Hello,
Typical! I just made a post about AdSense (valves) and now you will see that the space is blank! This is a result of a misunderstanding. The ads will be back soon.
A bientôt
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Valves: It's Worth Watching Those Ads!
I don't know if any of you have tried clicking any of the links that appear in my "Adsense" box. As the host I am not permitted to click on them, but I did notice one and copied over the web address.
And I found this:
The company is called Sinus; the firm produces about a million valves per annum, and based on what they say, of very high quality.
The valves appear to be made from Nimonic 80A, Nimonic being one of the Wiggins-developed "super alloys" that were invented for gas turbine blades.
As may be seen in the picture above, the company offers special coatings, for example the gold-coloured titanium nitride; other super hard-wearing coatings such as zirconium nitride are available and in the "ultimate" range, a specially-developed oil-retaining surface finish. Stellite-coated faces are also offered.
On the company's website, apart from details about the products, there is a short film showing some interesting aspects of production - well worth a look.
The valves appear to be made from Nimonic 80A, Nimonic being one of the Wiggins-developed "super alloys" that were invented for gas turbine blades.
As may be seen in the picture above, the company offers special coatings, for example the gold-coloured titanium nitride; other super hard-wearing coatings such as zirconium nitride are available and in the "ultimate" range, a specially-developed oil-retaining surface finish. Stellite-coated faces are also offered.
On the company's website, apart from details about the products, there is a short film showing some interesting aspects of production - well worth a look.
À bientôt
It seems that I spoke too soon
Apologies to any English activists who might have read my piece entitled "French Smoking Ban II".
I unreservedly apologise, having read this.
À bientôt
I unreservedly apologise, having read this.
À bientôt
Saturday, January 12, 2008
"Sensors Indicate Captain..."
At last! Some car stuff eh?
Well no-one has actually complained about my non-Fulvia posts, and despite my steadily increasing readership, it has all been really rather quiet, I do appreciate your comments and of course comments are essential to keep the Blog world alive.
Anyway, this all concerns my pre-Christmas series about knock.
Whilst naturally, I concentrated on ignition matters (I would be interested to hear from anyone who has bought the Meca system) there is another side to the knock question. This of course concerns fuelling: lean mixture when things are critical, again point of maximum torque, high ambient temperatures full throttle under heavy load e.g. in a hill-climb, can be disastrous and lead if not actually to detonation, certainly burned pistons and exhaust valves are more than likely.
Now for those of you with standard cars in good condition, there is unlikely to be anything to worry about, but start developing and all hell can be let loose. Improved gas flow - which includes improved exhaust manifolds - modified camshafts and so on are all ultimately intended to improve volumetric efficiency and as I pointed out, this means an effectively higher compression ratio which requires changes to the advance curve, but also means more air which in turn means that more fuel is required for optimum performance.
The carburettor is an amazing invention being technically quite simple yet it is able to demonstrate considerable flexibility - in simple terms, more "suck" = more fuel. However this is not the approach for a perfectly developed engine. The fuelling, just like the ignition curve (and they relate to each other) should be optimised.
And this is where I refer to the picture at the top of the page. This is the JAW wide-band oxygen sensor: fuelling is assessed the modern way: by measuring the proportion of oxygen in the exhaust gases; this proportion is referred to as "Lambda" - hence the Lambda sensors found on many modern cars. This sensor is available as a kit and is very cheap.
Here is the link to the company's website; it is in English and I am sure that you will find it interesting.
Let me know what you think eh?
À bientôt
Anyway, this all concerns my pre-Christmas series about knock.
Whilst naturally, I concentrated on ignition matters (I would be interested to hear from anyone who has bought the Meca system) there is another side to the knock question. This of course concerns fuelling: lean mixture when things are critical, again point of maximum torque, high ambient temperatures full throttle under heavy load e.g. in a hill-climb, can be disastrous and lead if not actually to detonation, certainly burned pistons and exhaust valves are more than likely.
Now for those of you with standard cars in good condition, there is unlikely to be anything to worry about, but start developing and all hell can be let loose. Improved gas flow - which includes improved exhaust manifolds - modified camshafts and so on are all ultimately intended to improve volumetric efficiency and as I pointed out, this means an effectively higher compression ratio which requires changes to the advance curve, but also means more air which in turn means that more fuel is required for optimum performance.
The carburettor is an amazing invention being technically quite simple yet it is able to demonstrate considerable flexibility - in simple terms, more "suck" = more fuel. However this is not the approach for a perfectly developed engine. The fuelling, just like the ignition curve (and they relate to each other) should be optimised.
And this is where I refer to the picture at the top of the page. This is the JAW wide-band oxygen sensor: fuelling is assessed the modern way: by measuring the proportion of oxygen in the exhaust gases; this proportion is referred to as "Lambda" - hence the Lambda sensors found on many modern cars. This sensor is available as a kit and is very cheap.
Here is the link to the company's website; it is in English and I am sure that you will find it interesting.
Let me know what you think eh?
À bientôt
Friday, January 11, 2008
French Anti-Smoking Law II (et pour les Français)
I have no knowledge of how the English are coping with this sort of nanny-state legislation. Here in France there appears to be some grass roots resentment and like Ireland where 35000 have lost their jobs since the ban - with one pub closing every week - already café and bar owners are reporting loss of business.
The "antis" told us that following the ban, these places would be full of families and non-smokers enjoying at last wonderful café life. It seems that this is not the case.
I have been directed to a wonderful French blog "Ma clope ma bataille" (literally "my fag, my battle").
There is now of course a link here.
Next up, the promised piece about fuelling... this time not with tobacco!
À bientôt
The "antis" told us that following the ban, these places would be full of families and non-smokers enjoying at last wonderful café life. It seems that this is not the case.
I have been directed to a wonderful French blog "Ma clope ma bataille" (literally "my fag, my battle").
There is now of course a link here.
Next up, the promised piece about fuelling... this time not with tobacco!
À bientôt
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Smokin' Serge & Brigitte Bardot
Here's a rather strange video from 1967 with Serge Gainsbourg and a stunning Brigitte Bardot performing "Bonnie & Clyde".
Sadly it must be pointed out that BB was never likely to challenge say, Janis Joplin or Maria Callas in the vocal department, but there were visual compensations...
À bientôt
A Damned Good Read
As many of you no doubt know, I am an English expatriate, living in rural France; I have been here for nearly three years and enjoy it very much, even if my French is very, very slow to develop.
CM of Jour après Jour has drawn my attention to a super blog called Antipodes which is produced by another English (and French!) -speaking expatriate, this time from Australia. William Skyvington, the blog's author writes exquisitely on an amazing range of topics; his style ranges from ironic to most touching. He comes over as a sensitive, very knowledgeable individual, with an excellent talent for taking a fresh look at the world's beauties and follies.
I was especially moved by this wonderful piece - how I wish I could write like that!
Highly recommended.
À bientôt
CM of Jour après Jour has drawn my attention to a super blog called Antipodes which is produced by another English (and French!) -speaking expatriate, this time from Australia. William Skyvington, the blog's author writes exquisitely on an amazing range of topics; his style ranges from ironic to most touching. He comes over as a sensitive, very knowledgeable individual, with an excellent talent for taking a fresh look at the world's beauties and follies.
I was especially moved by this wonderful piece - how I wish I could write like that!
Highly recommended.
À bientôt
Saturday, January 05, 2008
A Little Gothic Gem
I first saw this video about 28 years ago and its impact has remained with me. I was delighted to find that some benefactor had a copy and had uploaded it to YouTube. No doubt many of you are familiar with the "art" of pop videos, but I truly believe that this one is something special.
It helps of course that I liked the work of the artiste, Lene Lovich, with her blend of horror-movie chic and eastern European mystique.
A good song and a great video interpretation. Enjoy it as I am sure that you will.
A good song and a great video interpretation. Enjoy it as I am sure that you will.
À bientôt
Monday, December 31, 2007
All the Best for 2008
Thank you all for following my ramblings here; I genuinely hope that all of you have at least found something interesting, thought-provoking, or even irritating in these pages - so long as it wasn't boring.
For this year I have included something which has become over the years an extraordinary tradition in Germany and a number of other countries - though not France (perhaps something to do with the advice that appears in every booze advertisement: Consommez avec modération). So despite the fact that this is Fulvias in France, here is something pour les autres that will be enjoyed by millions around the world today.
It is a little piece of English slapstick featuring Freddie Frinton; so established has it become in Germany that between 1:30 today and 12:00 tomorrow, there will be no less than 37 broadcasts of it there!
For this year I have included something which has become over the years an extraordinary tradition in Germany and a number of other countries - though not France (perhaps something to do with the advice that appears in every booze advertisement: Consommez avec modération). So despite the fact that this is Fulvias in France, here is something pour les autres that will be enjoyed by millions around the world today.
It is a little piece of English slapstick featuring Freddie Frinton; so established has it become in Germany that between 1:30 today and 12:00 tomorrow, there will be no less than 37 broadcasts of it there!
A bientôt
Friday, December 28, 2007
Les Fonctionnaires
Source: hereA sympathiser has emailed me a list of the various fonctionnaires that I understand will be harassing French smokers as from 2nd January.
Les officiers et agents de police judiciaire, inspecteurs et contrôleurs du travail, agents du ministère de la Santé et assimilés: médecins inspecteurs de santé publique, ingénieurs du génie sanitaire, inspecteurs de l'action sanitaire et sociale, ingénieurs d'études sanitaires, techniciens sanitaires, ingénieurs et techniciens territoriaux, inspecteurs de salubrité de la ville de Paris et inspecteurs de salubrité de la préfecture de police.
(Source: here)
It appears to me that these people have far more important things to do; I hope that their various duties will not be neglected...
Source: here
A bientôt
Les officiers et agents de police judiciaire, inspecteurs et contrôleurs du travail, agents du ministère de la Santé et assimilés: médecins inspecteurs de santé publique, ingénieurs du génie sanitaire, inspecteurs de l'action sanitaire et sociale, ingénieurs d'études sanitaires, techniciens sanitaires, ingénieurs et techniciens territoriaux, inspecteurs de salubrité de la ville de Paris et inspecteurs de salubrité de la préfecture de police.
(Source: here)
It appears to me that these people have far more important things to do; I hope that their various duties will not be neglected...
Source: hereA bientôt
French Anti-Smoking Law
You might have noticed that my announcement at the top of the page is now headed "Correction".
Following the chat on this subject (see Chat box on the right of the page) it appears that some official "made a mistake". Accordingly, café society in France ends not immediately after midnight on 1st January, but on 2nd January.
I have to say that the idea of the CRS and the numerous other divisions of the French Police bludgeoning innocent French smokers celebrating (what?) at the beginning of the New Year and dragging them off to the cells is not a scenario that I find particularly convincing, so perhaps the "mistake" was deliberate?
I am also informed that there will be Special Police to enforce this inhumane legislation; it is of course, classically French to find a reason to employ even more fonctionnaires as it is, despite President Sarkozy's protestations to the contrary, always necessary to maintain French public spending at the highest level possible! (This policy keeps Les Syndicats (trades unions) happy).
A bientôt
Following the chat on this subject (see Chat box on the right of the page) it appears that some official "made a mistake". Accordingly, café society in France ends not immediately after midnight on 1st January, but on 2nd January.
I have to say that the idea of the CRS and the numerous other divisions of the French Police bludgeoning innocent French smokers celebrating (what?) at the beginning of the New Year and dragging them off to the cells is not a scenario that I find particularly convincing, so perhaps the "mistake" was deliberate?
I am also informed that there will be Special Police to enforce this inhumane legislation; it is of course, classically French to find a reason to employ even more fonctionnaires as it is, despite President Sarkozy's protestations to the contrary, always necessary to maintain French public spending at the highest level possible! (This policy keeps Les Syndicats (trades unions) happy).
A bientôt
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Double Your Money?
Well it seems that you could have! Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing as we all know, but on reflection, it doesn't seem as though Apple was so much of a risk; after all it's been around for a few years!
Again, this comes from Fledermaus News...
A bientôt
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Apple iPhone: Don't try this at home!
Source: hereThe Apple (tm) iPhone (tm) has attracted enormous news interest since its announcement. First reactions that I have read have been most favourable, and it seems that Apple has a hit.
Most of us have just seen a picture like the one above, but Techrepublic has done us a favour: they bought one and dismantled it, producing a photographic record of the procedure.
Read all about it here!
Most of us have just seen a picture like the one above, but Techrepublic has done us a favour: they bought one and dismantled it, producing a photographic record of the procedure.
Read all about it here!
Source: here
A bientôt
AdSense - another HTML headache
You might have noticed a new box at the top of the page marked "AdSense".
This contains targetted advertising, which I hope will prove interesting for some of you.
This contains targetted advertising, which I hope will prove interesting for some of you.
However, adding the HTML has changed the appearance of this blog and I have no idea how to restore it! Still, for the long-sighted ones it will be easier to read at least!
A bientôt
Monday, December 24, 2007
As I was saying...
It seems that I am not alone in my views:
I wrote:
Now read this:
I wrote:
But now here's something sinister: Apple Computer offers a friendly and informal face to the public, it likes to contrast itself with what it suggests (to me at least) as the stuffy, grey and dull Microsoft.
[... ]
Now I am not suggesting that other big organisations do not do or try to do, similar things, but it's the contrast between the projected image and the reality that made my jaw drop. I really should know better, but there it is!
Now read this:
[...] Second, the ThinkSecret story provides a sombre reminder about the danger of being taken in by clever corporate PR. Apple has brilliantly established an image as a company that is not only cool and chic, but also on the side of the consumer. Its technology provides terrific toolkits for user-generated publishing and movie-making. It was the first company to offer consumers legal music downloads on reasonable terms. It portrays its customers as free-thinking libertarians compared with the serried ranks of Microsoft serfs. And so on.
It's a great story, but nobody should be taken in by it. Apple is as single-minded as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM or Google. Jobs may wear velvet gloves, but they're lined with lead.
Source: john.naughton@observer.co.uk
You can read the complete article here, once again, thanks to Fledermaus News
A bientôtSunday, December 23, 2007
Merry Christmas
Sicilian Avenue Dec 1998 - photo by meI should like to wish all my readers the very best for Christmas.
A game or two is quite traditional at this time of the year, and if you like games but do not feel inclined to vaporise the aliens or practise electronic karate or pursue monsters and dragons in some mediaeval dungeon then I have something for you, sent to me by a friend a few minutes ago.
It is called "know your world" and is great fun. I scored 110 in my first attempt (you are notified of your "traveller IQ" at the end of the game).
A game or two is quite traditional at this time of the year, and if you like games but do not feel inclined to vaporise the aliens or practise electronic karate or pursue monsters and dragons in some mediaeval dungeon then I have something for you, sent to me by a friend a few minutes ago.
It is called "know your world" and is great fun. I scored 110 in my first attempt (you are notified of your "traveller IQ" at the end of the game).
Enjoy it!
A bientôt
In the Interests of Balance
In my last post I mentioned Apple in a not entirely flattering connexion.
To preserve a sense of impartiality, here's a piece about Microsoft from The Korea Times, again courtesy of Fledermaus News.
A bientôt
To preserve a sense of impartiality, here's a piece about Microsoft from The Korea Times, again courtesy of Fledermaus News.
A bientôt
More Computer News
With regard to Vista, well I am still using it, and whilst I may have got used to it - a bit -I still find it irritating. Canon have been most helpful in getting my scanner up and running, but what a struggle compared with installing it on XP.
Oh yes, and my girlfriend's wi-fi. I reported the struggle we had trying to make it work here. Well she (being cleverer than I) finally solved it, no thanks to the so-called instructions. It turns out that wi-fi operates on a number of channels. A "quick installation" depends upon the user having a crystal ball with which the appropriate channel - there is a choice of twelve - may be determined. The crystal ball is also helpful in informing the user that there are indeed channels to start with...
But now here's something sinister: Apple Computer offers a friendly and informal face to the public, it likes to contrast itself with what it suggests (to me at least) as the stuffy, grey and dull Microsoft.
Here, courtesy of Fledermaus News is another side to Apple. There are more Apple stories to be found on Fledermaus's news feeds.
Now I am not suggesting that other big organisations do not do or try to do, similar things, but it's the contrast between the projected image and the reality that made my jaw drop. I really should know better, but there it is!
A bientôt
Oh yes, and my girlfriend's wi-fi. I reported the struggle we had trying to make it work here. Well she (being cleverer than I) finally solved it, no thanks to the so-called instructions. It turns out that wi-fi operates on a number of channels. A "quick installation" depends upon the user having a crystal ball with which the appropriate channel - there is a choice of twelve - may be determined. The crystal ball is also helpful in informing the user that there are indeed channels to start with...
But now here's something sinister: Apple Computer offers a friendly and informal face to the public, it likes to contrast itself with what it suggests (to me at least) as the stuffy, grey and dull Microsoft.
Here, courtesy of Fledermaus News is another side to Apple. There are more Apple stories to be found on Fledermaus's news feeds.
Now I am not suggesting that other big organisations do not do or try to do, similar things, but it's the contrast between the projected image and the reality that made my jaw drop. I really should know better, but there it is!
A bientôt
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