Here’s the most amazing thing I’ve seen so far: when it starts to rain, the rental car’s windshield wipers begin automatically. Do North American cars do this? I own a Cavalier and ’96 Astro Van, so such futuristic features are unknown to me. Hey, I’m still amazed by remote keyless entry.
I visited the museum here in Dornoch yesterday and found out more about my grandmother’s birthplace two miles from here--Embo. “Bo” is a Viking suffix that means “large farm.” Nearby are Skelbo and Skibo castles, the former a ruin but the latter a five-star hotel (Madonna got married there. There’s a whole section devoted to her in the museum!). Anyway, here’s a cool tale about the battle of Embo: Sigurd the Viking double-crossed Maelbrighte the Pict in AD 895, captured him, cut off his head, and strapped it to his saddle. While riding away in victory, Maelbrighte’s head bouncing to and fro, Malebrighte’s tooth pierced Sigurd’s leg. Sigurd got blood poisoning and died. Cool.
The telly here continues to intrigue me. Some of it is awful, but most of it is incredibly witty and entertaining. However, I know I’ll find it difficult to go back home and resume watching Corrie Street knowing what I know (Britain is nine months ahead with their episodes). I tried not to watch, but I caved.
The library is closed tomorrow, so I won’t be reporting again until Friday. There's a General Election here tomorrow, so Don, a political junkie, is excited. However, we only have one telly, so it may be the battle of Embo all over again.
p.s. Don shot an 82 today and I shot a [CENSORED].
I'll have some more pictures for you next time. I forgot my memory stick!!
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Yes, some North American cars have the auto wiper feature. For some reason, I was getting only your old blog entry, so I've missed days!!! That's very cool about your grandmother! Going to see Forum tonight. Opening night was apparently awesome!
ReplyDeleteSounds like Labour got hammered!
ReplyDeleteFrom Wikipedia
Automotive Sensors
In 1958, the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors experimented with a water-sensitive switch that triggered various electric motors to close the convertible top and raise the open windows of a specially-built Eldorado Biarritz model, in case of rain.
The first such device appears to have been used by General Motors, for that same purpose, in a concept vehicle designated "Le Sabre" and built seven years earlier, in 1950-51.
For the 1996 model year, Cadillac once again introduced an automotive rain sensor, this time to automatically trigger the windshield wipers and adjust their speed to conditions... windscreen wiper (intelligent windscreen wipers).
The most common modern rain sensors are based on the principle of total internal reflection: an infrared light is beamed at a 45-degree angle into the windshield from the interior — if the glass is wet, less light makes it back to the sensor, and the wipers turn on.
Okay, now I know how it works! Did I also mention that there's a different beep each time the car senses you might hit something at the sides, front, or back? I expect to hit a button and have a conversation with this vehicle soon.
ReplyDeleteThe government is still up in the air. The swing party is the LibDems. They campaigned on electorial reform (proportional representation), which the Tories can't stomach. However, their views on elections would certainly mean that the party with the largest amount of votes (people's choice) should get in, so even though Labour is wooing them with promises of electoral reform, it would seem pretty hypocritical to support them.
ReplyDelete