Latest news with #R.L.
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Sound Advice: New projector provides cinema-quality picture
Q. A few weeks ago you mentioned you had a review of a cost-no-object projector on the way. I am shopping for a projector and am curious about what it might be. Have you finished your review yet, how much does it cost and how does it stack up against the $1,000 4K smart projectors you have recommended in the past? -R.L., Raleigh, North Carolina projector is the new Nebula X1 Cinema Grade Projection System. I was able to try it myself recently after seeing a very impressive press demonstration at the CES expo in January, before it was announced to the public. The Nebula X1 is extremely bright at 3,500 ANSI Lumens and can project from an 80-inch to a gigantic 300-inch image. The spectacular picture quality is indeed cinema-grade, and the brightness means it works well in moderate ambient light. Another remarkable thing about the Nebula X1 is that anyone can easily get the most out of the projector. Many high-performance audio, video and photography products require a certain level of expertise to access all the performance and capabilities. With the Nebula X1 you can just put the projector on the ground or on a table, point it at the screen and the projector will do the rest. The X1 uses AI to find the screen, fill it with a test pattern, focus and correct for keystone effect to present a perfect image automatically. From there the Google TV operating system makes the X1 as easy to use as any flat-panel smart television. The X1 produces strong, satisfying sound on its own, but it can be used with dedicated wireless surround speakers that pair with the projector and automatically set up a 4.1.2-channel surround sound field. An optical/auxiliary port and HDMI eARC connection are provided for use with other external powered speakers and sound systems. The Nebula X1 definitely lives up to the hype and the promise. It currently sells for the $2,999, and that is actually very affordable when many high-end 4K home theater projectors can sell for $30,000 or more. Nebula currently is offering a free 100-inch screen or gimbal stand with purchase. There is also a $3,998 bundle that includes the $699 wireless speakers, two microphones for karaoke and presentations, and a beautifully made case with dedicated compartments for the projector and accessories. Whether the Nebula X1 is worth the difference compared to some of the very good 4K smart projectors selling around $1,000 will depend on the individual buyer. For those who want the absolute best and can afford it, the X1 significantly raises the bar in terms of image quality and what a smart projector system can do. Q. In a recent column someone mentioned how their soundbar interfered with the bottom of their LG TV for viewing. I found putting a soundbar in front of our LG TV was in our line of sight. I found a fix by purchasing a TV riser from Syracuse TV Risers. They are excellent solid wood TV stands, and you can order custom made! -J.R., East Hampstead, New Hampshire A. After receiving your email I checked out and this looks to be a great option for those looking for more TV clearance or component space. Thanks for the tip! Super-handy household gadget: Next week I will feature one of the most surprisingly useful and fun household gadgets I have ever tested. It has a multitude of uses around the home, car and outdoors, sports a really cool name and sells for about $30! Don't miss it! --- Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Miami Herald
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Motormouth: Are valve seals to blame?
Q: I had a beautiful VW Scirocco that used oil at an increasing rate. Finally, a VW mechanic told me that the problem was probably the valve seals. He took out the seals and they looked like bacon bits. The new seals looked like big gray Cheerios. Oil consumption went from a quart every 300 miles to a quart in 2,500 miles. Later VW did a recall, and a friendly parts manager helped me with reimbursement. R.L., DeKalb, Illinois A: I used to replace valve stem seals so regularly and quickly that my boss bragged that I could probably do the job with the engine running. (It's impossible.) But that was some time ago and as for Volkswagen, they stopped producing the Scirocco in 2018. VW is using improved rubber now. Seal technology has come a long way, but you point out a possibly overlooked source of oil loss. Q: I am looking to get a new SUV soon. I was told by my mechanic that he would not work on hybrids since they could shock people. I am wondering if this is true. N.S., Colorado Springs, Colorado A: Yes, they could shock people. But the high voltage flows through fat cables with bright orange cover insulation. Aside from the electric propulsion system, electric vehicles have traditional 12-volt stuff like lights, radio and so on. Q: I noticed that the past two cars I bought do not have automatic transmission dipsticks. One vehicle was a 2013 Durango. It had a tube that appeared to lead to the transmission. That tube was sealed with a cap. My current car is a 2024 Grand Cherokee. That vehicle doesn't even have a tube. The dipstick was a great way to check the health of the transmission. In addition to checking the fluid level, you can check for discoloration or burn odors. Have all manufacturers eliminated transmission dipsticks and why? C.R., Morton Grove, Illinois A: Most carmakers have switched to long life synthetic transmission fluid that is expected to go the life of the vehicle. Of course, mechanics still need a way to check the fluid level and condition. There is a removable plug on the side of the transmission case. To check the fluid level, they simply remove the plug, and some fluid usually drips out when full. If there is a dipstick tube, aftermarket dipsticks are available to replace the cap. D.H., Colorado Springs, Colorado Q: I have a 2023 Honda Ridgeline that I bought new two years ago. I drive about 5,000 miles a year, normally about three times a week. Last year, the battery died, and the dealership replaced it. Then last week the truck wouldn't start; dead battery. I got it started, but the next day it was dead again. The dealership told me that the battery checked out fine, nothing wrong with the truck. I was told that new cars have to be driven at least every 3-4 days. If not, all the systems on the car drain the battery. So, it turns out it was my fault for not driving the car enough. It was suggested to me that I should buy a trickle charger if I wasn't planning on driving the truck for 3-4 days. Can this really be the case or was the dealer just blowing smoke up my tailpipe? A: Short trips don't allow the battery to charge enough while driving. You may need 20 minutes or so on the road. So, even if you drive the truck every few days, it's not enough. A battery maintainer (nee trickle charger) is in your future. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Residents balk at proposed sewer rate increase
Letters notifying Bakersfield residents of a major hike in their sewer rates went out last week and already residents are organizing to oppose the increase. The city has raised its sewer rates only twice since 2006, allowing Bakersfield residents to enjoy some of the lowest rates among the state's large cities. Now, city officials say they need to start looking into building a new wastewater treatment plant. The rate increase approved by the City Council at its March 26 meeting is planned to increase raise rates more than 300%. For a single-family home that means what was a yearly rate of $239, or $19.92 a month, will jump to $950 per year, or $79.17 a month. A state law known as Proposition 218 requires jurisdictions to send notices to impacted ratepayers and hold a public meeting within 45 days of those notices being issued. On April 11, such notices were sent to Bakersfield residents. "How can they think we can afford this big increase?" a user self-identified as R.L. asked on the social media platform Nextdoor. "We need to go to the meeting and tell them, 'No, we're not paying this.'" The official meeting to hear protests against the increase isn't scheduled until May 28, but social media posts have called on residents to attend the council's next meeting on Wednesday to protest the increase. The change even drew the attention of state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, who issued a letter Wednesday "urging greater transparency and oversight" in the city's proposal. "I appreciate the work local leaders are doing to invest in our infrastructure — that's not in question,' Hurtado said in a statement. 'But when ratepayers are potentially on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in unexplained spikes, it's our responsibility to ask the tough questions." Under Prop. 218, if the city receives objections from more than 50% of impacted residents, it can't move forward with the increase. Objections can be made in person at the May 28 meeting or submitted in writing to the city clerk's office before the end of that meeting. Some residents have posted letter templates in English and Spanish protesting the increase for residents to use. Driving the cost is pent-up demand for maintenance and repairs with the city's aging sewer infrastructure, including what the city says is the need for a new wastewater treatment plant. The city currently has two treatment plants, the smaller of which — Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2 on East Planz Road — was built in 1958 and last upgraded in 2000. The plant, which operates at all hours to process 25 million gallons of wastewater daily, has significant corrosion issues and runs technologies that were cutting edge in the 1970s, according to Wastewater Manager Evette Roldan. Needed repairs at the facility added up quickly, Roldan said, and staff determined that a new facility would be a better use of money, not just for current residents but for the rapid growth the city is experiencing, particularly in southwest Bakersfield. "We got to the point of when you started adding up all the potential improvements that we came to the conclusion that it's most likely going to be some type of a significant upgrade or a full rebuild," Kristina Budak, director of water resources, said at the March 26 meeting. "And that's where we identified the cost of being approximately $450 million for construction," she said. Staff presented council members with four options for funding the projects, two of which were designed to collect all needed money while two others would have raised only enough money to operate the old plant while raising half the funds for a new facility, both within five years. Budak said staff looked at expanding the timeline beyond five years to seven, but Prop. 218 limits approval of increases to five years into the future. If the city were to raise only half the needed funds, it would likely issue bonds to raise the remaining money, adding interest payments long into the future to the total cost of the project. According to a graphic presented by city staff, Bakersfield's current rate of $239 per year was lower than that of Fresno ($379), Anaheim ($558) and Sacramento ($627). The proposed annual rate of $950 would put the city between that of San Diego ($939) and Los Angeles ($1,375). It wasn't an easy decision for council members to make. Members spent roughly an hour debating the topic, and several expressed frustration with the shortage of options. "When you're the cheapest and you only patch what's broke," Ward 4 Councilman Bob Smith said, "then sooner or later you have to pay. And the longer we wait, the higher this number goes in my mind." Ward 1 Councilman Eric Arias said he recognized the need for upgrades to the treatment plant but noted many of his constituents were living on fixed incomes. "I think that we have to do everything that we can at the local level to help folks literally survive and fight for the next day. And I think that timing is really what it comes down to for me," Arias said. "I think it's very clear we have to upgrade the sewer plant, No. 2. I just don't know that now is the right time." The decision to send out the Prop. 218 notices came down to a narrow vote. Council members voted 3-2 to send out the notices, with members Zack Bashirtash, Larry Koman and Greg Smith voting in favor and Eric Arias and Andrae Gonzales voting against. Members Manpreet Kaur and Ken Weir were absent. The city has taken note of the public's frustration with the issue, posting information on social media about the proposal with instructions on how to give public comment. "We've seen your posts and messages about the proposed sewer rate adjustment — and we understand your frustration," the city said on social media.
