In Reykjavik and Infected

Hello,

This will be brief for the same reason that it is delayed - sinusitis and a cold. Yes, I've been besieged by microbes. I find myself typing from a small cot in the Salvation Army Guesthouse in downtown Reykjavik. The room is somewhat like a prison cell, but more austere. I do theoretically have the option to leave the premises at any moment, but must confront an utterly unpleasant desk worker every time.

As for progress on the Watson, I'm deeply entrenched in a few interesting projects. I have assumed responsibility for shipping and insuring a half-million-dollar turbine gear from Iceland to Germany via the Netherlands. It's a complex task to say the least, and surprisingly educational.

I've also spent a few days talking with the owner of www.thinkgeoenergy.com. This website is the de facto source for all news geothermal. The site's owner is also the Director of Sustainable Energy at the Bank of Iceland, so I've enjoyed a few top-floor powwows in the Islandsbanki headquarters. Today I wrangled myself the opportunity to write an article for the website, which is super exciting, and could lead to even great involvement down the road.

A third project is researching H2S abatement technologies for Landsvirkjun Power, the largest electricity producer in Iceland, and now the subject of the world's most stringent H2S gas abatement regulatory policy. I called up the Director of Safety at Calpine, which operates The Geysirs geothermal field in California (largest geothermal development field in the world), and told him about Landsvirkjun's gas problem. He literally laughed at the policy - achieve 99.5% abatement in 4 years. It took Calpine 30 years and hundreds of millions of dollars to achieve the same results. He told me to "que up the mission impossible music," but also offered some good information and the opportunity for a private tour/Q&A for my Landsvirkjun hosts when they head to Cali for a conference in one month. Hey, it's a start...

Reykjavik is a cool town. The rural folk call it "Fear City," but it feels more like "Swank Village" to me - lots of euro clothing stores, jewelry shops, and extremely trendy cafes, bars, and restaurants. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Reykjavik, buy Armani. The Reykjavik International Film Festival is on, and tomorrow I'm planning to see a movie with my friends from the very first house I stayed in here in Iceland (Carola and Hersir).

OK, I'm off to mow Amoxicillin, irrigate my sinuses with salt water, and spray steroid laced liquids into my nostrils. Then I will stretch out on my bed, at least until my feet and hands touch opposite walls (literally).