Engine Punk

Tonight I've updated the files at Lightning Source UK with the new book cover design for The Horsepower Whisperer. As the original illustration featured three abreast seating and the new one doesn't, I've amended the text. It occurred to me that the Conformorians would never compromise on which side of the road people should drive on. It would be an either or proposition. Of course, in Anarchadia, they drive on the opposite side of the road on principle. So M Cadvare's personal transportation device now has left hand drive and I've amended the text to suit. I've continued to use Word when it comes to writing my books. When I use Open Office Writer, apostrophes don't come out curly. In Open Office Writer they are just little flat things that look cheap and nasty, especially when quotation marks are curly. So I open the Word document in Open Office Writer and the apostrophes appear as I want them. Amend them in Writer, however, and they straighten...

ITM Power are publicising their development of a domestic hydrogen production system and a converted Ford Focus that could run for up to 30 miles on the hydrogen produced. That sort of distance is a typical daily commute and for longer distances the car can be revert to using unleaded. ITM Power offer this approach as a real world alternative to fuel cell vehicles that generate the electricity themselves. Depending on who you talk to, fuel cell vehicles work but are too expensive. It's the platinum in the fuel cells and the amounts required. There's a big push to reduce the amount of platinum in fuel cells but for the time ITM Power's approach appeals to me. You would still have to have a big pressurised storage tank fitted to your car and that would restrict storage space but how much luggage do you need on the daily commute? ITM Power are also working on Bi-Fuel Diesels, too, so your common rail bus could run on hydrogen or biofuel diesel. You would have a kin...