Superdove

Superdove: How the Pigeon Took Manhattan ... And the World by Courtney Humphries


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have just finished the unique story about pigeons. This lighthearted study of this bird gives the reader a new way to look at the pigeon and how it has impacted our lives.
Ms Humphries gives us her own personal look as she expresses her study of these birds, while keeping it light, she fills us with knowledge and the unexpected look at the value of these birds. If you are looking for something strangely interesting, this could be the book to pick up and read.

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Motor Vehicle Alignment

In its most basic form, a wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is obtain maximum tire life and a vehicle that tracks straight and true when driving along a straight and level road.
Wheel Alignment is often confused with Wheel Balancing. The two really have nothing to do with each other except for the fact that they affect ride and handling. If a wheel is out of balance, it will cause a vibration at highway speeds that can be felt in the steering wheel and/or the seat. If the alignment is out, it can cause excessive tire wear and steering or tracking problems.
If you have ever had your motor vehicle aligned, you've may have heard the terms Camber, Caster and Toe-in.
Camber
Camber is the angle of the wheel, measured in degrees, when viewed from the front of the vehicle. If the top of the wheel is leaning out from the center of the car, then the camber is positive ,if it's leaning in, then the camber is negative. If the camber is out of adjustment, it will cause tire wear on one side of the tire's tread. If the camber is too far negative, for instance, then the tire will wear on the inside of the tread.
Camber wear pattern
If the camber is different from side to side it can cause a pulling problem. The vehicle will pull to the side with the more positive camber. On many front-wheel-drive vehicles, camber is not adjustable. If the camber is out on these cars, it indicates that something is worn or bent, possibly from an accident and must be repaired or replaced.
Caster
When you turn the steering wheel, the front wheels respond by turning on a pivot attached to the suspension system. Caster is the angle of this steering pivot, measured in degrees, when viewed from the side of the vehicle. If the top of the pivot is leaning toward the rear of the car, then the caster is positive, if it is leaning toward the front, it is negative. If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight-line tracking. If the caster is different from side to side, the vehicle will pull to the side with the less positive caster. If the caster is equal but too negative, the steering will be light and the vehicle will wander and be difficult to keep in a straight line. If the caster is equal but too positive, the steering will be heavy and the steering wheel may kick when you hit a bump. Caster has little affect on tire wear.
The best way to visualize caster is to picture a shopping cart caster. The pivot of this type of caster, while not at an angle, intersects the ground ahead of the wheel contact patch. When the wheel is behind the pivot at the point where it contacts the ground, it is in positive caster. Picture yourself trying to push the cart and keep the wheel ahead of the pivot. The wheel will continually try to turn from straight ahead. That is what happens when a car has the caster set too far negative. Like camber, on many front-wheel-drive vehicles, caster is not adjustable. If the caster is out on these cars, it indicates that something is worn or bent, possibly from an accident, and must be repaired or replaced.
Toe-in
The toe measurement is the difference in the distance between the front of the tires and the back of the tires. It is measured in fractions of an inch in the US and is usually set close to zero, which means that the wheels are parallel with each other. Toe-in means that the fronts of the tires are closer to each other than the rears. Toe-out is just the opposite. An incorrect toe-in will cause rapid tire wear to both tires equally. This type of tire wear is called a saw-tooth wear pattern.
If the sharp edges of the tread sections are pointing to the center of the car, then there is too much toe-in. If they are pointed to the outside of the car then there is too much toe-out. Toe is always adjustable on the front wheels and on some cars, is also adjustable for the rear wheels.
Four-Wheel Alignments
There are two main types of 4-wheel alignments. In each case, the technician will place an instrument on all four wheels. In the first type the rear toe and tracking is checked, but all adjustments are made at the front wheels. This is done on vehicles that do not have adjustments on the rear. The second type is a full 4-wheel alignment where the adjustments are first made to true up the rear alignment, and then the front is adjusted. A full 4-wheel alignment will cost more than the other type because there is more work involved.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

Posted April 9, 2009, 12:39 PM EST: Hello, I am a Barnes and Noble First Look Book Club member and have thoroughly enjoyed The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, by Katherine Howe. As I have not completely finished the novel, with a few more chapters to go, I can say the the book grabbed my attention right from the start and it has not lost any momentum. The Characters, are brought to life and the author has given a great insight into the lives of each character. Lots of twists and turns and well as some discoveries for each character. Even the Milk Street house, Garden and dog(Arlo) have their own unique characterization. This novel is enchanting as well as suspenseful. You can only guess at how it will turn out. I fully recommend this novel to everyone. Lots of history mixed in the fiction. Thank You so much Katherine, you have a real winning novel here.

Of Bees and Mist

Posted 06/25/09: I have just finished this wonderful novel by a first time author, by the name of Erick Setiawan. His introductory novel "Of Bees and Mists", is an intriguing, magical love story with many twists and turns. I absolutely found myself completely involved with each and every character. The first time you pick up this book, you see the cover and can't help but start to examine it, finding all sorts of interesting items hidden throughout the vines. Once you open and start reading, you will find yourself looking at a family, which appears to be dysfunctional at best. This book has love, magic, love lost, Escapism, and fascination beyond compare. I strongly urge you to pick up this novel. You won't be able to stop reading. Erick Setiawan is sure to go far and I'm sure that his first novel will soon be on the Best Sellers Lists everywhere.