The world's largest solar farm is fully operational. Called Ivanpah, it has almost 350,000 mirrors the size of garage doors that tilt toward the sun with an ability to energize 140,000 homes covering over 5 square miles of the Mojave Desert. All those mirrors are focused on tubs of water to make steam. That cost 2.2 Billion dollars of which Googl …
I enjoy plane rides. At least taking off. That's when you are pushed back into your seat from the g forces. I love the speed. Last night I was enamoured with the view of NY and Long Island from the plane as we broke through the clouds descending into LaGuardia. It looked magical with all the different lights twinkling, defining the natural geograph …
Once in a while I notice a screw or small bolt somewhere on the floor in my house. I normally pick up, stare at it and look around to see where this may fit. I look at all the surrounding furniture, appliances and mechanical stuff. Invariably it doesn't seem to go anywhere. So I put it in on top of my dresser thinking I'll eventually find what this …
It's the new year and time for Magical Mitch's predictions for 2014. Since 2007 your trusty soothsayer has been making predictions with a pretty good track record. I'm 13 for 22. That's like batting .590...In the MLB I'd be earning at least 50 million a year. But first, let's review... In 2007 I was 1 for 7. (my rookie year:) For 2008 I was a per …
I awoke yesterday morning at about 7:15AM to a blanket of white and the sounds of snow throwers...another suburban moment. I threw on jeans, T-shirt, heavy socks, a hoodie, ski jacket and boots. Got my gloves and trundled down into the garage to fire up my snow thrower and join the fun. After trying to start it by hand a couple of times I plugged …
Hovercraft have been around for decades but they've always looked like they were bathtubs or those small kiddie pools with a big fan. Well, here comes Mercier-Jones from Chicago with a really cool looking vehicle. This will give new meaning to "blowing into town." Imagine jumping in, whirring it up and floating down the highway. Now I won't have …
A name you probably never heard of but I'm betting you will during next years basketball season. No this is not another sports blog but one of inspiration. To really understand what I'm writing about, please watch this video first...it's amazing. (it's only 1 minute) Zach Hodskins He was born without a left hand and forearm and this 6' 4" young …
In a recent study more than half of the population (62%) shop online at least once a month. The most common items we buy are electronics, books, clothing, household goods and office supplies. Retail sales in brick and mortar stores are up by only a small percentage but shopping online is growing at 10-15%. I enjoy buying online. It's so easy an …
After stuffing myself with fried turkey, brisket, potato latkes, stuffing and brussel slaw, I wondered how many other people enjoy the same. So...I went on a Thanksgiving fact finding tour and found the following morsels for you to digest. Americans eat 736 milllion pounds of turkey every Thanksgiving That's roughly 16 lbs per person (I definitel …
This morning the Salvation Army is sending over a truck to pick up some office furniture that's in my garage. That's the technical description of what's happening. The real story is the desk I sat at for over 20 years, the flat files I used for artwork that was lovingly made for clients and the files cabinets that housed the history of the Tobol Gr …
I'm excited. Today is the first ever Gotham Oratorical contest and I'm one of the judges. Fred wrote about it in his blog on 10.18.13 If you're not familiar with the term, it's the art and skill of public speaking. Something I love to do :) This contest is for High School students only and even more impressive is that Nancy's daughter Jackee crea …
Did you know that right now, to be licensed as a Farm Brewery, any beer brewed in the State of New York must have 20% of its ingredients (besides water) grown right here? Apparently the current acreage devoted to growing the ingredients for beer cannot support the need. And...that the number of breweries being built in the NYC area alone are expe …
Sometimes sleep comes easy and sometimes not. This night I'm up writing this blog and it's in the wee hours of the AM. My mind keep running...clients...projects...relationships... It's tough to shut off. I turn the TV on and hope that watching the machines that make pencils put me to sleep. The experts say that no matter what time you go to sleep …
A wierd thing happens to me sometimes and by the chatter on social media I'm not alone. I'll be sitting at my desk, or in my car and I will feel a buzz that my phone is letting me know something is happening. I reach to look to see what it is and there's nothing. No text, no appointment reminder...nothing. This doesn't happen all the time but en …
Here's some news you may like to hear...NASA will pay you $160 a day to lay in bed. I'm not kidding. NASA is seeking volunteers for Spaceflight Simulation Studies by using long-term bed rest to simulate the effects of weghtlessness on the human body. It seems they are getting ready to send astronauts back into space...or maybe pillownauts. If …
It's Saturday...and anything goes.
