Morning Reads: 16 November 2007

[Mika]

Today’s Birthdays / Calendar (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/calendar.php?do=getinfo&day=2007-11-4&c=1)

http://www.plumparty.com/Merchant2/graphics/products/large/19133.jpg


BMW in the News

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/upload/204528/images/bmwk1200ltnightblack.jpg

motorcyclenews.com (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2007/November/november12-18/nov1507bmwk1200ltgetstheluxurytreatment/?R=EPI-97054)
BMW K1200 LT gets the luxury treatment

TED (http://www.ted.com/index.php/pages/view/id/5): Ideas worth spreading
TED Blog (http://blog.ted.com/),Conferences (http://www.ted.com/index.php/pages/view/id/7), Themes (http://www.ted.com/index.php/themes), Talks (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks) and Speakers (http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers)

TEDBlog.com (http://blog.ted.com/2007/11/time_to_get_you.php)
Time to get your XO laptop, and give one

BMW AG: Share price performance (http://www.bmwgroup.com/e/nav/index.html?../0_0_www_bmwgroup_com/home/home.html&source=overview)


BMW Press: News and press releases from the official BMW sources

World of BMW News

http://www.worldofbmw.com/images/uploaded/071115bmw03.jpg

GS Challenge debuts in Quebec (http://www.worldofbmw.com/content/article.asp?article=972&artDate=15/11/2007)


BMW-web.tv

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BMW GroupPress Club:

PressClub Canada

BMW Sauber F1 Team - Test in Barcelona - 13th - 15th November 2007 - Day two – Wednesday
11/15/2007

Weather conditions: dry all day, sunny in the afternoon
Temperatures: Air: 9-17°C, Track: 8-20°C

Number of drivers participating: 21

Fastest lap overall: Michael Schumacher, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 1:19.603 min

Circuit distance: 4.655 km


Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07-04 / BMW P86/7 V8
Test kilometres today: 475 km (102 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:22.946 min

Robert Kubica
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07-06 / BMW P86/7 V8
Test kilometres today: 172 km (37 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:23.488 min

Programme:
With the same drivers as yesterday continuing in the same cars, the test programme again focused on testing the new standard ECU for 2008. Furthermore, several mechanical parts and other components for 2008 were tested and the team also evaluated some aero parts. Because of technical problems with new parts Robert could not do as many laps as he wished to, but the team is working hard to solve them for tomorrow.

What comes next:
On the third and last day of the first winter test, Nick and Robert will continue to gather more information, experience and data with the new electronic control unit. Nick will swap from chassis F1.07-04 to F1.07-08 tomorrow


BMW Sauber F1: Website (http://www.bmw-sauber-f1.com/en/index.html)

BMW Motorsport (http://bmw-motorsport.com/ms/en/index.html)

BMW Yachtsport (http://bmw-yachtsport.com/ys/en/index.html)

BMW Golfsport (http://bmw-golfsport.com/gs/en/index.html)

BMW Oracle Racing (http://bmworacleracing.com/en/index.html?track.refer=)

BMW Sport website ( http://bmw-sports.com/en/index.html)


News:

dealernews.com (http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews/EICMA+2007/Piaggio-Keeps-Sales-Growing/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/473230?ref=25)
Piaggio keeps sales growing

inter-bike.co.uk (http://www.inter-bike.co.uk/tblnewspop.asp?news=2099)
New bikes plus power and torque injection for Hyosung

dealernews.com (http://www.dealernews.com/dealernews/Columnists%2FMike+Vaughan/Back-From-the-Ash-Heap/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/473065?ref=25)
Back from the ash heap

bikernewsonline.com (http://www.bikernewsonline.com/2007/11/victory-vision-recall-notice.htm)
Victory Vision – Recall notice


Cage World

ft.com (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8139d758-92e0-11dc-ad39-0000779fd2ac.html)
Honda to lease hydrogen fuel-cell cars

http://m1ka.smugmug.com/photos/182526939-M.gif Packer News (http://www.packers.com/ )

jsonline.com (http://www.jsonline.com/index/index.aspx?id=44)
Packers Plus Online


The News-Record – Gillette Wyoming (http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/news/)



Bike Reviews:

motorcyclistonline.com (http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_0706_2007_ducati_1098/)
2007 Ducati 1098: World’s shortest long-term test

motorcycle.about.com (http://motorcycles.about.com/od/newmotorcyclereviews/fr/Duc1098S_Review.htm)
Full Review: The 2007 Ducati 1098S a laser sharp sportbike for hardcore riders


Feature:

This is just fun!

Beer Bottle Ochestra

The composer Richard Strauss loved making musical pictures, the more detailed the better. He once said: "I want to be able to depict in music a glass of beer so accurately that every listener can tell whether it is a Pilsner or a Kulmbacher."

With that in mind, Herr Strauss, we give you an orchestra of beer bottles. The Melbourne Symphony, playing the jingle for Victoria Bitter, on "authentic instruments," as it were:

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D21EHpWVKXQ&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D21EHpWVKXQ&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>


If you have a few minutes, watch how they did it:

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0r-xXTX-QFk&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0r-xXTX-QFk&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Via: Minnesota.publicradio.org


Blog Update (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?p=225349&posted=1#post225349)

Foreign Language Blogs (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?p=225351&posted=1#post225351)


Motorcycle Repair and Care:

webbikewold.com (http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-tools/thread-file/)
Thread File and Motorcycle Thread Repair

Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City (http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/)


Photography / Video:

Links to the Photo Assignment threads:

11/10/2007 ( http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21574): Harmony

11/03/2007 ( http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21441): Pure & Simple

10/27/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21286): Open Wide

10/19/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21141): Shadow of a Doubt

10/13/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20999&highlight=Photo+Assignment): Group Dynamic

10/06/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20845&highlight=Photo+Assignment): Blue

09/29/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20687&highlight=Photo+Assignment): Evolution

09/22/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20513&highlight=Photo+Assignment): Balance

09/15/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20361&highlight=Photo+Assignment): Where I Want to Be

09/08/2007 (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20239&highlight=Photo+Assignment): A Long Way to Go


M.R. Traveler

US Forest Service Fall Color Hotline (http://www.fs.fed.us/news/fallcolors/)

na.fs.fed.us (http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/misc/leaves/leaves.htm)
Why Leaves Change Color?

If you want the latest leaf color reports ...

NY 800-225-5697
VT 800-837-6668
MA 800-227-6277
ME 800-777-0317
RI 401-222-2601
CT 800-282-6863

The Best Fall Foliage Sites in America (http://www.travelnotes.org/Travel/sep16.htm)


Today’s RoadFood.com ( http://www.roadfood.com/)

http://www.spam.com/seventy/images/70th_anniversary_logo.gif
http://www.spam.com/seventy/images/can_1.gifhttp://www.spam.com/seventy/images/can_2.gifhttp://www.spam.com/seventy/images/can_3.gif
At Spam.com (http://www.spam.com/)

slate.com (http://www.slate.com/id/2177973/fr/rss/)
Pinot’s Progress
What to drink at Thanksgiving


Woot

Todays Woot ( http://www.woot.com/Default.aspx)

The Blog ( http://www.woot.com/Blog/Default.aspx)


xkcd (http://www.xkcd.com/) A webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math and Language

Sluggy Freelance (http://www.sluggy.com/)


Bike Candy:

http://www.asl-testsite.co.uk/motors/normal/BMW-R12-Army-1938.jpg

via: Motorcycles of the 20th Century

THE END (http://seniordesign.engr.uidaho.edu/2004_2005/endeffect/images/EndEffectLogo.gif)

[PAULBACH]

Good Find Mika! :thumb

A few more details follow below. This might be the perfect machine for touring

Total cost: $399 plus shipping, with $200 considered a tax-deductible donation. Go to the Give One Get One site. (http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/index.php) Twelve days to go. Expectations are that the first release of 25'000 will sell out pretty fast.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g264/PaulBach/Misc%20Stuff/home-laptop_v2.jpg

Features

Design factor was a priority from the start: the laptop could not be big, heavy, fragile, ugly, dangerous, or dull. Another imperative was visual distinction. In part, the goal is to strongly appeal to XO's intended users; but the machine's distinctive appearance is also meant to discourage gray-market traffic. There is no mistaking what it is and for whom it is intended.

XO is about the size of a textbook and lighter than a lunchbox. Thanks to its flexible design and “transformer” hinge, the laptop easily assumes any of several configurations: standard laptop use, e-book reading, and gaming.

The laptop has rounded edges. The integrated handle is kid-sized, as is the sealed, rubber-membrane keyboard. The novel, dual-mode, extra-wide touchpad supports pointing, as well as drawing and writing.

XO is fully compliant with the European Union's RoHS Directive. It contains no hazardous materials. Its LiFePO4 or NiMH batteries contain no toxic heavy metals, plus it features enhanced battery management for an extended recharge-cycle lifetime. It will also tolerate alternate power-charging sources, such as car batteries.

In addition, —for use at home and where power is not available—the XO can be solar or foot powered. It will come with at least two of three options: a crank, a pedal, or a pull-cord. It is also possible that children could have a second battery for group charging at school while they are using their laptop in class.

Experience shows that laptop components most likely to fail are the hard drive and internal connectors. Therefore, XO has no hard drive to crash and only two internal cables. For added robustness, the machine's plastic walls are 2mm thick, as opposed to the standard 1.3mm. Its mesh network antennas, which far outperform the typical laptop, double as external covers for the USB ports, which are protected internally as well. The display is also cushioned by internal “bumpers.”

The estimated product lifetime is at least five years. To help ensure such durability, the machines are being subjected to factory testing to destruction, as well as in situ field testing by children.