Sunday Musette

OK, I'll admit that I thought the idea of biodeisel based on human fat was more than a little bit bizarre, but then again, it's a bizarre world we live in. Alert reader, and the Master Po of bike bloggers, Fritz of Cycle-licious, sent me this link.

If Gilligan could have plugged that gaping hole in S.S. Minnow, he may have looked at the skipper in an entirely new light!


FROM HUMAN FAT TO FUEL (excerpt)

Earthrace Skipper undergoes liposuction to fuel his Superboat

11th November 2005, Auckland, New Zealand

The Earthrace is an 80ft superboat currently nearing completion in Auckland New Zealand, and it will attempt the world circumnavigation speed record running 100% renewable, biodiesel fuel. Pete Bethune, Skipper of this amazing vessel, says "that one of the great things about biodiesel is it can be made from so many different sources". And to prove his point, he underwent liposuction yesterday, the fat of which will be converted to fuel to run in his boat.

For more information visit www.earthrace.net

Key Contact: Pete Bethune, project founder, Skipper: email pete@earthrace.net, ph +64 21 415 342

For press release archive, go to http://www.earthrace.net/view.asp?webpage=172

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I often have the television on as I sit at the computer. It's behind me with the sound turned down low, tuned to CNN, Headline News, or the Weather Channel. An ad for the Sharper Image Personal Cooling System caught my attention. This looks like one of those electronic collars used for training bird dogs. It's the high-zoot version of a wet bandana tied around your neck, but thrity bucks could buy a whole bunch of bandanas!

It's bad enough that Mary expects me to come when called, remain faithfully at her heel at the grocery store, and refrain from sniffing at strange women, but there's no way I'll wear a collar too!


When it's blazingly hot, don't you dread leaving the air-conditioned comfort of your home? Maybe you've tried an ice-soaked towel around your neck — but that's nothing compared to the long-lasting, total-body comfort of our Personal Cooling System™.

...Our wearable invention houses a patented, miniature evaporative-cooling system. Just fill with a few ounces of water, place around your neck and switch it on: A quiet motor drives a tiny fan that creates evaporative cooling; flexible sides hold aluminum cooling plates against your neck — and your entire body enjoys up to four hours of relief. What's more, the fan inside adds even more cooling by directing a gentle breeze over the back of your neck. Comes with 2-oz. water bottle for on-the-go refilling.

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Finally, and this isn't bike-related, I changed the filter on the refrigerator water line yesterday. This normally isn't a big deal, but apparently the company that made the filter elements went out of business. I had to use an entirely different filter, a Whirlpool in-line unit promising easy, no-hassle instalation that required a minimum of tools and no plumbing changes. I know better, of course.

This thing takes 1/4 inch copper tubing in either end. The easy installation instructions say to simply push the tubing into the filter far enough to engage the compression fittings, the pull back slightly to tighten them. Actually, this would probably work if (1) the line was brand-new rather than nearly 20 years old, (2) it was laser-straight rather than slightly bowed from nearly 20 years of previous filter replacements, and (3) the person doing the installation had the patience of Job. On second thought, I take that back. Job would have used much the same colorful language as I did while water spurted from either end of the filter. It was almost like something from the Three Stooges. I'd get one end to stop dripping only to see water coming from the other one.

My work was supervised by three small kittens equipped with extremely sharp teeth and claws. They were fascinated that an entire human was lying prone in their domain and they investigated every part they could reach. They attack animate and inanimate objects. Nothing is beyond their curiosity. They're brigands and thugs. We are no longer on speaking terms.