Christopher John Myers

Impressive clean diesel technology from those clever engineers at Mazda Mazda is claiming its ‘Skyactiv’ diesel is the world’s cleanest.   And it doesn’t need an expensive and troublesome exhaust particulate filter, either. It’s got trick stuff such as variable lift exhaust valves, a two-stage turbo, an exhaust manifold that’s IN the head and very sophisticated piezo-electric injectors. But the key to the engine’s cleanness is a low compression ratio of 14:1, about the lowest of any diesel and this is this clever engine’s Achilles heel, because that MUST mean it’s less fuel-efficient, thermodynamically at least. Diesels typically have compression of ratios of between 14:1 and 16:1 for direct injection engines, and between 18:1 and 23:1 for indirect injection.   It’s the compression that explodes the mixture and it’s the high compression that gives the diesel better thermal efficiency than petrol-engined vehicles. Oxides of nitrogen and soot are the bugbe...

F1 car companies are well-known for hyperbole, b-s and self-congratulation, so I wasn't surprised that the 'new' Lotus road bike turned out to be a styling exercise. Nothing more. The designer Daniel Simon - creator of the Tron LightCycle – for heaven’s sake. After months and months of hype, the first machine, dubbed the C-01, was unveiled with a KTM-derived engine and old-fashioned rear shocks. It appears to have a turning circle of 100 yards.  Big deal! The C-01 is a joint venture between Holzer Group tuning and Kodewa racing team, both of which are based in Germany. Kodewa has been in charge of the Lotus LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) car which appears to be the only link between the two automotive companies. Read more:  visordown.com

I’m thinning out what passes for my library. Here’s a list.   Get in touch if you want anything.   In a few days they’ll be going to a charity shop… Chris ·          Elements of Marketing, A R Morden, 1993 ·          Eats, Shites and Leaves, A. Parody ·          Concise Etymological Dictionary, hardback, Oxford, as new! ·          Neither Here nor there, Bryson ·          The Lost Continent, Bryson ·          Notes from a big country, Bryson ·          And I’ve discovered I have a spare copy of Mother Tongue, Bryson. It’s something worth referring to day-n, day-out (if I’ve used those hyphens correctly) Riding the iron rooster, Paul Theroux Blue highway, William Least Heat ...

The Pope’s Harley-Davidson motorbike is to go on auction in Paris next month. Pope Francis was given the 1,585cc Dyna Super Glide in June last year to mark Harley's 110th anniversary. It is estimated that the motorcycle, which is signed on the tank by Pope Francis, will fetch up to €15,000 at auction on 6 February. The donated the bike to the Roman Catholic charity Caritas Roma.   They plan to use the money to renovate its Don Luigi di Liegro hostel and soup kitchen at Rome’s Termini railway station. It provides food and accommodation for more than 1,000 poor, homeless, and unemployed people a day. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2538578/Pope-Francis-sells-Harley-Davidson-proceeds-poor.html

London Councils are owed a total £642 million in council tax arrears - an average of £188 per household. Six percent of that total is owed to Croydon Council, who have – amazingly – slightly reduced the amount owing in the last year!!! I suppose we long-suffering tax-payers should be grateful, but the £40m outstanding adds about £271 to all our individual bills. UK Council Tax debt league 1.       Liverpool - £114m, adds £528 to average bill 2.       Hackney - £41.8m, adds £403 to average bill 3.       Haringey - £32.6m, adds £313 to average bill 4.       Hounslow - £29.7m, adds £306 to average bill 5.       Lambeth - £38m, adds £284 to average bill 6.       Islington - £28.1m, adds £277 to average bill 7.       Croydon - £40m, adds £271 to average bill 8.  ...