmentally friendly. "The introduction of the EnviroComfort and EnviroCool products ispart of our move to convert our entire product lines to run ongreen refrigerant gas," said Frank Marciano, president of DometicEnvironmental Corporation. "We are 100 percent committed to beinggood stewards of the marine environment and we are doing our partto reduce global warming by eliminating ozone-producing chemicalsin our products." The new EnviroComfort and EnviroCool air conditioning units aredesigned with a small footprint for easy retrofit into boats of alltypes and sizes. All air conditioning components, including the compressor,condenser, evaporator, blower and other associated subsystems, aremounted on a single chassis. The high-velocity blower can be rotated for discharge in horizontalor vertical directions and the blower motor design eliminatesoverhang and saves space. To aid with corrosion resistance the condensate drain pan isstainless steel. The EnviroComfort and EnviroCool air conditioners will be marketedunder the Dometic brand name through the company"s aftermarketdistribution networks and replaces Dometic"s popular CabinMate,CoolMate and Zephyr products. CleaRinse softens water G2 Products has announced a new system to remove chemicals fromhard water so boaters can wash down their boats without worryingabout spotting, stains or streaks on paint, fiberglass, windows ormetal finishes. According to the company, the CleaRinse Washdown System is portableand traps and removes harmful minerals and contaminants from theincoming water supply to eliminate hard water spots and possiblepermanent damage to boat finishes. It is available in two models: a 2,000-gallon model for washingboats up to 65 feet and a 5,000-gallon model for washing boats65-feet and larger. B-404: Green, all-purpose lubricant Camie-Campbell has announced that it has released an all-purpose,biodegradable lubricant. The new product, called B-404, is part of the company"s Tom"sSecret Formula Earth Friendly line of lubricants and is availablefor commercial and residential use. "We are excited about the inclusion of the Tom"s Secret FormulaB-404 into the Camie-Campbell family of superior products," saidTom Shelby, CEO of Camie-Campbell. "B-404 will allow our loyalconsumers to more effectively choose which product best suits theirlubrication needs, as well as provide an earth-friendly lubricantfor the environmentally-conscious customer." According to the company, B-404 is made using American-grownvegetable oils and additives. The penetrant, which contains no chlorine or regulated toxins, issafe for all metals and does not evaporate. B-404 clings to surfaces and provides lubrication longer thanconventional petroleum-based products, the company said. "This product is environmentally friendly, non-toxic and providesno danger of polluting the water, soil or work environment like atypical petroleum-based lubricant," Shelby said. "B-404 is a greatproduct that has out performed the competition when it comes toloosening stubborn rusted and frozen nuts and bolts." New integrated bridge design Rodan Enterprises has introduced an integrated bridge design forits SureShade Power-Driven Retractable Boat Top. The integrated installation puts SureShade"s actuator cylinderswithin the fiberglass cavity of the bridge. SureShade"spatent-pending arched roller also contributes to the integratedlook by resting nicely along the curves of the boat when retracted. The result is a canvas shade that, at the touch of a button,extends from within the interior structure of the boat, without theneed for any supporting side poles. It can be operated whileunderway withstanding wind speeds of 50 mph. This design will also work on boats with hardtops. Taylor Made has new shade top Taylor Made Products has announced that it has designed a shade-topto fit inflatable boats. The top accommodates boat widths up to 5-feet by 7-inches andlengths up to 10-feet by 8-inches. The kit comes complete withshade-top, frame, marine-grade hardware, storage bag andinstructions. "Inflatable boat owners now have available protection from the sunwhile out on the water, which until now consisted of hats andsunscreen," said Dave Karpinski, vice president of marketing,Taylor Made Products. "The shade top kit includes everything neededto make installation quick and easy." According to the company, once the permanent hardware is mounted tothe bow and stern of the boat, the top sets up and breaks downeasily. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:38:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/man-in-critical-condition-after-shea-stadium-fall-21118.html A 2- 1/2-story tumble from a Shea Stadium escalator left anout-of-state fan fighting for his life, authorities said. Justin Larson, a 26-year-old medical student and St. Louis, Mo.,native, was discovered by police around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday,lying unconscious near the Gate D escalators. He had beenattempting to slide down the escalator's rail but lost his balanceand fell 25 feet to the ground, according to police. Mr. Larson was taken to New York Hospital Queens with a collapsedlung, cracked ribs, and bruising on his brain. He is listed incritical condition. According to a New York Post report, a friend who chose not to benamed said Mr. Larson had been "goofing off" on a broken escalatorwhen he fell. Police said they did not know if alcohol had been a factor, butthey were investigating. When Antonio Narainasami of Brooklyn fell 30 feet to his death froma Shea Stadium escalator in mid-April, the U.S. Consumer ProductSafety Commission opened an investigation. Citi Field, the new Mets stadium set to open next spring, willinclude 14 more elevators than the 44-year-old Shea, giving fans asafer way to and from their seats. Representatives for the Mets did not return requests for comment. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:38:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/electric-bicycles-could-deliver-your-waitrose-shop-21117.html Your next online supermarket shop could arrive with a whisperrather than a roar. News reaches SmartPlanet that Waitrose shoppersin Cambridge can now get their posh organic grub delivered byelectric bicycle instead of a van. The bikes arrive powered by a "superfit" Waitrose cyclist and asmall electric motor. On the back are special trailers (picturedabove) designed to carry six trays of groceries that'll even keepfrozen nosh cool for two hours. The service is the first I've seenfrom one of the big supermarkets. To experience a carbon-free bike delivery you'll need to livewithin 15 miles of Trumpington in Cambridge. The trial servicemakes perfect sense in a nice flat bike-friendly town likeCambridge but it'd be fun to see the Waitrose cyclists puffing toand from a more hilly store, like its Buxton one. If the Cambridgetrial's successful, Waitrose says it may expand to your area. Do any of you SmartPlanet people get your weekly shop by bicyclealready? I usually collect my family's shop by bike -- two pannierscan take a mountain of veg -- and I know green champion TonyJuniper uses a Dutch-style.Bakfiet bike. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:37:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/scooter-craze-hits-southern-utah-21115.html "We got the scooter in July of last year," said St. George residentMark Speener of his family's scooter. "We bought it to try and savemoney on gas. That was when gas was hitting $3 a gallon lastsummer. ?The gas savings will pile up the more you ride it." Now the fuel prices are even higher and the scooter has become awelcome addition to the Speener family fleet, which includes asedan and a minivan. The 150cc scooter gets 75 miles to the gallon. Speener, the primaryrider, says it doesn't take much more than $4 to fill up thescooter's small tank and the fuel usually lasts for more than aweek. "I think it's great," he says. "It's really fun to ride. Nocomplaints." Safety Although Speener says he feels fairly safe on the scooter he doesrecognize he is more exposed than if he were inside a vehicle. Tyler Seegmiller, of Cedar City, has had a scooter for about twoyears now and acknowledges that safety is a concern. "You have to be really careful," he says. "It's a lot smaller thana regular motorcycle. You really have to pay attention to whereyou're going. You have to watch other drivers more carefully." But like Speener, Seegmiller has also seen the fuel savings. Hegets about 80 miles to the gallon on his 150cc scooter. Since he is in Cedar City, though, the scooter is for summertimeonly. During the winter, Seegmiller relies on his Jeep GrandCherokee, which costs him about $160 per month for fuel rather thanthe $16 per month he spends on scooter fuel. Lori Hanna doesn't ride her scooter much during the winter, either,even though she lives in Santa Clara. "I'd rather be hot than cold," she says.However, even her summer riding is only occasional. It just dependson how brave she feels that day. Hanna says she and her sister-in-law both bought scooters about ayear ago. The second day they had them her sister-in-law crashedand was seriously injured. The fuel savings are still far frompaying the thousands of dollars in hospital bills. "Now I drive very nervously," she says. "If you're going to ride ascooter you need to make sure you have the skills and theconfidence behind you." But her nephew, Easton Gorishek, 17, still enjoys riding hisscooter, despite his mother's crash last year. He says his motherhas recovered. Since Gorishek's scooter is only a 50cc, his range is limited byhis low speed. He rides it around his neighborhood or for histhree-mile commute to work. When he returns to Snow Canyon HighSchool this fall for his senior year, Gorishek plans to ride hisscooter to school.Like Seegmiller, Gorishek has seen the fuel savings when comparedwith his full-size Chevy pickup. But unlike his aunt, Gorishek doesn't mind riding the scooterduring the winter. It's the summer that bothers him. "I don't like driving it when it's incredibly hot because I feellike I'm in an oven," he says. Justin Bianco, a service technician at Hard 8 Powersports, whichrecently opened on St. George Boulevard, has been riding a scooterfor about three years. He's been a full-time scooter rider forabout two months because of the high gas prices. Bianco rides his scooter year-round and at 70 miles to the gallon,Bianco says it's hard to beat the scooter life. He and his wifeoften take the scooter out on the town for dinner and a movie. As someone who has worked as a mechanic in the motorcycle/scooterindustry for six years, Bianco says the most serious safety concernfor scooter owners is experience. Bianco has been aroundmotorcycles his entire life, so riding a scooter is second naturefor him, but he thinks many scooter accidents are because ofinexperienced scooter operators. Options Hard 8 Powersports is one of a few new businesses in St. Georgethat carries scooters. Another is Planet Power Toys at 1037 E. 100South. General manager Gene Van Orden says the store opened aboutfour weeks ago and ordered in 60 scooters to begin with. Thescooters sold out in the first week. "We even have pink," Van Orden says of the variety of Roketa brandscooters they sell. The store carries 50cc, 150cc and 250cc models, though most fallwithin the middle category. The price ranges from $799 for the 50ccmodels to $2,499 for the 250cc scooters, which include iPodadaptors and FM radios. Van Orden says owners can get about 20,000 miles out of theirscooters if they take care of them, which means the scooters willeasily pay for themselves in fuel savings. The 50cc scooters,though not very fast, can get up to about 110 miles per gallon,though this is always dependant on a variety of conditions,including the size of the rider. But the scooters are appealing to a variety of people, fromteenagers to grandmothers. And with the warm St. George weather,Van Orden says scooters are year-round vehicles in the extremesouthwest corner of Utah. While 50cc scooters get the best gas mileage, Van Orden says thereis a safety consideration. Slower scooters will have a harder timekeeping up with traffic and will lack the speed to create a safespace around the vehicle. "If you have no power you can't react," Van Orden says. And there are other options for those in the market forscooter-like transportation. Jarett Waite, owner of Laser Mania,purchased an electric bicycle last month. Though technically abicycle, according to Utah law, the electric motor gives addedpower to assist in Waite's commute. After doing the math, Waite says he could probably commute to workby car for $2 per day or spend 12 cents per day with his electricbicycle. "It's nice to get some fresh air as well," Waite says, adding thatthe bicycle puts a grin on his face as he goes to work. There are other bonuses. As a bicycle it doesn't requireregistration, insurance or additional certification on driver'slicenses. The bike's top speed is less than 20 miles per hour unassisted,which means it's legal on local bike trails, he says. But he alsouses it on roads like a cyclist, wearing a helmet and practicingcorrect turn signals. A helmet is one thing scooters and electric bicycles have incommon. Although Utah law does not require them, they greatlyincrease the safety factor when riding the roads. Speener says a helmet helps him to feel safer on his scooter. Andthat's the advice he gives to anyone considering a scooterpurchase. "Wear a helmet," he says. "I got a helmet right away." Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:37:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/automatic-transmission-electric-bicycle-21113.html Man, and I thought that bicycles are meant to make you break out ina sweat to help keep those pounds off as you attack uphills andslopes, but once again technology is here to make life easy withthe Automatic Transmission Electric Bicycle .This is the electric bicycle that uses automatic transmission todownshift into a lower gear when it senses a hill, upshifts forrapid acceleration up to 20 mph on flats, or allows you to pedalnormally because the motor can be disengaged at your command.Powered by a 750-watt electric motor housed in the horizontal chainand motor assembly that provides 1 hp, the 8-speed automatictransmission is capable of four modes of operation, all controlledby a thumb toggle on the handlebars: a setting for rapidacceleration, a low gear setting for inclines (but sloweracceleration), and a setting for manual gear shifting thatdisengages the motor to preserve battery life. Construction beginswith a 12′ straight piece of 3/8-gauge, aircraft aluminum6061 alloy that is roll-formed and annealed for uniform wallthickness into a complete 6′ diameter circular tube with a4″ interior diameter (the NiMH batteries reside within thetube from the front fork to the seat), which is then bisected tomake a 6′ long arc for the bicycles frame. The sturdy framesupports riders up to 300 lbs. Of course, the Automatic Transmission Electric Bicycle might notburn a hole in the ozone layer but it will surely do a number onyour pockets as it retails for a cool $5,500 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:37:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/giant-s-electric-assist-bicycle-a-review-21109.html I have a biking nemesis: During my regular rides around thesix-mile outer loop of New York's Central Park, the big hillat the north (uptown) end of the park invariably sucks the verylife out of my aging legs. Yesterday, however, pedaling up the bigincline was another story altogether. It was as easy as climbing asmall rise. My new-found prowess had nothing to do with anyimproved fitness, of course; it was the bike I was riding, theTwist Freedom DX from Taiwan's Giant Bicycle, Inc, which augments every pedal stroke with a finely timed electricboost. The Twist Freedom DX incorporates a battery-powered electric motorin the front wheel that relatively seamlessly supplements your legmuscles to "smooth out" your ride. This means you canmaintain a nearly steady pace no matter what road you take. Theoverall effect is to give you "light feet," as if youset a stationary gym bike to a low resistance level--one thatenables you to just pedal away with abandon. The power boost isespecially noticeable when you start out; the electric-assist makesit effortless. Giant's Hybrid Cycling Technology is based on a torque sensorin the pedal crank that measures how much pressure the rider exertswith each stroke. Some rather sophisticated software algorithms inthe IČ Driver Unit's computer located just aft of theseat tube takes this force data and converts it on the fly into"smoothed" power-transmission commands for the electricmotor. The motor is a Sanyo DC brushless unit that can produce from150 to 350 watts of synchronized power as needed. As a result, therider can take on hills or long stretches of road without breakinga sweat, should he or she so decide. A ride controller on the handlebar lets you choose among threeoperating modes: Economy (minimum power output), Normal, and Sport(extra boost). Setting the bike's seven-speed Shimano Nexustransmission system to just the right gear to accommodate theterrain, the power mode and your pedaling effort fine-tunes theTwist Freedom DX's ride to a very pleasant "T."As a result the set-up mostly avoids the timing lag riders haveoften experienced when pedaling previous electric auxiliary-powerbicycles. That annoying phenomenon occurs when the stroke is notfully synched with the power-boost. Electric power in the DX is supplied by a pair of four-pound (2kilogram) lithium-ion battery packs that fit over the rear wheel.These lockable modules sit snugly under fabric pannier bags. Thebatteries, which are engaged in sequence via a handlebar control,together supply juice for about 70 miles (113 kilometers) inEconomy mode. The user can rather easily extract them forrecharging via a home wall-plug, which takes a maximum of sixhours. The bicycle works just like a regular bike when the power isdisengaged. Note that the DX's power-assist system responds only topedaling and has no stand-alone throttle capability, so it'sno electric bicycle or scooter. It's really a differentbreed. Some purists might debate whether one would define it as atrue "hybrid" as it does not incorporate amuscle-driven electric generator, or downgrade or brakingenergy-recovery system to recharge the batteries, but suchtechnology may have just ended up adding weight, complexity andcost with no certain payoff. The DX does, however, combine electricand muscle power so that makes it a hybrid to most of us. Last year in China, dealers sold almost 20 million bicycles withauxiliary propulsion systems. And this technology is big in Europe , where it is seen as a low-cost and green alternative to cars. InGermany, for example, where they're called"pedelecs," several companies besides Giant offerelectric-powered models. They include the Gazelle Orange Innergy , the Hercules EMove sport sl , the Matra I-Step Cross and the Riese et Mueller Delite Hybrid.I look forward to seeing these products hit our shores one day (ifthey haven't already). Giant's DX hybrid bike has been commercially available fortwo years in Europe, where it has received extensive customer use,so potential buyers in the U.S. shouldn't worry aboutpotential operating problems, such as biking in the rain and soforth. The thing felt pretty bulletproof during my shorttest-drive. Weighing in at around 50 pounds (23 kilograms),it's certainly no lightweight, but the power-boost mostlyoffsets that potential problem. Otherwise, the DX seems a solidlybuilt and rather slick package, one that looks like a regularbicycle. Although most people would probably describe the DX as a commuteror urban cruiser, the bike's clean and straightforwardlyutilitarian design should attract buyers interested in a littlehelp with their daily work run or rides around congested cities,spread-out ‘burbs or longer trips to and from the country.And it's quiet enough that fellow bikers may not even noticethat you're getting a performance-assist as you pedal uphills... The Twist Freedom DX is priced at about $2,000 (MSRP) and goes onsale this week at 20 of Giant's top retailers around the U.S. Formore information, go to the Giant Web site Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:36:00 GMT http://uebueb3.spoonylife.com/vietnamese-buying-less-gas-after-price-hike-21105.html Le Thi Anh Man, deputy general director of Saigon Petro, said thecompanys sales had dropped about 30-40 percent since the increasein gasoline prices. Though deputy director of Petrolimex Region II Company Nguyen VanCanh said his client stations in HCMC were still buying the sameamount of gas, he admitted that sales in the provinces, wherepeople are generally poorer, had fallen 15 percent since the pricehike. M., a salesman at a Petrolimex station in Ho Chi Minh CitysDistrict 3, said the number of customers at his station haddeclined noticeably and that they were buying far lower quantitiesof gas per trip. Customers used to buy at least two liters of gas for theirmotorbikes but now most of them asked for only VND20,000 (US$1.19)worth of gas, he said, adding that some even insisted on one literexactly (VND19,000), demanding VND1,000 in change. Going electric Kieu Tien, a telephone operator at the HCMC information directory,said she just bought a new electric bicycle to ride to the office,even thought the trip already took her 30 minutes by motorbike. She said it used to cost her VND35,000 to fill up her motorbikeevery four days but after the gas hike on Monday she had to payVND53,000 for the same amount of gas. After riding her electric bike to work for just a short time, Tiensaid the bike paid for itself with the money she saved from notbuying gas. Many electric bicycle shops along Vo Thi Sau Street in District 3said their sales had increased since the surge in gas prices. Shop 152s sales have jumped 50 percent as the store is now sellingeight bikes per day. Two shops selling Asama brand electric bikes in District 3 and TanBinh District said theyve sold out of popular bike models and manycustomers had paid deposits for bikes that were on order. Asama is a popular brand from Taiwan. According to Asamas Vietnam sales department, the companymanufactures 250-300 electric bikes in the country every day, butthe number was not enough to meet the needs of the Vietnamesemarket since the gas hike. Secondhand bicycles are also selling quicker than before. Many shops on Bui Huu Nghia Street in Binh Thanh District arerefurbishing old bicycles to meet the new demand for gas-freevehicles. A bike shop owner named Luong said average secondhand bicycles costonly VND250,000, while higher quality Japanese bikes could cost upto VND1 million. He said his customers were mainly average-income blue-collarworkers who didnt need brand new bikes. Catching the bus Nguyen Huu Nhan, deputy head of Rang Dong Bus Cooperative, saidmore people were now buying monthly bus passes than before. Phung Dang Hai, general director of the HCMC Transport CooperativeUnion, said the number of passengers on the cooperatives buses hadincreased by 5-10 percent over the first three days this week. The cooperative was expecting a 30 percent increase in passengertransport once major road projects were completed, Hai said. According to the HCMC Public Transport Management andAdministration Center, the number of bus passengers in the citygenerally increased by about 10 percent after every gas price hike. Source: Tuoi Tre Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:36:00 GMT