Morning Reads: 21 June 2007

[mika]

Today’s Birthdays / Calendar

Motorcycle News:

1999 Ducati Monster M900 Build
Have not heard from this blog in some time. The project is nearing completion.

sports.aol.com
Motorcycles and the NFL do not mix
Via the thebeachcruiser.com


Other News :

nyjournalnews.com
A little prep work can make campfire cooking (almost) gourmet

boingboing.net
Massive margarita mixer

newschannel18.net
’Beer-sicles’ grab regulators attention

dendrocia.blogspot.com
Review: Good Birders Don’t Wear White


Feature:

Did you miss this thread? It is a list of the vendors for the Rally in West Bend.

Vendors!


Blog Update:

2strokebuzz

2009 Dakar Attempt

A Boy and His Bike

RowdyGirl Says

GoBackpacking

Guilty Truth

HELLRAISERS (Back in Black)

Hunting the Snark

K’telontour of the World

Learning to ride

Midwest Scooter Enthusiast

Moto Adrenaline

Motorcyclebloggers.com

Nelson’s BMW airhead motorcycles

RigsVille

Rush Hour Rambling

Scooter in the Sticks

Still Life with Cranston Ritchie: So you want to buy a motorcycle

The 25 Year Plan

The Triple C Blog

Vagabondish

WorldRider: Journey of Adventure & Discovery


Gear:

gizmodo.com
Logitech unveils Kinetik Backpack and Briefcase for laptops


Photography / Video:

dPS.com
How to take great group photos


Technology:

nytimes.com
Microsoft will alter Vista operating system


Wonderings:

Some of you have noticed the edits at the bottom of the pages. They generally go unexplained. Many are the result of corrections to spelling, correcting word choices such as site for sight and fixing links. There is a second and more major reason is the RSS feed.

In the beginning the RSS feed gave a lead of 300 words. You needed to click on the link to go to the article to read it. Morning Reads opened with a brief tease explaining the nature of the recurring posts. Now the RSS feed gives the entire first page of the post.

This has resulted in the Morning Reads post having a bit of a dance with itself and time travel when it takes multiple posts to handle the day’s content. It goes a bit like this.

The first page is posted and corrected as needed. When the second page is posted I copy the url for the post then go back into the first post and turn the related headline in the first page (BMW PressClub: Page 2 for example) into a link to the second page. This allows the RSS feed user access to that page from the feed. If they are not interested they don’t need to go there. The time travel comes in the posting the information to a previous post that looks to the future but exist in the past.

And you wonder why I need coffee in the morning.


M.R. Traveler

strangemaps.wordpress.com
New Switzerland – Finally in need of a navy

thebikerweb.com
The Rocky Mountains in summer

Mygreatrides.com
An online community of bike rides.

Weather

West Bend WI
Current

10 Day Forcast

United States
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada


Today’s RoadFood.com

Woot

Todays Woot

The Blog

Over Heard in New York | Voice of the City


All things BMW: Page 2


Morning Reads: RALLY PAGES

A resource of information and links to information for use at the 2007 Rally

RALLY PAGES

What do you need to know to go to the rally…

The 35th BMWMOA International Rally Home Page
With links to:
Lodging
Volunteer
Rally Forum
FAQs
Secure Services

Rally Schedule

Entertainment Schedule

Track Day in Wisconsin, July 13

Event Registration

Link to registration form

BMW MOA Foundation Rally Classes – 2007

WISCONSIN

Trails.com: Best Scenic Drives in Wisconsin

WisconsinMotorcycling.com

TravelWisconsin.com : Maps and Guides - Who doesn't love a free map or travel brochure? Take your pick below. You can download them for instant fulfillment. Or have us mail honest-to-goodness printed versions right to your door.

State of Wisconsin Portal

TravelWisconsin.com the official state tourism site.

Washington County home page

West Bend home page and FAQ

Washington County Fair Park

Free Travel Maps & Guides

DOT – Wisconsin – Maps – A variety of online maps and resources. Bicycle maps, detailed county (check out the double letter roads!), rest areas, main trunk highways, truck routs, work zones and map ordering sources.

Rustic Roads

Rustic Roads program goals
to identify and preserve in a natural and essentially undisturbed condition certain designated roads having unusual or outstanding natural beauty, by virtue of native vegetation along with natural or man-made features associated with the road

to provide a linear park-like system for vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian travel for quiet and leisurely enjoyment by local residents and the general public alike

to maintain and administer these roads to provide safe public travel, yet preserve the rustic and scenic qualities through use of appropriate maintenance and design standards, and encouragement of zoning for land use compatibility, utility regulations and billboard control

DNR.state.WI – Wisconsin State Park System
Admission sticker information and fees

Online Travel Center - The Travel Center is a collection of interactive maps that display important and timely information to assist travelers in making choices for safe and enjoyable trips through Wisconsin.

Milwaukee-area current travel information

Wisconsin State Patorl office locations

Southeast Region
Wisconsin State Patrol Waukesha Post
Captain Varla J. Bishop, Commander
Lieutenant Theodore J. Meagher, Executive Officer
21115 East Moreland Boulevard
Waukesha, WI 53186-2985
Phone: (262) 785-4700
Fax: (262) 785-4723
Waukesha Post counties:
Serves Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha

Custard Stand List of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Artisan Dairy Association

Wisconsin Winery Association

Wisconsin Cheese and Dairy Product Information

Wisconsin Attractions – Lighthouses

The Yellowstone Trail – Wisconsin

Wisconsin Sport Bike Roads

The Mustard Museum of Mount Horeb

Wisconsin Brewpubs and Micro Breweries


Weather
West Bend WI
Current

10 Day Forcast

United States
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada


Travel Information – Driving Conditions and other related information sites.


Bike Candy

A rainy overcast day in the hills of Wisconsin is worth a years worth of sunny days at work.


THE END

 

[mika]

All things BMW: Page 2

latimes.com
A sport BMW thatÔÇÖs reasonably priced: the F800S
By Susan Carpenter


World of BMW news

Ride to Motorrad Days and far beyond


BMW Group Press Club:

Tracking the news from BMW at their English language sites and Germany


PressClub Canada

The new MINI. More Safety, More Fun.

Small car, big safety reserves: scoring the maximum number of five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test, the new MINI impressively proves its all-round concept of occupant safety.

The foundation for this best performance in the demanding test regimen is set by the construction of this new premium compact car conceived and designed from the start for a supreme level of passive safety. Indeed, the robust structure of the body with its clearly defined load paths and deformation zones, just like the high level of standard features comprising six airbags, three-point seat belts on all four seats and ISOFIX child seat fastenings at the rear, as well as central safety electronics for appropriate management of the car's restraint systems, is a clear expression of the great significance given to occupant safety in developing cars according to BMW Group standards. Hence, the new MINI has everything it takes to rank No 1 in its segment as a premium offer also in terms of safety.

The five-star score in the Euro NCAP crash test was achieved by the new MINI Cooper. But it is obvious that the positive judgment passed by the testers in the NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) also applies to the other models in the range, all the more so as the MINI Cooper S, the MINI Cooper, the MINI One and the MINI Cooper D all have the same identical features in terms of passive safety. For maximum occupant protection in the event of
a collision is an absolute must in all versions of the new MINI.


BMW Group DesignworksUSA creates a fascinating vision for innovative travel.

Development project commissioned by Boeing Business Jets: Three-dimensional design concept unleashes a new era in the interior design of long range aircraft.
Munich. Unlimited freedom, luxurious mobility, unparalleled exclusivity - thanks to the interior design concept developed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA for a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, individual travel could soon take on a new dimension. The global design consultancy, which is based in Los Angeles, Munich, and Singapore and is a subsidiary company of the BMW Group, has with its conceptual design commissioned by Boeing Business Jets once again demonstrated its innovative expertise in the field of transportation design. The long-haul aircraft interior design developed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA forges a unique link between diversity and modern luxury tailor-made to individual requirements. Thanks to the innovative three-dimensional concept for the interior space, the dream of flying has achieved new levels in terms of exclusivity. For its - still fictitious - owner, the jet would become a place for inspiration and self-realization.

Boeing Business Jets used the concept developed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA as a marketing tool to draw potential clients' attention to the benefits of its fleet of wide-bodied aircraft comprising the models 777, 787 Dreamliner and 747-800. Consequently, the design proposals were permitted to deliberately extend beyond traditional regulated limitations.

People who regard the world as their home have specific demands on the style of their environments. They aspire to express their individuality even when travelling. As a result of this unique interior design conceived for approximately 19 passengers, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is transformed into a superlative mobile working and living space. The designers have given special consideration to the needs of highly discerning travellers to whom an aircraft is not solely a means of transport, but also a place to live and express their own individual personality.

The ideal daily routine in which office duties, caring for guests, relaxing, and recuperating prior to starting another busy day and after landing at a destination were key design objectives.

The concept for the Boeing Business Jet developed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA does not merely provide an office featuring state-of-the-art communication technology. Over and above the concept includes an exclusive leisure environment created for the international business traveller to rejuvenate and enjoy some quiet time. From the desk the traveller's eyes may wander through the electro chromatic glass enabling a glance throughout the main lounge with the cocktail bar in the foreground. A fully equipped gourmet kitchen and a big-screen theatre are also at his or her disposal. An elegantly furnished master suite is available for the owners usage and there is two spacious guest suites for fellow passengers. A fitness centre, sauna and wellness facilities are located on the lower level of the passenger area.

The concept developed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA also provides enhanced mobility. A section of the cargo hold is reserved for vehicle transportation. As a result, no matter where in the world the Boeing 787 should land for a stopover, seamless transition to mobility on the road is guaranteed.

The basis of the concept implemented by BMW Group DesignworksUSA was the vision of combining individual lifestyle with the unlimited freedom of travelling. This included the key factor comprising the endless possibilities reflected in the interior space. Thanks to a three-dimensional design concept that replaces the traditional structure normally found in conventional aircraft, lateral usage of space is complemented by a multi level vertical experience giving Boeing 787 conceived by BMW Group DesignworksUSA a predominantly open-spaced atmosphere in which even longer flights become a stimulating experience. With vertical lines and a high degree of transparency - right down to a glass floor that provides a view onto the vehicles parked in the cargo hold below - an environment characterized by unlimited possibilities has been created.
With the partitioning of the cabin into different horizontal levels, an entirely new dimension in travel has been achieved. Through the inclusion of part of the cargo hold, it was possible to increase the space occupied by passengers during their stay on board. The result is a feeling of spaciousness far superior to the conditions that prevail on conventional commercial aircraft. This is enhanced by elegant and distinctively designed fittings featuring bright, high-grade materials, state-of-the-art technology and architecturally sophisticated details. Travelling on board an aircraft boasting such a design would no longer be simply a phase on the way to a certain destination, but an experience during which all senses are activated. By rendering this means of transport itself the center of daily routine, the designers have lifted the barriers between travelling and arriving at a destination.

BMW Group DesignworksUSA has made a name for itself internationally not only through the creation of innovative concepts for the transportation and automotive sector. The BMW Group subsidiary has at its disposal diverse and cross-functional expertise in the field of design strategy, design research, brand communications, color and materials, product development, 3D modelling, and engineering. Parallel to its activities for the BMW Group, the global design team produces work for a large number of well-known clients working in the field of transportation, consumer electronics, IT, medical, consumer packaged goods, and lifestyle . When developing and implementing design concepts, priority is given not only to the strengthening of long-term brand values, but above all to the understanding of the desires and needs of consumers.


Motorsports PressClub

Test in Silverstone



19th ÔÇô 21st June 2007
Day one ÔÇô Tuesday


Weather conditions: Partly cloudy
Temperatures: Air: 21-24??C, Track: 24-32??C

Number of cars participating: 9

Fastest lap overall (track length: 5.141 km): Ralf Schumacher (Panasonic Toyota Racing), 1:22.794 min


Nick Heidfeld
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.07-06 / BMW P86/7 V8
Test kilometres today: 205 km (42 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:23.841 min


Programme:
Nick worked on the set-up for the Silverstone race. He mainly tested tyres and some new aero and mechanical components that showed promising results. He completed 42 laps, but finished the test one hour before planned due to a slight back pain.


What comes next:
Timo Glock will take over driving duties from Nick tomorrow and will continue working on the set-up for the forthcoming races as well as evaluating the new components.


BMW Sauber F1 | Formula 1