tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77443588192330624722024-03-13T00:20:36.518-04:00Electric VanagonDocumenting an EV Conversion Workshop and subsequent adventuresjisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.comBlogger184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-59447830396571873602014-02-19T23:39:00.000-05:002014-02-19T23:49:32.575-05:00EV History Tidbit from the EEVC Newsletter<h2 class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
The First Porsche Ever Built ... Was Electric</h2>
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On January 27 2013 Porsche announced that the first Porsche ever built, called the Egger- Lohner electric vehicle, C.2 Phaeton (aka the P1), was going on display at the company’s museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. The car was built in 1898 by Ferdinand Porsche when he was 22 years old, and is unrestored. It has a 3 hp motor (5 hp for brief intervals) that gave it a top speed of 35 mph and a 500-kg battery pack that gave it a range of up to 80 km, or 3-6 operating hours. </div>
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The full announcement, with much more information, is available <a href="http://press.porsche.com/news/release.php?id=842" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-28229970675506714462014-02-07T20:50:00.002-05:002014-02-19T23:29:52.711-05:002014 begins with a shout-out to the Lehigh Valley Green Builders<br />
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Slightly off-topic re: EV's, but we here at Bucks County Renewables see efficient home-building & diverse, locale-appropriate, local energy sourcing as VERY IMPORTANT to our non-fossil-fuel-dependent future, so please note and/or participate in regionally important networking for the cause -- drive your EV there if possible!<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">LVGB Annual Meeting 2014</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">NCC Southside Campus, 511 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015 <br /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1177677248" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">*** NOTE DATE CHANGED to</span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1177677248" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"> APRIL 1 *** 2014 </span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1177677248" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">5:00 PM EST</span></span> </span></b></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiKiuERCMpQcJrItFiW0PFaU1UaH8IjmRwMIkXhKgMRqnjZVmHkV7VNGg1IelPgIfCrVOXHgeSVtUNZbmy67YY7EIMKvj3NGsCneGWhIXZgJuRaON7ehCUlAGJvo7tTZTBgPB7Q-XYagYdX5k3YMASt6LdxCtR1ufBJpEr64CO3Alx4BlnOjzFwpArVX-JbJ3dhsqg=s0-d-e1-ft+Header.png" title="" width="400" /><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>LVGB Annual Meeting 2014</u>: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>High-Performance on the International Stage!</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Over the last two years, we brought you exciting and enlightening presentations - one focused on high-performance design/construction as it relates to building codes now and into the future and another sharing insight into the design teams of two </span>successful<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Solar Decathlon homes from the Washington, DC event. And this year, we continue the informative series on high-performance design and construction - this time with a bit of an international flair. The Lehigh Valley Green Builders invites you to attend our Annual Meeting 2014 for two great presentations - learn about a world record setting wind turbine installation in Peru executed by local college students and faculty; and discover, from a local juror's perspective, the creativity and innovation that college students from around the globe brought to this year's Solar Decathlon in California.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span><b>Record Setting Wind Turbine Installation</b><br />
This presentation will feature the three and half week record setting wind turbine installation completed in a remote mountain village of Peru. Standing nearly 16,000 feet above sea level, the turbine built with the help of Northampton Community College (NCC) students and faculty will likely meet the Guinness World Records criteria for “highest altitude wind turbine in the world.” WindAid officials say the turbine NCC students and faculty helped to build is 4,882 meters above sea level, or far higher than the previous Guinness record of 4,110 meters. Presenters will be Dan Philipps (NCC HVAC/R Program Manager and LVGB Vice President), Christine Armstrong (NCC Professor), and a few students who assisted in this monumental project.<br />
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<b>Judging the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon 2013</b><br />
This presentation will highlight the nineteen cutting-edge high-performance homes designed and built by college students from around the globe all showcased at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 in Orange County, California. Brian Baker (Owner | Director of Marketing & Design at studio26 homes | Renu Building & Energy Solutions and LVGB President) will share his insights of these truly innovative and inspirational homes through his lens as one of 12 jurors from across the country judging the international event.<br />
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<b>Come Join Us!</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Come and join us for some fresh ideas, and to network with other LVGB members and industry professionals from around the Lehigh Valley!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There will be a <b>NETWORKING RECEPTION </b>(with hors d'oeuvres) at <b><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1177677249" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">5:00 pm</span></span> </b>followed by the "High Performance Buildings for 2013 & Beyond" presentation which will run from <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1177677250" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:00pm to 7:00pm</span></span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">To enable us to plan accordingly, <b>pre-registration is required</b> for the Reception Hour and "High-Performance on the International Stage" presentation ($12/$18 members/non-members now, $15/$20 members/non-members at the door).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Please also consider joining us earlier at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1177677251" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">4:30pm</span></span> for the <b>LVGB Annual Members Meeting</b> for a review of LVGB's past year, future goals and planned events - plus this is your chance as a member to vote on the Board of Directors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://lehighvalleygreenbuilders.memberlodge.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1212866" target="_blank">To renew or become an LVGB member click here</a>*.</span>jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-90105216014346741132013-12-12T22:06:00.004-05:002013-12-12T22:14:55.614-05:00Infographic: Today's EVs Meet the Needs of Millions of U.S. Drivers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-44798903028592515502013-12-12T22:06:00.000-05:002013-12-12T22:06:01.578-05:00SO MUCH FUN #2 - NATIONAL PLUG IN DAY @ FRENCHTOWN GREEN FAIR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had beautiful weather & an incredible turnout for the 2013 Frenchtown Green Fair and National Plug-in Day event. 2 converted EV's came all the way from Lancaster PA (86 and 100 oil-free miles respectively) -- big shout-out to John Yecker & Brandon Hollinger for their support! 6 production vehicles were also on display: 3 Nissan Leafs, 1 Chevy Volt, 1 Smart Electric Drive, and a Tesla Model S that rolled in unexpectedly at the last minute (too late to be in the panorama shot above). <b><br /></b><br />
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<b>A total of 642 oil-free miles were traveled by the EV's attending this event, </b>and a great time was had by all! Thanks so much to the drivers and visitors -- a few shots below:<br />
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Mayor Warren Cooper of Frenchtown, NJ came & doffed his hat to electric vehicles, and I'm pleased to report that <a href="http://content.sierraclub.org/evguide/blog/2013/10/electric-vehicle-events-98-cities" target="_blank">his photo was featured in the Sierra Club's national blog! </a><br />
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Mayor Cooper and Brandon "Rockstar" Hollinger surrounded by vehicles of the future. <br />
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Don & Kay Barry came out to Frenchtown from Lehighton PA. Don was the first EV driver I ever met, back in 2006 at the Kempton Energy Fest. He converted his 1983 Nissan pickup truck to 100% electric drive in 2000 and has been using it ever since!<br />
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Larry Deutchman (L) of Ray Catena Motor Corp in Edison NJ gave a test drive of the Smart Electric Drive to Don Dalen of the Frenchtown Green Team. <br />
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EMBARASSING PUBLISHING GLITCH DEPARTMENT: I am sorry to report that this report somehow got stuck in draft mode instead of getting posted in September, and because I have been <strike>very lazy</strike> <strike>recovering</strike> resting on my laurels for the last 2+ months the oversight escaped my notice till today, when I logged on to post the excellent Consumer's Union/Union of Concerned Scientists info-graphic on EV ownership. Belated but sincere thanks to the Frenchtown Green Fair committee for another wonderful event, and to National Plug-in Day for making this the easiest EV display to organize ever! jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-25256753686730126852013-10-02T19:44:00.001-04:002013-10-02T19:46:56.793-04:00SO MUCH FUN! #1 - Mother Earth News Fair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR SEPT 21 2013 </div>
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Want to see more pictures? <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bsbjjbjmb/sets/72157635931819535/" target="_blank">Bonnie took pictures</a>. I took this one though :-) </div>
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L to R: Dave (of Three Rivers EVA, gave me the most fun test drive ever in his 2003 RAV-4 EV); John Yecker, (my hero because he criss-crossed the Commonwealth to display in Frenchtown the next weekend as well), Ed Begley Jr (generally famous, plus also an EV driver and very nice), and Jonathan & Bonnie Belak (of Three Rivers EVA and www.paelectrics.com, the Fearless Leaders of the 2013 East Coast Electric Vehicle Roundup!) What a line-up!<br />
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more fun to come ...<br />
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<br />jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-32420638265969080142013-09-26T18:03:00.004-04:002013-09-26T18:41:40.348-04:00Mother Earth News Fair - Ed Begley Jr admires John Yecker's 1993 Ford Ranger conversion!Well, THIS was a pretty exciting moment last weekend ... the way John described it afterwards -- "Late
on Sat. Ed Begley Jr. stopped by the Alternative Fuel Car Show at the
Mother Earth News Fair near Somerset, PA. Since most people had left I
had him captive to look over my electric truck conversion. As you can
see we are now best buddies."<br />
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I got to take this picture WOOT! It was a typical heart-pounding narrow brush with the moment going completely undocumented, because first my camera wouldn't even turn on (er, I had forgotten to take the lens cap off) and then when Bonnie B. was fetching hers she dropped it in the car and 4 AA batteries hopped off in different directions, but once I located them she got the whole caboodle rapidly re-assembled and rebooted the camera successfully, so áfter Ed had looked over John's 1993 Ranger there was time for a quick photo session. I have seen John tour folks over his truck many times since we first met at Kempton in September 2010 -- this one was a definite highlight! Thanks to Saint Bill for forwarding me the photo. <br />
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I took more, even, and will post further on Mother Earth News Fair I promise but right now I'm getting ready for Saturday's <a href="http://www.frenchtowngreenfair.com/" target="_blank">FRENCHTOWN GREEN FAIR</a> . If you want to meet Big John himself, along with Brandon "Rockstar" Hollinger, they'll be putting more gas-less miles on their conversions in order to join a line-up of production EV's celebrating National Plug In Day @ the Green Fair on Saturday. Can't wait to see YOU there if you're reading this ... <i>hey, Dan Monroe, I'm talking to you!</i> <br />
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Realtime update on Miata prep: the 12 volt battery & the lithium pack are charged up & the tires inflated. Perhaps yesterday's pessimistic prediction that I'll be reduced to abject towing was unwarranted -- fingers crossed ...jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-71492820937765698412013-09-25T22:49:00.004-04:002013-09-26T18:19:10.420-04:00Toyota RAV-4 EV Test Drive at last ... and Frenchtown Green Fair coming up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yay! I had such a great time at the Mother Earth News Fair thanks to Three Rivers EVA ... met great people <i>and </i>I<i> </i>got to take a ride in the VEHICLE OF MY DREAMS, a production EV that is just like a regular (read: old) car on the inside, and not like driving a space ship. (The space-shippy things under the hood in this shot are jokes: a flux capacitor [of course!] and a solar-powered flower.) <br />
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Oh, it was so much fun. More photos to come (I have to share the one I got to take of Ed Begley Jr and John Yecker after he checked out John's "blue" Ranger!) but not just yet.<br />
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We're very busy here at Bucks County Renewables preparing for the Green Fair on Saturday ... it is thrilling to be a part of National Plug In Day and back in the throes of preparing for an electric vehicle display! I am not so thrilled about the part where the Miata is going to have to be ignominiously towed to the show, <i>don't ask</i>. At least it's only 8 or so miles from my house! Onward ... jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-66520517723350776792013-09-16T09:59:00.000-04:002013-09-16T10:01:53.183-04:00You Want to Go To These EV-ents! I Hope You Can! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h3>
Seven Springs PA | Seven Springs Mountain Resort |
Sept. 20-22 </h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
777 Waterwheel Drive</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Seven Springs, Pa. 15622</div>
<br />
Read more about the Mother Earth News Fair <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/pennsylvania.aspx#about#ixzz2bsxQApR8" target="_blank">here</a>. This is a BIG event with dozens of speakers on sustainability topics. (I am so excited that my hero Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, author of <i>Confessions of a Lunatic Farmer </i>and <i>Everything I Want to Do is Illegal,</i> is going to be there!) Congratulations to Jon & Bonnie from <a href="http://www.threeriverseva.org/" target="_blank">Three Rivers EVA</a> for attracting numerous EV's to the East Coast Electric Vehicle Round Up and ensuring that there was programming about sustainable transportation at the Fair. <br />
<br />
I'll be giving my talk on the history & advantages of EV's at 10, 1, and 4 pm both Saturday & Sunday (location: Festival Hall Parking Lot). There will also be EV owner panels at 10:30 & 2:30 on both days -- an interactive discussion giving the opportunity to hear real-world experiences of driving electric. <br />
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<a href="http://pluginday.org/event.php?eventid=86" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5EahVabm8VWKmJhQWoNRz4GL7UKe4x1NR7lHZz5bmYTEeID0YPU0W_x_o28FJqA8BCVWvunw-dtQFMW9jjMirxBB4a6LuhQkB_kmb_AIearz0IAbthxoHjqvp8kqsjmOhLyGLHplKdgQ/s320/NPID_logo.png" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Frenchtown Green Fair's alt-fuel vehicle display is now an official National Plug In Day event! Yippee! Click on the Fair logo for more information about the Fair itself, or the NPID logo to go to our page on the national website. I am totally psyched because both John Yecker & Brandon Hollinger are coming all the way from Lancaster PA to show their cars. Thanks guys -- I can't wait to see you! Our converted EV's will be joined by production models including the Nissan Leaf and an electric Smart Car. <br />
<br />
For those who want to see a LOT of production EV's in one place AND take advantage of ride-and-drive opportunities, look no farther than the <a href="http://pluginday.org/event.php?eventid=28" target="_blank">Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on Sunday, September 29</a>. Michael Craner, pioneer Tesla Roadster owner and veteran of the 2009 Renew America Roadtrip (a 100% electric drive from coast-to-coast), has organized an afternoon full of informative fun from 1 - 4 in celebration of National Plug in Day. EV's on display will include the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Roadster & Model S, the new Toyota RAV-4, Chevy Spark and Ford Focus Electric, and the <a href="http://www.teslasciencefoundation.org/" target="_blank">Tesla Science Foundation</a> (an organization for which we at BCR harbor a great fondness) will be among the presenters. <br />
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<br />jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-14211284642688332192013-08-30T14:23:00.001-04:002013-08-30T14:24:07.035-04:00You Want This Shirt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.customink.com/temp/vendor/3233685/PO3233685-front.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://www.customink.com/temp/vendor/3233685/PO3233685-front.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes you do, you want to wear this shirt, and you can only order it until Sept 2 so you had better hurry. It's only $20 and it's SO EASY you just click on <a href="https://www.booster.com/threerivers" target="_blank">www.booster.com/threerivers</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and in a jiffy you will have ordered that shirt you want to wear. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you totally can't handle online transactions, you can even email<a href="mailto:bbelak@paelectrics.com" target="_blank"> bbelak@paelectrics.com</a> and <i>she</i> will order your shirt for you, that is what I call GREAT SERVICE but you have to do it soon if you want this shirt because after Sept 2 there are NO MORE. </span></div>
jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-10226938527895846612013-08-13T17:27:00.002-04:002013-08-13T17:28:14.711-04:00EVents in September - Come One, Come All!Here's where we'll be on 2 consecutive weekends in September! Talking about EV's <i>of course.</i><br />
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<h3>
Seven Springs PA | Seven Springs Mountain Resort |
Sept. 20-22 </h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
777 Waterwheel Drive</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Seven Springs, Pa. 15622</div>
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Friday Fair hours: 12:00 PM-7:00 PM</div>
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Saturday Fair hours: 9:00 AM-7:00 PM</div>
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Sunday Fair hours: 9:00 AM-6:00 PM </div>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" id="about" name="about"></a><br />
Seven Springs PA is a full-service resort surrounded by hotels and campgrounds, located about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh. The MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR has run at this venue for several years. It's a fun-filled, family-oriented
sustainable lifestyle event featuring workshops & vendors in the following categories:<br />
<ul>
<li>Renewable energy</li>
<li>Small-scale agriculture</li>
<li>Gardening</li>
<li>Green building </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Organic food and drink</li>
<li>Books and magazines</li>
<li>Tools and seeds</li>
<li>Clothing and more</li>
</ul>
Also there will be an EV display, inexplicably not featured on their website :-( Let's show 'em folks.<br />
<br />
Hello, it costs money to attend this event -- but it is FREE if you are bringing an EV so if you are even remotely tempted (and I know you are because there are cars coming from as far away as Washington DC and Indianapolis), please please help out our indefatigable organizer Jon Belak and <a href="http://www.threeriverseva.org/ecevroundup-form.html" target="_blank"><i>sign up here</i></a>. If the link breaks or for some reason you like to talk to people instead of fill out web forms, give him a call at <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> <a href="tel:724-387-8210" target="_blank" value="+17243878210">724-387-8210</a> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">or if email is your favorite get in touch this way: </span> <a href="mailto:info@threeriverseva.org" target="_blank">info@threeriverseva.org</a></span><br />
<br />
Read more about the fair <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/pennsylvania.aspx#about#ixzz2bsxQApR8" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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Got a conflict that weekend? Never fear -- the following Saturday on the banks of the Delaware River is another opportunity to showcase your vehicle, mingle with fellow drivers, and talk to the public at the 2nd annual<br />
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Cool little fair + funky river town + Mike McGrath (of NPR's <i>You Bet Your Garden</i>) on composting + Christine Waltermyer (founder of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School) on decadent rice-based desserts + Maya Rossum (of the Delaware Riverkeeper) on fracking's local effects + an alt-fuel display = AWESOME<br />
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All of the above + you = AWESOME+<br />
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All of the above + you + your alt-fuel vehicle = SO AWESOME I will award as many +'s as we have vehicles on display, so quick drop me an email right now if you are <i>even tempted</i>, and I know you are. Very soon the Fair's Fearless Leaders Sarah & Holly will be asking me how much space on the field we need and it would be (you guessed it) AWESOME++ if you, personally, let me know asap if you just might bring a car/tractor/truck/scooter/motor-assisted bicycle, conversion or production, doesn't matter as long as it uses ALTERNATIVE, ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND FUEL. <br />
<br />
This will be a fun day, and it's totally FREE so tell everyone you know about it! We at Bucks County Renewables are extremely fond of EV-ents that are within actual EV range so anyone who was SAD LIKE ME that the promised 2013 EV-ent in Macungie never materialized, come on out and make a day of it in Frenchtown NJ. I will most certainly take you out for dinner afterwards, if you plan to drink inadvisably check whether there are any rooms left at my fave, the National Hotel, or hit the www.frenchtownboro.com website for links to other local lodgings.<br />
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THE FOLLOWING AD IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE! <br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Pre-order a t-shirt for the 2013 East Coast Electric
Vehicle Round Up</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Order your shirt for this year's East Coast Electric Vehicle
Round Up so you can dress in style at the Mother Earth News Fair ... or have it mailed to you if you can't attend. The shirt costs $20 and range in
size from Small to 4XL. Your purchase will help defray costs for our indefatigable organizer Jon Belak, so call him at </span><span lang="EN"></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="tel:724-387-8210" target="_blank" value="+17243878210">724-387-8210</a> to make arrangements to get the merch and support this new EV outing. You can also email shipping requests to </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">info@threeriverseva.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">EV clubs & individuals -- buy this shirt, wear this shirt, see if someone new asks you about EV's! If you can't come to either of these events, and I know you want to in the worst way, you should definitely lay $20 down to assuage your guilt. </span></span>jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-59811760119556128552013-05-28T21:47:00.003-04:002013-05-28T21:47:43.590-04:00Junior Solar Sprint this Saturday in Philadelphia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://jrsolarsprint.org/sites/jrsolarsprint.org/files/jss_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://jrsolarsprint.org/sites/jrsolarsprint.org/files/jss_logo.png" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.juniorsolarsprintpa.com/" title="www.juniorsolarsprintpa.com"></a><b>Junior Solar Sprint - 20th Anniversary</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>June 1, 2013</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Franklin Institute</b></div>
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<b><br />
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<b>Winter Street, Philadelphia</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/qlf0YZkWFzllD7LfV8AKVF4mf2PK-jRotWA7HHdNVD96DBHOXfvMT0QnSSHFuH7tDg8NqcFllxF0THxIe0HvhFYd9vEQmiU_9dF5mtNFgzUQow-abQzomvR1iuF1UaFj_g" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/qlf0YZkWFzllD7LfV8AKVF4mf2PK-jRotWA7HHdNVD96DBHOXfvMT0QnSSHFuH7tDg8NqcFllxF0THxIe0HvhFYd9vEQmiU_9dF5mtNFgzUQow-abQzomvR1iuF1UaFj_g" width="640" /></a><b>9:00 am Registration and Inspection</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>10:00 am Racing Begins</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1:00pm Open Division Racing</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>1:30 pm Awards Ceremony </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> In case of rain, the race will be in the gym at the
George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science located
at 17th Street & Norris in Philadelphia. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Race Day Hotline:
610-639-1813 </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>More info at <a href="http://www.juniorsolarsprintpa.com/" title="www.juniorsolarsprintpa.com">www.juniorsolarsprintpa.com</a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
Centered on engineering a solar electric model car, the JSS
nurtures the innate curiosity of youth and provides an open forum for
5th - 8th grade students to utilize science & math in a way that
will give real life meaning to lessons learned in the classroom. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
This multi-dimensional, hands-on program gives the students a
glimpse of what to expect when doing "real" engineering. Students will
earn awards in several categories and for the best overall vehicle as
judged by the <b>Eastern Electric Vehicle Club</b>.</div>
jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-3264968259344769232013-04-30T16:08:00.001-04:002013-04-30T16:08:18.432-04:00Electric Sociability, Now That's What I'm Talking About<div class="date">
<div class="day" style="text-align: center;">
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mon, May 27, 2013<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>11:00 AM - 5:00 PM</span></h2>
</div>
</div>
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Electric Sociability Run in Washington, DC</b></span></h1>
Join members of EVA/DC and MD Volt to celebrate the 99th anniversary of
Washington, DC's first Electric Sociability Run when 54 electric cars
gathered in Rock Creek Park in 1914.
<br />
<br />
The event will be held on Memorial Day, May 27, 2013.<br />
<br />
We will commemorate this historic occasion by driving our electric
vehicles to the same destination as the original gathering nearly a
century ago. As with that event, there will be a picnic, various
contests and prizes. The plug-in car rally planned for Memorial Day may be the biggest
gathering of electric vehicle owners in Washington, DC since 1914.<br />
<br />
You must <a href="http://www.mdvolt.org/events/101989652/">RSVP at MDVOLT.org</a>, a limited number of spots are available. To learn more, visit <a href="http://www.pluginrally.org/"> www.pluginrally.org</a>.
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: small;">Event Location</span></h2>
<address>
Beach Dr NW & Joyce Rd NW<br />
Washington, DC 20011</address>
<address>
</address>
<address>
</address>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Beach+Dr+NW+%26+Joyce+Rd+NW+Washington,+DC+20011+&aq=&sll=41.117935,-77.604698&sspn=4.286874,9.030762&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beach+Dr+NW+%26+Joyce+Rd+NW,+Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20011&ll=38.960663,-77.041812&spn=0.034571,0.070553&t=m&z=14&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Beach+Dr+NW+%26+Joyce+Rd+NW+Washington,+DC+20011+&aq=&sll=41.117935,-77.604698&sspn=4.286874,9.030762&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Beach+Dr+NW+%26+Joyce+Rd+NW,+Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20011&ll=38.960663,-77.041812&spn=0.034571,0.070553&t=m&z=14" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small><br />
<br />
<small>Also - awesome news from Plug In America about increasing commercial plug-in sales since the Leaf & Volt became available in late 2010. Read their latest newsletter and terrific blog features <a href="http://hq-salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2711/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1272567" target="_blank">here</a>. </small>jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-45717374956236742152013-04-11T21:49:00.003-04:002013-04-11T21:49:23.458-04:00EV-ents April 27 - May 16-19 - Sept 20-22 - Sept 28<b>2013 comes into focus! </b> <br />
<br />
Coming up in real-time, folks:<br />
<br />
<b>WESTPORT CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC CAR RALLY: APRIL 27, 2013</b><br /><br />The
Westport Electric Car Club announces the first-ever Electric Car Rally in Connecticut,
a 40-mile event and education on Saturday, April 27th. Entrants must
be “plug in” cars, partial or fully electric. An estimated 20 unique
cars will showcase to the public and display at Earth Day Events in
Westport and Fairfield. The public is invited for a Free event, to meet
owners and local dealers including solar home options; with 1pm-3pm
public viewing and general education.<br /><br />President Leo
Cirino says, “ This is an exciting and timely event for the revolution
of electric cars In America. Electric cars get very little attention in
this region of the country, yet Westport is a leading community in the
state and nation. We invite the public to see and understand the
variety of long-range electric alternative vehicles”.<br /><br />Rally
begins 9am at the Eastbound Saugatuck Train Station. EV Cars will
follow a Time-Speed-Distance Rally, with a public “Pit Stop” at
11:30-12 noon at the Fairfield Earth Day Celebration held annually at
Ward High School. The Rally concludes near 1pm at the Saugatuck station
where the public is invited 1-3pm. Adam Lubarsky, owner of the Blu
Parrot has offered free sliders and free music. A family event for all
ages, all are welcome to see electric cars and meet dealers.<br /><br />Steve
Smith, Town Building Inspector states, “The Road Rally is our way of
being proactive in showing that electric cars are real, practical and
can make a difference in energy resource sustainability. This follows
our April launch of solar-paneled train station charging stations;
attended by Governor Malloy and local citizens.”<br /><br />Rally
vehicles include Tesla Model S (Car of the Year 2013), Tesla Roadster,
Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt, Fisker Karma, Mitsubishi's i-MiEV, Smart Car
EVs and more. And… first electric cars in America will rally: 1907
Columbia built in Hartford CT and 1910 Broc Electric Car, courtesy of
Dragone Classic Motorcars of Westport.<br /><br /><b>To register a car</b>: contact jshuck at optonline.net<br />
<br />
<b>For general information</b>: <a href="http://www.westportelectriccarclub.com/" target="_blank">www.westportelectriccarclub.<wbr></wbr>com</a><br /><b><br />Business contact for sponsorships:</b><br /><br />Stephanie Weiner, New England Smart Energy Group<br />
cell: <a href="tel:203-722-5386" target="_blank" value="+12037225386">203-722-5386</a><br />stephaniew at ne-<wbr></wbr>smartenergy.com <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><b>Other Club Contacts:</b><br />
<b> </b><br />Remy Chevalier<a href="tel:203-227-2065" target="_blank" value="+12032272065"> 203-227-2065</a> remyc at prodigy.net<br />
Leo Cirino, President Westport Electric Car Club lcirino at snet.net <a href="tel:203-226-0034" target="_blank" value="+12032260034">203-226-0034</a><br />Barry Kresch, Marketing & Education evs at westportelectriccarclub.com<br />
<br />
<b>STATE COLLEGE PA 21st CENTURY AUTOMOTIVE CHALLENGE MAY 16-19 2013</b><br />
<br />
Registration is OPEN!!!<br /><br />Registration Forms and latest information on 21st CAC 2013 available <a href="http://www.larson.psu.edu/21st%20CAC" target="_blank">here</a> <br /><br />What’s new for the 21st CAC in 2013:<br />
<ul>
<li>Technical Testing May 16 and 17 to be held at Central Pennsylvania Institute of Technology</li>
<li>Saturday Charging/Display at the MorningStar Solar Home open to public 10 am-4 pm</li>
<li>Press Display Event and Preliminary Awards Sunday 1 pm – 3 pm</li>
<li>(Tentative) EEVC Awards Ceremony at their June 12 regular meeting</li>
</ul>
<b>SEVEN SPRINGS PA MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR SEPT 20-22 </b><br />
<br />
RSVP now to jbelak at paelectrics.com to qualify for $70/night accommodations at the Days Inn Somerset 10 miles from Seven Springs. Bring your EV and help thousands of people get the plug-in driving word at this very well-attended Earth Fair. I told Jon I'd come speak, stay tuned!<br />
<br />
<b>FRENCHTOWN NJ GREEN FAIR SEPT 28</b><br />
<br />
Hurray! I got put in charge of organizing an entire Green Transportation segment of our 2nd annual local Green Fair, so now I am the Phil Jones of Frenchtown! Hello all EV and other alt-fuel-vehicle drivers within range of charming Frenchtown NJ, please join us to put your car on display AND share your gift of gab if you'd like to be part of the educational programming. I'm so excited about this I almost said no to the Mother Earth News Fair, but then I realized, it will all be arranged by then and I gotta get to Western PA that weekend, because frankly, I've been missing the EV stuff while totally preoccupied with other aspects of my life! I have a conflict with the 21st Century Automotive Challenge and hey, if you read all the way down to the bottom you're probably wondering "What the heck ever happened to the Macungie EV picnic, wasn't that supposed to happen in 2013 too and doesn't it normally occur, like, in the spring?<br />
<br />
<b>STAY TUNED!</b><br />
jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-75260593418189577842013-02-19T22:40:00.002-05:002013-02-19T22:40:36.981-05:00Blast from the Past - 2007 Alt-Fuel FlashbackThe 'oh yeah that's how we got here' alternative fuel news department brings you back to March 2007 -- NOTICE NOT A WORD ABOUT PLUG-IN EV's BACK THEN IN THE NOT-SO-DISTANT PAST<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17842304/from/ET/#.USRDXPKPYuc" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="213" src="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070328/070328_bush_hmed_3p.grid-6x2.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="txt vcard author contributor" id="byline" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/Person" rel="dc:creator">
<span class="attribution">
By <span class="fn" itemprop="name" rel="author">Moira Herbst </span>
</span>
<div class="source-org" id="source" rel="dc:publisher">
<span class="org" itemprop="affiliation">
<a class="url" href="http://www.businessweek.com/">
<img alt="" class="photo" src="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Sources/Art/source-BloombergBusinessWeek3.gif" />
</a>
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="txt timestamp" content="2007-03-28T22:54:55">
updated
<abbr class="dtstamp updated" style="display: inline;" title="2007-03-28T22:54:55">3/28/2007 6:54:55 PM ET</abbr>
</div>
<div class="i1">
<br /></div>
<div class="i1">
President Bush enjoyed a high-profile photo-op Monday with the
heads of the Big Three automakers and their latest clean-car models. The
impressive lineup included a General Motors model that can run on
ethanol, a plug-in Ford powered by hydrogen, and a DaimlerChrysler Jeep
filled with a biodiesel blend. </div>
<div class="i1">
<br /></div>
It was smiles all around as the automakers announced they would make
half of America's vehicles ethanol-ready by 2012. "If you want to reduce
gasoline usage—like I believe we need to do so for national-security
reasons as well as for environmental concerns—the consumer has got to be
in a position to make a rational choice," said a beaming Bush.<br />
<br />
But there's a dirty secret about clean cars. The policies for
flexible-fuel vehicles—those that can run on mixtures of gasoline and
more than 10 percent ethanol—are written in such a way that they result
in a number of unintended consequences. One result is that automakers
gain some leeway in meeting fuel-economy standards if they produce
flexible-fuel cars and trucks. So Detroit's automakers have been pumping
out hundreds of thousands of the vehicles, even though most consumers
have no access to alternative fuels because they're available at only a
fraction of U.S. gas stations.<br />
<br />
Here's why that's an issue. Automakers need to meet certain
government standards for the fuel economy of their fleets. For flex-fuel
cars, fuel economy is calculated based on the assumption that their
owners use 50 percent gasoline and 50 percent ethanol. But the reality
is that just 1 percent of the nation's flexible-fuel vehicles actually
use what's known as E85—85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The
remaining 99 percent are using good old-fashioned gasoline.<br />
<br />
<strong>More greenhouse gases </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>The result is anything but green. The more flex-fuel cars
and trucks that are produced, the more gasoline is consumed—dramatically
increasing greenhouse gas emissions and deepening the country's
dependence on petroleum. The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates
that without the policy in place, the U.S. would have burned 4 billion
fewer gallons of gasoline since 1998. "Automakers have an [economic]
incentive to sell cars less efficient than the law requires," says Don
MacKenzie, a vehicles engineer for the Union's clean vehicles program.<br />
<br />
Environmental advocates aren't shy about voicing their outrage. "It's
a total scam," says Dan Becker, director of the Sierra Club's global
warming program. "The automakers are trying to shield themselves from
having to make more efficient vehicles. They're avoiding the path to
cutting oil dependence, curbing global warming, saving consumers money,
and ultimately saving Detroit from competitors like Toyota."<br />
<br />
The culprit is a 1988 law called the Alternative Motor Fuels Act,
which has been extended through 2008. It gives automakers extra credit
toward meeting fuel-economy standards for making cars that can run on
alternative fuels. It's cheap for automakers to make cars fuel-flexible;
it only costs them about $50 per vehicle, whereas actually meeting
fuel-economy standards (making cars travel more miles per gallon) can be
much more expensive. So in recent years auto companies have been
pouring out flexible-fuel, gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles without
worrying too much about fuel economy.<br />
<br />
<strong>Shortage of ethanol pumps</strong>
<br />
<br />But, as the Bush administration itself acknowledged in 2002, the
consumers who own flex-fuel cars aren't going for alternative fuels.
Ethanol-based fuels like E85 are hard to come by, and are only available
in certain regions of the country. Only 1,600 of the nation's 176,000
gas stations pump E85, the most popular and commercially viable
alternative fuel, says the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. So the
more flexible-fuel vehicles that hit the road without an ethanol pump in
sight, the more pure gasoline Americans continue to guzzle.<br />
<br />
Ethanol advocates say fuels like E85 are a right-here-right-now
solution to reducing oil dependence. "[T]here's nothing that can be done
which can reduce the curve of growth in imported oil and actually turn
it down like using E85, taking advantage of what's there today," said GM
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer G. Richard Wagoner Jr. at the
White House event.<br />
<br />
They also argue that the mismatch between the size of the
flexible-fuel fleet and the availability of ethanol will be solved over
time. "You've got to get started somehow," says Phillip Lampert,
executive director of the NEVC. Lambert points out that the number of
gas stations providing E85 has doubled in the last year, and his
group—backed by automakers and ethanol producers—is pushing for bigger
tax incentives for fuel retailers.<br />
<br />
Still, the conversation that Bush and the Big Three avoided was talk
of fuel economy. In the short term, it's far cheaper for car companies
to keep producing cars that seem environmentally friendly than to
re-engineer cars to squeeze out more miles per gallon. Until the U.S.
has much broader availability of alternative fuels, old-fashioned gas
guzzling will continue to rise into the not-so-green future.<br />
<br />
<span class="copyright" rel="item-license license">
<em>Copyright © 2012 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved.</em><br />
</span>jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-12515828485522677482013-01-13T20:11:00.001-05:002013-01-13T20:14:04.507-05:00Three Rivers EVA Invitation for September 2013Shout-out to Jonathan Belak, president of Three Rivers EVA and owner of PA Electrics, who wrote this letter below to "spark" an EV gathering at the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA this coming September. Read on for details!<br />
<br />
Dear fellow Electric Auto enthusiasts, <br />
<br />
I am the President of the Three Rivers EVA and was saddened to hear of the cancellation of the 2012 Pennsylvania Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival held in Kempton, PA. This was the yearly get-together event for representatives of several clubs from the EAA. This was a time to renew old friendships and make new ones, show off one another's projects and just have a good time. But 2012 would be different with the cancellation.<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cVWpxliHA0pxUY36fg8yYyZnHrAarAKB8zljz4f_TFnQrKdQabcWuACZuNlT_Dc8rnL2ngtUqD7xMDDnIrUE9vDaVK5V1QaKaBNRplYNtaykXbcTTQi3pop8hByVePpYj9pbgGkMMSDK/s1600/festival-crowd9-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cVWpxliHA0pxUY36fg8yYyZnHrAarAKB8zljz4f_TFnQrKdQabcWuACZuNlT_Dc8rnL2ngtUqD7xMDDnIrUE9vDaVK5V1QaKaBNRplYNtaykXbcTTQi3pop8hByVePpYj9pbgGkMMSDK/s320/festival-crowd9-21.jpg" width="320" /></a>Our club was contacted around the same time as the cancellation by Mother Earth News about attending the second annual Mother Earth News Fair - Sustainable Living Festival which was to be held over the same time period that the event in Kempton was to take place. This festival would be held at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort, just off of the Donegal exit of the PA Turnpike. The event was free for our club to come and exhibit vehicles at, for the three days the festival was taking place. We were told to expect at most 15,000 people over that time period. This was based on the prior year's event and past events that Mother Earth News has sponsored. <br />
<br />
The estimate was off just a little bit. We had that many people at the festival the first day and by our and some other vendors accounts for the three day event, crowds reached around 40,000 attendees. We not only talked to people from the northeast but from as far away as Montana and down to Florida. I have attached some photos from workshop attendance and just some crowd photos to show the amount of attendees.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvC98e_FVXPfr99TcnVvnFr7rbn3bQ9BxeC10pHmZnkttoyz_dtKcdfj3JFYrPhmIg2mHkca6cBzhzuUXKQ2DcdaJvzYOq44pyC4GzJq5PID3gp9hsd5-5rTtIGMQnZ3SUYlMXjyDV5E9/s1600/workshop-crowd9-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvC98e_FVXPfr99TcnVvnFr7rbn3bQ9BxeC10pHmZnkttoyz_dtKcdfj3JFYrPhmIg2mHkca6cBzhzuUXKQ2DcdaJvzYOq44pyC4GzJq5PID3gp9hsd5-5rTtIGMQnZ3SUYlMXjyDV5E9/s320/workshop-crowd9-22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
I would like to make a proposal that this Mother Earth News Fair event become a yearly EAA get together on the East Coast. This year's event is to be held September 20th, 21st and 22nd, the week prior to National Plug in Day. There are several hotel besides those at the resort within fifteen minutes travel time to the festival. There are numerous campgrounds with in that same travel time from the resort. There are also condos and houses available for weekly rentals nearby. This is not during peak ski season so prices are much lower for these however they can book quickly. </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXjmsVuM9mJ41nugCQMCU7Q85F3ctOZ2ToB8m9uIC_fePXdG9lW_Hp32W9V_dmBCllk-_Gbc39U8mcT7eFg4Gpyh_JNz4o90dpS-YVJaiIi0v2sxv1W3KPEicAYO3-N9xouAib0zqTMP1/s1600/workshop-crowd9-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXjmsVuM9mJ41nugCQMCU7Q85F3ctOZ2ToB8m9uIC_fePXdG9lW_Hp32W9V_dmBCllk-_Gbc39U8mcT7eFg4Gpyh_JNz4o90dpS-YVJaiIi0v2sxv1W3KPEicAYO3-N9xouAib0zqTMP1/s320/workshop-crowd9-23.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you are interested in attending this year's event please let me know so that we can get in touch with Mother Earth News as soon as possible to reserve a display area. Our contact at Mother Earth News has not contacted us about confirming our attendance for this years event, but we would like to give them a tentative number of participants when they do. More planning needs to be done before the event but it is never to early to start that process. <br />
<br />
Please feel free to pass this message on to other people who might be interested in this event. <br />
<br />
Thank you,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Jonathan Belak - jbelak at paelectrics@com</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.paelectrics.com/" target="_blank">PA Electrics</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.threeriverseva.org/" target="_blank">Three Rivers EVA </a></div>
jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-1460275530348707642012-10-23T11:15:00.001-04:002012-10-23T11:17:31.712-04:00Frenchtown Green Fair - SO GREAT! Plus a Political Blurb!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://frenchtownboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/green_fair_poster1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image by gattuso media design" border="0" height="320" src="http://frenchtownboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/green_fair_poster1.jpg" title="" width="207" /></a></div>
Wow
what an incredible turn-out for the first annual Frenchtown Green Fair
-- yes, folks, everyone involved wants to put it on again next year!
YAY!!! I was talking about EV's practically nonstop, plus a little bit
about my Montessori preschool since the Miata was parked right next to
that tent. We had beautiful weather & an awesome array of 60
vendors and hundreds and hundreds of visitors who spent a long time
taking in the educational lectures, arts & crafts for the kids,
drumming & mandala-making for all ages, plus food & free water
from the local artesian well across the street.<br />
<br />
The
alternative fuel vehicle display featured TWO electric cars, our Miata
& thanks to Charlie & Catherine Reichner of the Heat Shed, a
Nissan Leaf! This allowed me to point out to everybody I spoke to that
you can build your own EV today, or buy one at your local automotive
dealer. What a change from 2006 when I first started spieling electric
cars in public at the Energy Fest in Kempton PA! <br />
<br />
The
alt-fuel display also incorporated a veggie Mercedes converted by Bryan
Davison, formerly of Frenchtown Borough Council & the founding
chair of the Green Team; he towed his biodiesel-brewing set-up behind to
show it off as well, & had a lot of enthusiastic questioners to
engage with during the course of the day. A Chevy Volt rounded out the
show, & I took my usual pleasure in explaining to anyone who would
listen that properly it is not an EV but a <i>series plug-in hybrid. (</i>Nomenclature is important folks!) <br />
<br />
Even
more importantly, a range of solutions from the home-brewed to the
high-tech now exist to our transportation & foreign oil dependency
dilemma. It was awesome from the EV advocate perspective to have a
variety of vehicles
to point to at our little homegrown Green Fair. I'm hoping to help
mount an even bigger & better display next year. <br />
<br />
We got a <b>nice letter from the mayor of Frenchtown</b>, who was incredibly supportive of the Green Fair, as a thank you.<br />
<br />
<i>On Sept. 29 Frenchtown held its first Green Fair, dedicated to promoting environmentally responsible, sustainable living.</i><br />
<br />
<i>By
most accounts the fair was the best-attended event ever held at Old
Frenchtown Field. Residents and friends from neighboring communities
came away inspired to change the way we live and educated with the tools
to make those changes.</i><br />
<br />
<i>That was no
accident. The Green Fair steering committee of Frenchtown’s Green Team
spent 10 months creating and organizing the event. Kudos are due
Adrienne Crombie, who led the group, Cathy Leach, Dominikija Prostak,
Bonnie Pariser, Gerry St. Onge, Don Dalen, Richard Reilly, Jenny Isaacs
and MaryBeth Healy.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Thanks, too, to
Frenchtown Borough Council and the Frenchtown Business and Professional
Association for their support and commitment; to Gold Sponsors Stem
Brothers and Century Link; to sponsors ShopRite, Basil Bandwagon and
Brad’s Raw Chips; to John Gattuso Media Design for the fair’s graphics
and to Civilian for silk-screening the graphic onto T-shirts; to WDVR
radio, especially Jim Jordan and Melba Toast, for handling on-site
acoustics and a live broadcast; for Adam Blackburn for the musical
soundtrack when no presentations were under way; to Mike Reino and Mike
Roden of the borough Department of Public Works for getting the field in
shape before and after the fair; to the Frenchtown Police and the
Frenchtown Volunteer Fire Company, and to Anthony DeSapio, Clark Johnson
and Tim Fisher for allowing visitors to park on their properties, and
to the American Legion for managing the parking.</i><br />
<i><br /> Anthony DeSapio also generously provided free water to the fair
and contributed Saturday’s proceeds from the Frenchtown Well to the
Green Team.<br /><br /> Thanks to the Lion’s Club for serving vegetarian
fare alongside the more traditional hamburgers and hot dogs; to the
Frenchtown Community Garden; to Man-E-Faces’ Eric Fiorito for seven
hours of non-stop children’s face-painting and Rosalie Justine Skakum,
Tricia Hurley, and Robin Reichert who entertained those children with
art projects & story-telling throughout the day; to the 19 bakers
who entered the pie baking contest (which helped raise $450 for the Fire
Company) and pastry chefs from Lovin’ Oven, The National Hotel, The
Bridge Café, Eat Cake and Milford Oyster House for judging it; to Dan
Mundy and the Hunterdon County 4-H for providing the petting farm; to
all the Frenchtown shops, restaurants and businesses who contributed
raffle prizes; to Sara Dalen, Morgan Fisher, Clover Stieve and Grace
Guggenheim for providing live entertainment; to speakers on sustainable
living: Mona Laru of Naked Nutrition, Bonnie Pariser of Yoga Loka, Jonah
Dabb of Hunterdon 4-H; Master Gardener Connie Hughes; Carol Ragucci of
Holistic Living; Laurie Fischer of Organic Plant Care LLC and Keith
Strunk of River Union Stage; to Dr. Jodi Dinnerman who provided gentle
chiropractic adjustments for a donation to the Green Team, and to the
vendors who provided visitors with environmental education along with
the products they hoped to sell.</i> <i><br /><br /> The fair itself
certainly would have run less smoothly without the help of the more than
two dozen members of the Frenchtown Elementary School student council
and the Delaware Valley Regional High School Key Club. Throughout the
day, these young people demonstrated a commitment to the goal of “green”
living that bodes well for the future.</i> <i><br /><br /> Thanks, finally,
to all who visited. You provided the energy and enthusiasm that made
the day so rewarding. We hope you had fun. We did. See you next year.</i> <i><br /><br /> Warren Cooper, Mayor</i> <span class="HOEnZb"></span><br />
http://www.frenchtownboro.com<br />
<span class="HOEnZb"></span><br />
<br />
<b>Brief Political Blurb: EV's & Batteries in the Spotlight</b><br />
<br />
It's
awesome to be on the forefront of personal, one-on-one EV advocacy at
events like the Green Fair -- even though it's kind of a bummer that
this kind of work is still necessary with gas hovering around $4 a
gallon. Last time I checked Democrats & Republicans were equally
affected by the price of gas! So it's funny that EV's or battery
manufacturers like A123 can become political footballs ... In the
immortal words of Doug Stansfield, central NJ EAA chapter founder &
national board member: <i>electric vehicles are good for both Democrats & Republicans! </i><br />
<br />
Here
at Bucks County Renewables we believe that insatiability is not
sustainable, and that as a country we need to plan for the long term
rather than suck up all our existing resources in an energy frenzy.
Both electorally-validated parties seem willing to match each other in
commitments to drill, extract & deplete our continental supply of
fossil fuel, while all alternative propositions are marginalized ...
sigh ... lucky thing we're used to being out on the fringes and to
pulling the lever on Election Day for candidates who actually represent
our beliefs, instead of for business as usual. Hope you will be doing the same!jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-7669049463527127992012-09-22T09:26:00.001-04:002012-09-22T09:27:13.482-04:00National Plug-In Day Celebrated in Philadelphia <hr />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" name="plugin"></a></span>
<h1>
<span style="font-size: large;">National Plug-In Day</span></h1>
<h1>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Learn, ride, and drive "electric" at The Franklin Institute!</b> </span></h1>
<b>Sunday, September 23, 2012 - 1200PM-4:00PM</b><br />
Free with Museum Admission <br />
<br />
<img class="floatRight" height="300" src="http://www2.fi.edu/visitor-guide/events/images/plugin.jpg" width="400" />
<b> </b><br />
National Plug-In Day is a nationwide celebration designed to heighten
awareness of plug-in vehicles and highlight the environmental and other
benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars, trucks, and
motorcycles. The second annual event will take the form of simultaneous
electric vehicle activities staged in more than 50 cities coast to
coast. National Plug-In Day 2012 is being organized by Plug-In America,
the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association. <br />
<br />
This year's Philadelphia event, coordinated by Renew America Roadtrip,
will be held at The Franklin Institute on Sunday, September 23 from
12:00PM-4:00PM.
<br />
<br />
Activities include: <br />
<br />
<b>12:00PM-4:00PM</b> - "Ride and Drive" opportunities in many of the
popular new production electric cars including the Nissan Leaf, Chevy
Volt, Mitsubishi Miev, Toyota Plug-In Prius, Honda Insight FC, as well
as electric motor bikes, scooters, hybrid bicycles, and Segways. Raffles
for rides in select limited edition electric vehicles on display
including the Tesla Roadster and the Fisker Karma.
<br />
<br />
<b>12:30PM</b> - Global Warming Science, presented by renowned environmental educator Richard Whiteford.
<br />
<br />
<b>1:00PM</b> - The Politics of Energy, presented by Former Pennsylvania
Governor Ed Rendell. Signing of his new book <i>A Nation of Wusses: How
America's Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great</i> to follow. <br />
<br />
<b>2:00PM</b> - City council citation presentation declaring September 23 National Plug-In Day in Philadelphia.
<br />
<br />
<b>3:00PM</b> -<i> Revenge of the Electric Car </i>movie screening—a lively
and fun documentary about the road we have traveled to get to where we
are with electric vehicles today.
<br />
<br />
<b>12:00PM-4:00PM</b> - Demonstrations of residential and business charging solutions by Ecotality.
<br />
<br />
<b>12:00PM-4:00PM</b> - The <a href="http://teslasciencefoundation.org/iTesla/index.php/en/" target="_blank">Tesla Science Foundation</a> illustrates the
science behind electric vehicles, including a live Tesla coil and
wireless power demonstration.
<br />
<br />
<b>12:00PM-4:00PM</b> - Information and demonstrations provided by PECO Energy, Solar Journey USA, Advanced Solar Industries, Mom's Clean Air
Force, Clean Air Council and more!
<br />
<br />
The event plus screening is free with general admission to The Franklin
Institute. Advance registration is not required. Seating for the
3:00PM screening of <i>Revenge of the Electric Car</i> in Demonstration
Theater is first come, first serve.
jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-70325423268073168122012-09-10T20:23:00.001-04:002012-09-10T20:23:35.734-04:00Frenchtown Green Fair - Saturday September 29<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://frenchtownboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/green_fair_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="http://frenchtownboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/green_fair_poster.jpg" title="" width="258" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik02wu1voQMlXt6H9CKE5HU8v3_5tf51I1TTyVH0gcoTv6ab3Ke_VSroNi6iy5BhwIcxkETF2sdte3u3UBX_BZlApUx-4T0Io4JL2vSVMPS5ql_Jf5EQkXb6uNaQLDt3G6EY2hIapW7Vj1/s1600/eVanapril.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Coming Soon - the electric Miata will buzz down to Frenchtown (note "ELECTRIC CAR" is a featured display per the beautiful poster by local designer <a href="http://gattusomediadesign.com/about-gmd/" target="_blank">John Gattuso</a>) for the first-ever Green Fair right in Bucks County Renewables' own stomping grounds! Though I am in fact a resident of the eponymous Pennsylvania county, in my non-EV incarnation I run a nonprofit Montessori school in Frenchtown. In fact, this festival will take place right across the street from where I work and twelve minutes from my house! Now that is what I call beautifullylocal. <br />
<br />
The Green Fair is bound to be a great family day, filled with information, kids' crafts, vending & fun. All on a much smaller scale than our beloved & much-mourned 3-day Energy Fest in Kempton, but I do want to encourage all EV folks who are missing having a good dose of green thinking this September to come out for a visit -- bring your EV's if you care to (120v charging available). Frenchtown is a <a href="http://frenchtownboro.com/" target="_blank">charming river town on the Delaware</a>, with <a href="http://frenchtownnj.org/" target="_blank">downtown shopping</a> & <a href="http://frenchtownnj.org/attractions.htm" target="_blank">outdoor activities</a> to explore for those who want to make a weekend stay out of a visit to the area.<br />
<br />
I'm a member of the municipal Green Team, a volunteer group that has been working for over two years to earn Sustainable Jersey certification for Frenchtown. The Green Fair, along with many other sustainability initiatives (a free Green Film series, an elementary school art project to decorate municipal recycling barrels & the development of a community garden to name a varied few), will help Frenchtown achieve recognition as an environmentally-conscious community & qualify for grants that will, in turn, help green the town further.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.themarea.org/" target="_blank">Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association</a> has been very friendly about sharing information & support during our planning phase and will have a booth at the Green Fair as well. Hope to see you there!<br />
<br />
Topic the Second:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> JILTED*!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik02wu1voQMlXt6H9CKE5HU8v3_5tf51I1TTyVH0gcoTv6ab3Ke_VSroNi6iy5BhwIcxkETF2sdte3u3UBX_BZlApUx-4T0Io4JL2vSVMPS5ql_Jf5EQkXb6uNaQLDt3G6EY2hIapW7Vj1/s1600/eVanapril.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik02wu1voQMlXt6H9CKE5HU8v3_5tf51I1TTyVH0gcoTv6ab3Ke_VSroNi6iy5BhwIcxkETF2sdte3u3UBX_BZlApUx-4T0Io4JL2vSVMPS5ql_Jf5EQkXb6uNaQLDt3G6EY2hIapW7Vj1/s1600/eVanapril.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> FOR SALE:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </div>
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BUCKS COUNTY RENEWABLES' SIGNATURE VEHICLE, THE E-VANAGON</div>
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*It's true everybody. It's a long story, but it's true. It's a complicated tale of multiple
Vanagon love. It might even be coming to this blog soon. ("Soon" having its usual
elastic operating definition per Bucks County Renewables tradition.)<br />
<br />
The good news is, I
will <b>definitely </b>post it as soon as the e-Vanagon, formerly known as "die
Sprite" sells, because then it will have a happy ending! SO if you like love stories with happy endings, let all your would-be EV-driving friends know that one
of the funkier project vehicles around is definitely available... having been recently thrown over for (gasp!) ... no wait it's a big surprise. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
No batteries = no
juice, does not run! Pop in new lead-acid batts or convert to
lithium. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
$8000 firm only to readers of this blog (& their friends) ... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"list" (i.e.
Craigslist) price is a nice round $10K.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Everybody likes love stories with happy endings all around! And <i>practically </i>everybody<i> </i>likes & in fact <i>actively desires </i>an orange electric Vanagon, somewhere deep down inside them. Of this I am sure. jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-61464169296604986122012-08-24T01:02:00.002-04:002012-08-24T01:02:27.717-04:00Heads Up There Is So Much!As summer draws to an end we here at Bucks County Renewables would normally be looking ahead to the annual Energy Fest in Kempton PA. However, in July it was announced that the Board of MAREA had decided not to pursue mounting it in the face of a significant drop-off in vendor registration. All vendor fees that had been received were promptly refunded & exhibitors were very graciously thanked for their participation in what has been a wonderful, long-running grassroots effort to bring something that <i>was</i> outside of the mainstream further in. <br />
<br />
In my opinion that Board made a sensible decision. Competition from the much-larger Mother Earth News Fair at Seven Springs which -- for the first time -- is occuring on the same date) was sure to diminish the revenue from a festival funded exclusively by vendor fees, admissions & a few small grants & sponsored by a very small but closeknit & effective nonprofit organization. By honorably choosing to protect all its members from the risks of losing money by putting on the Energy Fest, MAREA has preserved both financial resources & energy to pursue their other grassroots educational projects, such as the solar hot water for Opportunity House in Reading, PA; their wonderful monthly speaker series; and many other community projects & workshops. <br />
<br />
These are exciting times for the organization, though it was sad for those of us who cherish Kempton to give it up! Fortunately for EV'ers who wouldn't dream of missing a weekend opportunity to haul their EV somewhere out of range & camp out for a few days talking their throats hoarse with each other & the general public, our friends in WESTERN Pennsylvania, <a href="http://www.paelectrics.com/" target="_blank">PA Electrics</a> & <a href="http://www.threeriverseva.org/" target="_blank">Three Rivers EVA</a>, are organizing EV owners from Pittsburgh to Philly & beyond to come together and show their cars at the Mother Earth News Fair -- vehicle exhibitors have the $20 daily entrance fee waived. <br />
<br />
Seven Springs is admittedly a lot farther away than Kempton from us here in southeastern parts. Folks from Three Rivers EVA are making plans to gather their right now, including Jon Belak & his family who have joined us two or three years in a row at Kempton with an array of sweet vehicles. This is a great opportunity to make a connection going in the other direction! <br />
<br />
I wish I could be there but I can't get away -- being retired from the EV world is sometimes a bummer, though as a (huge) consolation I get to drive a Vanagon (yes, a GAS one). Meanwhile the Miata really <i>is</i> being driven by M, who loves driving it & loves tweaking it. Liquid cooled controller upgrade anyone? He won't let me take any pictures though, and that's okay; it's his car now.<br />
<br />
Here is the other big news: because I am a fickle woman & only truly love a Vanagon that <i>runs</i>, I am selling off the e-Van! I didn't mean to do it yet but Saint Bill totally jumped the gun on me and put a Craigslist ad out on it when I merely <i>mentioned</i> the idea back on August 13. We have had no nibbles yet which is fine as I am busy busy busy. But, I am not going to let any old random person from Craigslist buy the e-Van for $10,000 when I could have someone who actually read this blog pay $8K only, so here finally is the ad (it's kinda buried at the end of this post which is the point). <br />
<br />
I know there is somebody out there who is really jonesing for an orange electric Vanagon. This one's lead-acid batteries are shot & it's a perfect candidate
for upgrading to lithium-ion, in which case WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH FUN YOU
COULD HAVE. <br />
<br />
Don't call me on the phone! I am on voice rest. Email jisaacs at buckscountyrenewables.com if you are interested. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-50220368131500710072012-05-23T00:06:00.001-04:002012-05-23T00:06:58.360-04:00Wow, one of the e-Van's batteries exploded, Plus Miata Update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtTASWlyogrs-7pr81N1KXbENIKbUVndjcY2uPeZD_RtXdEPnwYmxoTuRUcAjiP1XXsFrgAbkEsU7wV2dNAY6rzcEFniFj8tH7qp3p0SHjsdED0hnQQuMTZR0CYQIhDpIiTeiZmJTkLic/s1600/photo.JPG" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtTASWlyogrs-7pr81N1KXbENIKbUVndjcY2uPeZD_RtXdEPnwYmxoTuRUcAjiP1XXsFrgAbkEsU7wV2dNAY6rzcEFniFj8tH7qp3p0SHjsdED0hnQQuMTZR0CYQIhDpIiTeiZmJTkLic/s320/photo.JPG" /></a>I don't have much more information besides this photo but in case I forgot to mention why the e-Van was on the disabled list and a no-show at Macungie: this! Cooperatively our only explosion to date at Bucks County Renewables occured within walking distance of Saint Bill's house, so he was able to walk home & fetch the tools to wire around the carcass of this US Battery and limp on home. <br />
<br />
Here's the good news and more pending: the Miata passed its Enhanced Safety Vehicle Inspection and we have applied for title as a modified vehicle. Street legality is approaching as convertible weather becomes ideal, AND the bad cell has been replaced with our one extra. The pending even better news includes the imprimatur of the Commonwealth of PA on our application, after which our very nice Enhanced Safety Vehicle Inspection Officer Preston can affix our inspection stickers and the Miata will be street-legal. By that time I am sure that the battery pack will be re-secured, removing the cell was a drama indeed and involved Saint Bill giving his blessing to Matt cutting through a restraining bar and replacing it with wire. I will try to document the replacement process so that I can recapitulate some of the removal, it was pretty epic. Anyway just wanted to let you all know there is actual work going on around here at BCR's global HQ! Coming soon: one of this blog's patented flashback posts: fuller coverage of the Macungie EV-ent (in the meantime <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/wwweveventcom/" target="_blank">the website has been updated)</a> AND news of an upcoming hands-on workshop for hybrids in Burlington in August! Stay tuned!<div style='clear:both; text-align:NONE'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-38716364707685286202012-05-17T00:53:00.001-04:002012-05-17T01:38:04.124-04:00EV Picnic in Macungie May 5 & a trailer for the 21st Century Automotive Challenge this weekend!The 4th "and concluding" EV-ent in Macungie went off so swimmingly that we were relieved, here at Bucks County Renewables, of any apprehensions we might have had about barely promoting said occasion, least of all here on the blog. I was, nonetheless, mightily puzzled today to find that only a blank draft entitled "EV Picnic on May 5!" existed when up till now I <i>seriously believed</i> an entire promotional piece had been composed and posted on April 12. Sigh, maybe I only dreamed that I wrote it, in one of my horrible realistic dreams. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/105755772320650068835/albums/5739770492427614097?banner=pwa" target="_blank">Pictures </a>and a <a href="http://myelectriclife.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/2012-ev-event-may-5-at-macungie-pa/" target="_blank">write-up</a> of the EV-ent in Macungie were fortunately forthcoming from eco-modder Jeff Haskell, who returned for a 2nd year to the EV-ent and once again saved the day as far as official recording went -- we had 15 vehicles, which was amazing, and so much fun that I am worn out all over again just thinking about it! Hurray for us!<br />
<br />
<b>Skip to the 21st Century Automotive Challenge Trailer if You Don't Want to Read a Lot More Details About the EV-ent</b><br />
<br />
In signature Bucks County Renewables style, I had left everything having to do with towing the Miata to Macungie to the last minute and then some. Meanwhile Saint Bill was all organized with a tow vehicle for the e-Van (grrrr). The Miata being not street-legal owing to a personal pathology involving me and filing forms in a timely manner, I could not just drive it there. Fortunately, the e-Van blew up a battery (considerately not very far away from Bill's house, so he could return on foot) en route to its pre-show clean-up, making a big mess & putting itself firmly on the disabled list. Ta-da! With the e-Van out of commission the Miata had a free tow & a friendly driver -- plus I helpfully got my back dirty and everything learning how to hook up chains and tire straps! So we GOT there, and had a wonderful time.<br />
<br />
Did I mention there were fifteen vehicles? And everybody there was <i>solidly </i>talking to each other, trading tips & learning stuff, or in John Yecker's case lending out parts (an old lead-acid charger to tide over Dan from last summer's workshop, whose charger for his EV is being reprogrammed to take lithium!) or collecting them (the controller we borrowed to make the van go in September). It was relaxed, fun, & educational!<br />
<br />
Our Fearless Leader Anna DiGate and I were so pleased with ourselves that we swore we would do it again. I also distinctly recollect that Brandon signed on as the Sign Person, and hereby nominate him additionally as Chief Organizer & Official Eye Candy of the Fifth and Not-Final EV-ent in Macungie. <br />
<br />
I was so cross with myself for not having executed the long-promised enhanced safety vehicle inspection the Miata requires to be properly titled as a modified automobile and back on the road 100% legally, that I actually initiated that journey this week BUT I cannot spare a minute to recount what turned out to be a tortuous adventure because, while I have been dawdling around not posting about the EV-ent the 21st Century Automotive Challenge has ben sneaking up on us! And look!<br />
<br />
<b>Here is an incredibly cute trailer for this weekend's 21st Century Automotive Challenge in State College</b><br />
<br />
Shared just tonight (yes, this is breaking news, people) by Ollie Perry, the President of the Eastern Electric Vehicle Club, this real-time video features our <i>favorite</i> man of mystery, Dan Monroe, in the biggest cliffhanger of his Saturn's build so far, as he races to complete it in time for the event this weekend!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8QM9U765c8Y?rel=0" width="640"></iframe> <br />
Monroe Strives to Finish<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QM9U765c8Y" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=8QM9U765c8Y</a><br />
<br />jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-73749610503529211482012-03-09T19:09:00.001-05:002012-03-09T22:08:09.962-05:00Finally: Leadership from the White House on this EV Thing<b>Repost:</b><br />
<br />
The below is by Gina Coplon-Newfield, the Sierra Club's Senior <a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/electric-vehicles/">Campaign Representative for Electric Vehicles</a>. I've never met Gina but I know from her regular blogposts that she is a tireless activist & networker who writes about her own personal experiences with driving EV's as well as national news, and I'm basically so tickled by receiving this particular one that I had to share a chunk of it here <i>just for the record </i> ... click on the continue button below to keep reading Gina's fine piece at the Sierra Club's website!<br />
<h3 class="entry-header">President Obama's Drive Toward Electric</h3><a href="http://sierraclub.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b96069e20168e893fa00970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="White House and Electric Vehicles" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d83451b96069e20168e893fa00970c" src="http://sierraclub.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b96069e20168e893fa00970c-800wi" title="White House and Electric Vehicles" /></a><br />
<br />
As gas prices rise again, and we Americans send more than $1 billion overseas for oil each and every day, mostly to fuel our cars and trucks, many people see no way out. But those of us who have driven electric vehicles know that oil-free driving is possible. That's why we took note yesterday when President Obama proposed bold <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/07/fact-sheet-all-above-approach-american-energy">new programs</a> that would dramatically boost the market for electric vehicles and our ability to break Big Oil’s stranglehold on our way of life.<br />
<br />
In a speech at the Daimler Trucks North America Mt. Holly manufacturing plant in North Carolina, President Obama said he plans to launch an "EV Everywhere" challenge to make EVs "as affordable and convenient as gasoline-powered vehicles for the average American family within a decade."<br />
<br />
Designed by the Department of Energy as part of its <a href="http://energy.gov/articles/president-obama-launches-ev-everywhere-challenge-part-energy-department-s-clean-energy">Clean Energy Grand Challenges</a>, this $650 million grant program would allow American scientists, engineers, and businesses to conduct the research and development that will lower the cost of EV batteries, improve EV driving distance range, and enhance EV fast-charging. These advances would be a total game changer and would allow EVs to surge into the mainstream.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sierraclub.typepad.com/compass/2012/03/president-obamas-drive-toward-electric.html" target="_blank">... click here to keep reading ... </a>jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-80890264218755107132012-03-05T15:42:00.003-05:002012-03-05T16:01:42.248-05:00Linda's Nissan Leaf Goes on a Road Trip! With Topo!<i>Guest poster Linda Swyderski returns with an account of one more exciting day-trip in the life of her new Leaf!</i><br />
<br />
Feeling heady about the Leaf, I took it from our farm, Four Magic Acres, to the Universal Athletic Club, on the Oregon Pike in Lancaster, on Saturday. That trip is about 33 miles one way . . . nearly all downhill going out.<br />
<br />
Below is a topographical representation of the route, which is from Route 401 to Route 23 to Landis Valley Road to Oregon Pike. The last big dip in the route (below 300’) is the Conestoga River.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsRUJld2Jw0j3rE9RwBg0ar92gOJ4D4sYP4Hiop4DGyBIrPcQui6_QAPtjima6wKgztYOGgLMnTfObcPmwvlatAqifbSp2p2gNCEgkk3ElQFfaBl4VRDkdu8GqoBhQfEC4dPNnL_Nq1My/s1600/Road+Trip+Small.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsRUJld2Jw0j3rE9RwBg0ar92gOJ4D4sYP4Hiop4DGyBIrPcQui6_QAPtjima6wKgztYOGgLMnTfObcPmwvlatAqifbSp2p2gNCEgkk3ElQFfaBl4VRDkdu8GqoBhQfEC4dPNnL_Nq1My/s400/Road+Trip+Small.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Even starting with a theoretical 100% charge, my spouse was worried I wouldn’t make it back without “topping off” somewhere. According to www.PlugShare.com, there is a “Chris F” in Leola with a Level 2 charger, four miles east of Universal. I emailed “Chris F” but never heard back from him (I did not call). Additionally, Brandon Hollinger of <a href="http://www.amprevolt.com/">BH Conversions</a> is right in downtown Lancaster and happily offered me a charge, four miles south of Universal. Plus, there’s Lancaster Nissan, four miles west of Universal. Yeah, I know; weird that they’re all four miles from the gym.<br />
<br />
I drove to Universal and arrived with “50 miles” of range. So, from a full, 100% charge, traveling 33 miles (mostly downhill), I consumed half of my range. Okay, no problem, right; I’ve only got to travel 33 miles back home with “50 miles” of range. Ah, but remember, those “50 miles” of range are contingent upon many factors!<br />
<br />
After allowing my body to be completely beaten up at Universal for the entire morning, I had a massage and a shower, then drove the Leaf four miles west to Lancaster Nissan. Thanks to a friend, I knew exactly where the Level 2 chargers were and located them easily. I parked the Leaf in the empty stall by the chargers and popped into the dealership to let them know I was out for supper and I’d be back in a couple hours. They seemed utterly delighted to have someone come and use their chargers.<br />
<br />
After a fantastic meal at a nearby restaurant, my girlfriend drove me back to the Leaf, which was charged up to 80% (“84 miles”). I hopped in and drove home.<br />
<br />
Where Route 401 begins, at the eastern edge of Morgantown, I was already down to “50 miles” of range. A couple miles later, at the intersection of Routes 401 and 345 (literally five miles from home), I was down to “47 miles” of range, but that intersection begins the long uphill trek home. Hard on horses; even harder on electric cars. <br />
<br />
Care to guess my range when I pulled into the garage and plugged ‘er in? <br />
<br />
“30 miles”<br />
<br />
From Lancaster Nissan, I traveled 37 miles consuming “54 miles” of range to get home. The last five miles consumed “17 miles” of range. If I had started home from Universal Athletic, where I was at “50 miles” of range, I would have just made it home. Just. And, if it had been colder, maybe not. For the optimists who thought I could make the trip, out and back, on a single charge (yes, I was in ECO mode; no, I NEVER turned the heat on at all; yes, I WAS cold, even with the heated steering wheel and seat!), yeah, maybe I would have made it, but I am disinclined to run that close to the edge, and with three Level 2 charging points within four miles of my destination, why would I risk it?<br />
<br />
After this adventure, do I yet have “range anxiety”? In the immortal words of actor Will Smith, “Aw, hell, no”. <br />
<br />
It has more proven the point that there is EV infrastructure available . . . at least where <b>-I- </b>want to go.jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-3824478077937266552012-02-26T21:25:00.000-05:002012-02-26T21:25:11.295-05:00Infrastructure - shminsfrastructure!Guest post from Linda Swyderski, who shot the great & late lamented video of the 2010 Macungie EV-ent ... sniffle ... and has made up for the fact that it's missing in action still with this awesome little guide to zeroing in on plug-in opportunities through plugshare:<br />
<br />
Browse to <a href="http://www.plugshare.com/">http://www.plugshare.com/</a> and create an account <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsXaQsvVqcKM1U6nhyphenhyphenH1FQJDBLHVg8PUGKuA2M3dCOF4_OT-jaYRbI9RDrtjFzM1UqOtqfB1aNBl1aGdi0SyMz6rymlVMTfAQGbkXR6hk_YDNOEnkI46X6ldgjIBZMtVw3txz6synvDIr/s1600/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsXaQsvVqcKM1U6nhyphenhyphenH1FQJDBLHVg8PUGKuA2M3dCOF4_OT-jaYRbI9RDrtjFzM1UqOtqfB1aNBl1aGdi0SyMz6rymlVMTfAQGbkXR6hk_YDNOEnkI46X6ldgjIBZMtVw3txz6synvDIr/s320/image001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> What looks to be informational keys at the bottom left are actually buttons, so the “Home Chargers” and “Public Charging Stations” are buttons that you can click on.<br />
When you hover over them, your cursor changes to show they are selectable. This maps works as a standard Google map.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mjMMiHbxAYPpsMzE3yg-lluhfmGM_wDuu2recK1m7VAoaBOJKpt4_lWLLB2GP0iB3z4MJD4lJjiDeDjrnJ3ds-QPNTwEWqj0KVHQIJSoRzqBukIb1Wkqq2B7A-EY_rpzdJ-hXx7fc3Fv/s1600/image002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mjMMiHbxAYPpsMzE3yg-lluhfmGM_wDuu2recK1m7VAoaBOJKpt4_lWLLB2GP0iB3z4MJD4lJjiDeDjrnJ3ds-QPNTwEWqj0KVHQIJSoRzqBukIb1Wkqq2B7A-EY_rpzdJ-hXx7fc3Fv/s320/image002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So, if I ZOOM into southeastern Pennsylvania, let’s assume for a second that every Nissan dealer has a Level 2 charger by now, but look at all the residences!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbl83zE4S45xWP19Yn_VNssFwN40fvoCGm9TeepJkRz-WMsM48jJ4Cy7kfJxn67N2Vxi5CsUMUs-h5mACXDNFE1vmT2jTDed2jgyTBzhe-PScMvJcOtxkHXxRSug3U00rR2ZOku2OJIB5g/s1600/image003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbl83zE4S45xWP19Yn_VNssFwN40fvoCGm9TeepJkRz-WMsM48jJ4Cy7kfJxn67N2Vxi5CsUMUs-h5mACXDNFE1vmT2jTDed2jgyTBzhe-PScMvJcOtxkHXxRSug3U00rR2ZOku2OJIB5g/s320/image003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Okay, yeah, a lot of them are 120V, but there are some Level 2’s out there.<br />
Let’s ZOOM in a little closer. Now, do you see us?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQ09y2ENbRWl4ELQG6MicbmivtH21770TBICO3dJYw_t4glJdWJsLsZsRx55Ajs-9s5CEbIEfYdgs03dsXXXhiHrgmGbuUxEunPjW_AkyzmOtTCs-lefwvfoK24HaRxhWyPgqWKQojOT6/s1600/image004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQ09y2ENbRWl4ELQG6MicbmivtH21770TBICO3dJYw_t4glJdWJsLsZsRx55Ajs-9s5CEbIEfYdgs03dsXXXhiHrgmGbuUxEunPjW_AkyzmOtTCs-lefwvfoK24HaRxhWyPgqWKQojOT6/s320/image004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
No? Well, here we are!<br />
How cool is that!?!?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7744358819233062472" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Thanks Linda -- and thanks to Matt for this great Leaf review:<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-thielen/nissan-leaf_b_1287195.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/<wbr></wbr>david-thielen/nissan-leaf_b_12<wbr></wbr>87195.html</a>jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7744358819233062472.post-108099630595279822012-02-21T22:40:00.002-05:002012-02-21T22:49:26.779-05:00Thank You Mr/Ms AnonymousI tried three times to post a reply to your comment on my 10/23 post, and every time Blogger ate it whole instead of publishing it, which made me remember how lovely it is to be on infuriating-interface-hiatus! But it was so nice of you to drop by and wish me well that I have persisted and will now reconstruct what was meant to be a brief reply (but of course wasn't) as an actual post, the publishing of which historically works like it is supposed to. <br />
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Dear Reader(s?), all is well and I am very happy running Secret Garden Montessori. In the absence of EV responsibilities or blog-tending I've had time to read (The Information by James Gleick, awesome, and also the extraordinary online comic <a href="http://sydneypadua.com/2dgoggles/" target="_blank">2dgoggles</a>), go to poetry readings (Ethel Rackin & James Richardson, also awesome), and deal with my house (which is very much still in progress but I am sure will be awesome some day). I also recently had an essay published on my CSA's blog <a href="http://bloomingglenfarm.com/blog/community-connections/a-lasting-harvest" target="_blank">The Blooming Glen Beet</a> where you will notice I plugged Bucks County Renewables despite officially being on hiatus.<br />
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Furthermore, I have stirred out of EV-hibernation to travel up to Princeton to sit in a Tesla Model S -- yes, if I had gotten to drive it I would have posted! -- and to attend the Jan 31 <a href="http://www.themarea.org/" target="_blank">MAREA</a> public meeting, a very informative talk about battery back-up for grid-tied PV systems which drew a sizable crowd AND was live-streamed for the first time. If you live out of range of these great monthly talks take note of the procedures on the website for accessing them online. <br />
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Looking forward to the spring, have no fear -- Bucks County Renewables is merely slumbering underground for the season, not gone from the EV scene forever. You can be sure that in a few weeks I'll be trundling out of my groundhog burrow and blinking around in the sunlight, ready to start promoting the 2012 EV-ent in Macungie: Special No-Stress Picnic Edition, slated for late April or early May! So hang tight -- soon there will be details, truly.<br />
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In the meantime, Mr/Ms Anonymous, thanks for the nice note, especially the mention that you're still waiting for the promised, olympically relevant, but alas! so far mythical Occupy-Wall-Street-and-EV's post; if it emerges it will be less ebullient, more bittersweet, but never defeated.jisaacshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05686186960273798777noreply@blogger.com0