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your ip address is masked only when using the proxy...

just google: free proxy server there are lots of these - look for ones in the country you are trying to access...

OK - I added a Movie Download page to the site - you can download directly from there...

If you right-click on the video, you can select 'save as QuickTime movie' and that should do it...

Just added the video to the link above...

Some pics (and cheezy music) are here: http://beachbeds.net/page6/page6.html The surf videos are coming soon....

Originally Posted By: thursday Many years ago, Nissan tried to tackle the idling while stationary scenario. Their method was to stop the engine but have that energy transfered to a massive flywheel in the engine. This would stay spinning until first gear was engaged to move off and the angular momentum of the flywheel would trun over the engine to start it. Needless to say it was a disaster as most often the engines would be flooded with all the stop starts. It was abandoned of course. Well Toyota has tackled it and won - the computer in the Prius shuts down the gas engine when it

Mine is a 2001 Prius with 150,000 kms and the battery is checked each time it goes in for regular check ups. It still has 96% capacity and since the computer never lets the battery run down, there is no noticeable difference in performance/fuel consumption. The car still drives like new. Also, since there are 2 motors, the stress and wear on moving parts is shared making the cost of maintaining a hybrid much lower than a normal car - plus the fact that the electric motor is virtually maintenance free. The idea that batteries need replacing is simply false - they are designed to last the l

Originally Posted By: soubriquet From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1 "The Gen 1 cars got 55 to 75 miles (90 to 120 km) per charge with the Delco-manufactured lead-acid batteries, 75 to 100 miles (120-to-160 km) with the Gen 2 Panasonic lead-acid batteries, and 75 to 150 miles (120 to 240 km) per charge with Gen 2 Ovonic nickel-metal hydride batteries. Recharging took as much as eight hours for a full charge (although one could get an 80% charge in two to three hours)." That would mean 32 hours refueling for a return trip to Narita, plus driving time. Electr

Originally Posted By: soubriquet I think oil company conspiracy theories are wide of the mark. If there was a cheaper way to travel, there are plenty of powerful and rich institutions who could make it work. Hybrids are not the future. They need two drive systems and all the extra weight that need is needed to accellerate the vehicle wastes energy. Electric cars need massive batteries and give you no range, and several hours re-fill time. The future is hydrogen fuel cells. I don't see them happening anytime soon. I suggest you have a look at the documentary "Who Killed the Electric

Originally Posted By: spook are electric cars better for the environment than oil? doesn't alot of it depend on how they generate the electricity? Electricity to your home is much 'cleaner' than automobile emissions so its a start - but my own personal goal is to add enough solar panels to my home to power it and a vehicle. The technology is available today but the up front costs are still high (but coming down fast). There is still a big problem with solar efficiency in Japan, but that is a topic for another thread...

Toyota Prius Hybrid - I will never buy a 'normal' car again. It is a truly amazing piece of technology. About to trade in the old faithful Delica van for a Toyota Estima Hybrid for carting the kids/dog/surfboards/skis - I'll miss the Delica but look forward to the convenience of a van combined with the efficiency of hybrid technology... I hope my next vehicle will be 100% electric if these last long enough! Toyota and GM have the technology - they just have to make the break from the hold of Big Oil...

Jane's a bit shy before lunch but here she is almost naked on the beach...

salty Dutch black licorice

The quality of an mp3 depends on 2 things - how it was encoded and the bitrate. If an mp3 is properly encoded at 192kbs and higher, most human ears cannot tell the difference from a 'real' CD. You can usually find mp3 downloads at 256kbs and sometimes 320kbs on the net. However, if these were not properly processed, the sound quality could just as easily be crap.

Maybe the best explanation I have heard is this: a Kakari cho/ Kacho is someone who does most of the work, gets all of the blame and none of the credit... Its really at the bucho level where real individual responsibility lies and management decisions are made (with or without "consensus"). A lower management title does mean that the person is on management track but the responsibilities that person hold will vary greatly from company to company. Size, age of the person and the overall management structure have to be taken into account. One of my major client companies here is actua

Japanese management hierarchy doesn't quite translate as domestic organizations are structured differently. This is sort of how it goes (starting from lowest level of management): Tanto (a person 'in charge" of something) Kakari cho (section manager or junior manager or assistant manager) Katcho (managers several sections) Bucho (Division manager or Division chief) Satcho (Company General Manager, President, CEO etc)

Originally Posted By: SirJibAlot Let's check with Farquah first to make sure we aren't going to bother any wildlife.... Not a problem, SirJib - this is near the beach - not on it...!

Good idea tsondaboy... what I can help arrange for a very cheap beach BBQ weekend: Location: short walk to Shida/Taito beach. Only 60 minutes from Tokyo station. Bunk/futon accommodation for 15 to 18 people is possible at less than 3,000 yen if we can book in advance - and if anyone wants to camp, there is lots of space for tents. Bodyboards & surfboards - either free or cheap - If we know how many are interested, we can plan a Costco run and do an-amazing-but-cheap-BBQ...

HI Slow - I hope to be sailing again soon this summer. I donated my boat to the local sailing club with the condition that I can still use it occasionally - I hope to see how this works out soon! We just opened a place by the beach here so I'm pretty busy but would love to get out on the water now that its warm enough to swim...

I can get a draft beer machine if cold beer on tap is required at the beach BBQ...

My wife called and there is an empty chair in her clinic soon - I am waiting to have my teeth cleaned - the beach will have to wait til later...

The ASP Taito Longboard Pro competition was last weekend - we took some pics here: http://beachbeds.net/page8/page8.html There were almost no waves and lightening on Sunday morning sent nearly everyone home but it was amazing to see what the pros can do on tiny waves....

Mine took 10 1/2 months....was a long wait.

Originally Posted By: me jane So I still don't get what the advantage of PR is You can't get bank loans without one....