The Low-Tech Times

Gizmodo.com recently featured a video of a robot pushing a small lawnmower as a potential hi-tech solution for people who do not like mowing their lawn.

To put it mildly, The Low-Tech Times is not impressed with the robotic lawnmower. It is ironic that people these days are seeking electronic solutions to yard work, while at the same time they are often paying for expensive gym memberships. The Low-Tech Times instead recommends lower-tech lawn mowing equipment.

After winning the Kentucky Derby, Big Brown was again victorious at the Preakness Stakes in front of over 112,000 horse racing fans. The large crowd demonstrates the continued popularity the old sport of horse racing has even in today’s hi-tech society.

Several years ago, I attended the Preakness at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. I went with friends to the infield, which was popular with young folks betting and partying. The downsides of the infield are that you cannot see very much at all of the races and that the porta-jons become quite disgusting by the end of the day. The next time I go, I will definitely look into getting a seat in the stands.

Preakness.com offers a story followed by a press conference covering this year’s race:

Big Brown, who captured the Kentucky Derby by 4¾ lengths at Churchill Downs two weeks ago, won in hand by 5-1/4 lengths Saturday over long shot Macho Again. Icabad Crane was a half-length farther back in third and Racecar Rhapsody finished fourth.

Big Brown completed the 1-3/16ths distance in 1:54.86 over the fast main track.

That works out to an average speed of over 37 mph. Will we have a Triple Crown winner this year? What do you think will happen at Belmont?

The Low-Tech Times earlier reported on the fuel advantages of railroads vs trucks. Now, work is underway to upgrade rail capacity in Virginia between Front Royal and Manassas. Charlottesville Channel 19 posts the following Associated Press report:

Norfolk Southern spokesman Robin Chapman says that when the work is done later this year, it will allow longer and more frequent north-south trains and haul more goods to and from Norfolk’s ports.

State highway analysts predict that the work will cut 597,000 truck trips from Virginia highways during the following 15 years.