Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

Rolltop computer what next ?? Beam me up  Scottie …

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=7H0K1k54t6A

What a great simplified explanation if socialism !!!!

http://jarenldavis.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/simple-example-of-socialism/

“Consider what you want people to remember of you and live accordingly.” ~Barb Rogers

Although things are a little tough economically for folks, many of us still want to donate to charitable causes, and there is a wonderful website that allows you to donate that leftover amount left on a gift card to needy schools.  Check out this link for the whole story.

Aswe all know the Tri Cities is known for it’s nuclear power, the power of science and technology; and the power of the Columbia River, but there is a new game of power in town – horsepower!

Three companies are making their mark here in the Tri Cities and beyond with powerful products that would make Tim Allen say, “Grrrr grrr grrr, more power!”.

Custom welded aluminum jet boats crafted by Northwest Jet Boats in Pasco have been in production since 1987 and has grown into a multi-million dollar business, all from the dream of owner Larry Whitten who has a talent for boat design and manufacturing.  Larry and his 44 employees have sold boats across the country and even overseas.

High performance cars more your thing? Then Jerod Shelby has something to suit your style.  Jerod’s abilities with design fueled a dream to design and build an American car that could rival the likes of the European classics. In 1999 Jerod founded Shelby SuperCars in West Richland.  In 2007 the Ultimate Aero car became the World’s Fastest Production Car according to the Guinness World Records.  They are working on the Ultimate Aero EV which is an electric powered vehicle with a range of 150-200 miles on  single charge.

Want to take to the sky instead? Scott and Dan Hanchette started Viper Aircraft of Pasco in 1995 and have taken their passion and brought their ideas to a worldwide audience.  Viper has continued to advance their concepts successfully with the Viper FanJet, their new kit plane, which has the ability to fly 1,450 miles without refueling.

So if taking to the sky in a high powered ViperJet, screaming across the asphalt at a high rate of speed in a Shelby Ultimate Aero, or flying across the waves in a Northwest Jet Boat, the Tri-Cities is home to horsepower galore!  Tim Allen would be jealous!!

Source: Benton REA – Ruralite August 2009 

10 ways you can be part of the solution

Here are 10 no-cost or low-cost strategies to help you to reduce your carbon footprint, conserve electricity and save money:

• Wash watch. Approximately 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes is for heating water, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Reduce that cost b using less water and washing with cooler temperatures. The same goes for showers and baths.
• Reduce hot water waste. Hot water accounts for 13 percent to 17 percent of a family’s annual energy use. Setting the water heater thermostat to 120 degrees, and installing low-flow faucets and shower heads can cut water heating costs.
• Air dry dishes. Instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle, let your dishes dry naturally.
• Unplug unused or underused appliances and electronics. that includes the old pop and beer refrigerator in the garage, as well as battery chargers, shredders and other electronics that constantly consume energy in standby mode.
• Make conservation a habit. Turn off computers, monitors, televisions and lights every time you leave the room for more than a few minutes.
• Take control of your thermostat. Heating and cooling account for the majority of energy use in the average American home. Even a temperature change of 1 degree can add up to significant annual savings, reduce the setting to as low as you are comfortable in the winter and as high as comfortable in the summer. Also, programmable thermostats can help save as much as 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs by simply adjusting temperature settings while you sleep.
• Clean or replace filters. A dirty filters airflow and can increase a system’s power consumption by 10 percent or more, Change filters once a month during peak heating and cooling seasons.
• Seal heating ducts. A heating system can lose up to 60 percent of its heated air – either through heat loss or leaks–before it reaches the registers if ducts are not sealed and insulated.
• Plus cracks and holes. Perhaps the quickest dollar-saving tasks you can tackle yourself are caulking, sealing and weatherstripping all seams, cracks and openings to the outside.
• Switch to CFLs. Compact fluorescent lights are 70 percent more efficient than incandescent lights. CFLs cost more, but they can quickly recoup the extra expense due to their high efficiency and long life. Get an even faster rate of return on a CFL investment by using them in light fixtures that are on for longer periods of time.

Sources: US Department of Energy; National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; Energy Star.