What are you reading: A few saved February 2016 articles

Posted By on February 23, 2016

Winter weekends (even warm ones) present an opportunity to catch up on a pile of articles collected during the week. These are one that aren’t necessarily timely or are “required” reading based on the news of the day.  Those who know me, know that I’ve enjoyed a few minutes each morning leafing though the Wall Street Journal for decades … and still enjoy the newsPAPER version, although am slowly moving to the iPad reader app (especially if the paper doesn’t arrive before I leave the house … a problem lately).

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I’ve pick three of my favorites from last week and will give Evernote clipping and sharing service a try (but you really should consider subscribing to the WSJ!):

  1. The Young and Economically Clueless (opinion)
  2. Inflation Is Now at the Fed’s Service (Heard on the Street)
  3. Making the Great Leap (book review)

Book: Restless Creatures by Matt Wilkinson

restlesscreatureswsj

Most of us never think about how we get from one place to another. For most people, putting one foot in front of the other requires no thought at all. Yet the fact that we and other species are able to do so is one of the great triumphs of evolution. To truly understand how life evolved on Earth, it is crucial to understand movement. Restless Creatures makes the bold new argument that the true story of evolution is the story of locomotion, from the first stirrings of bacteria to the amazing feats of Olympic athletes.

By retracing the four-billion-year history of locomotion, evolutionary biologist Matt Wilkinson shows how the physical challenges of moving from place to place—when coupled with the implacable logic of natural selection—offer a uniquely powerful means of illuminating the living world. Whales and dolphins look like fish because they have been molded by the constraints of underwater locomotion. The unbending physical needs of flight have brought bats, birds, and pterodactyls to strikingly similar anatomies. Movement explains why we have opposable thumbs, why moving can make us feel good, how fish fins became limbs, and even why—classic fiction notwithstanding—there are no flying monkeys nor animals with wheels. Even plants aren’t immune from locomotion’s long reach: their seeds, pollen, and very form are all determined by their aptitude to disperse.

From sprinting cheetah to spinning maple fruit, soaring albatross to burrowing worm, crawling amoeba to running human—all are the way they are because of how they move. There is a famous saying: “nothing in biology makes sense unless in the light of evolution.” As Wilkinson makes clear: little makes sense unless in the light of locomotion. A powerful yet accessible work of evolutionary biology, Restless Creatures is the essential guide for understanding how life on Earth was shaped by the simple need to move from point A to point B.

LINK

An amazing wave and impressive ride #surfing

Posted By on February 22, 2016

The 2016 Daytona 500 thrilled even this casual NASCAR fan

Posted By on February 22, 2016

DaytonaBeach1958

Ah … the good ol’ days on Daytona Beach Florida (1958 above)well before I was born BTW!

IMG_1539Last week was SpeedWeeks culminating in the Daytona 500 on Sunday. The biggest NASCAR race was enjoyed by millions of viewers and did not disappoint. The restrictor plate race was tighter than ever and had the leaders drafting and bumping their way in the last quarter lap. Denny Hamlin bumped touched the rear of the blocking leader Matt Kenseth and then inching by Martin Truex after “side-drafting” for the photo finish. What a terrific way for lovers of NASCAR to have their 2016 season begin – LINK. (big win for Toyota too!)

The bench top drill press holds bits and drills straight

Posted By on February 21, 2016

The new Jacobs Chuck for the bench top drill press arrived this weekend and although I didn't have any pressing projects, decided to dril a few holes anyway. The quality wasn't bad for $20 and although its not a smooth ball bearing chuck, jacobs chuckit made a perfect replacement for my dad's small Delta drill press.

drill press table idea
Table idea?

Elio Motors shares launch on OTCQX

Posted By on February 20, 2016

Time to keep an eye on this small company … really hoping it can keep promises and start producing a $6800 three wheeled car without too many hiccups. Shares will be traded on the OTCQX under the ticker ELIO according to a press release.

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PHOENIX, Feb. 19, 2016 – Elio Motors, Inc. (OTCQX: ELIO), the startup vehicle manufacturer planning to launch a three-wheeled vehicle that will get up to 84 MPG with a targeted base price of $6,800, today announced its shares are now trading on the OTCQX market under the stock symbol ELIO.

“This is a proud day for Elio Motors and an important step forward in our development and mission to bring low-cost, highly fuel-efficient transportation to the market,” said Paul Elio, founder and CEO of Elio Motors. “Funding is often a significant roadblock for bringing big ideas to the market. Regulation A+ allows entrepreneurs a quicker and more-efficient method for raising capital. Now, with those shares trading on the OTCQX, investors have the opportunity to buy into the Elio Motors mission and vision to positively impact the world.”

Elio Motors is the first company to have its shares traded publicly on the OTCQX after going through the entire Regulation A+ process. In March 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finalized amendments to Regulation A under Title IV of the 2012 Jump Start Our Business Start-up (JOBS) Act, paving the way for private companies to raise up to $50 million from non-accredited investors. Elio Motors was one of the first companies to launch a formal stock offering utilizing Regulation A+ on Nov. 20 , 2015, after receiving qualification from the SEC. The company closed the Regulation A+ offering on Feb. 16, having raised nearly $17 million and began the transition to the OTCQX market.

WR Hambrecht + Co serves as Elio Motors’ capital markets advisor and Designated Advisor for Disclosure (DAD), responsible for providing professional guidance on OTCQX requirements, U.S. securities laws, and corporate finance strategy.

“Our team is passionate about growth companies such as Elio Motors because they represent a great opportunity for all classes of investors,” said John Hullar, Managing Partner, WR Hambrecht + Co.

The success of Elio Motors’ stock offering is the latest in a series of important milestones for the company as it launches its low-cost, high-mileage vehicle:

  • In November 2015, the company introduced the P5, its fifth-generation prototype, featuring a 0.9 liter, 3-cylinder engine built by IAV specifically for Elio Motors.
  • On Jan. 12, 2016, Elio Motors announced it will begin building is E-Series of prototype vehicles for testing and engineering purposes.
  • On Jan. 20, 2016, the company launched its first national advertising campaign to help create additional awareness and generate more vehicle reservations.
  • On Feb. 12, 2016, Elio Motors reached 50,000 reservations for a place in line to buy the vehicle.

“The past three months have been among the most important and productive in our company’s history as we continue to reach one milestone after another,” said Elio. “Seeing our shares go live is a monumental step forward for our company, our fans, our reservation holders and our investors. We have built a passionate following of grass-roots fans and reservation holders who believe in this project, and their support has been a big reason for our success. We’d like to thank them for their enthusiasm, and we hope they celebrate with us today. This infusion of capital will fuel our development and our drive to production.”

Elio Motors plans to manufacture the vehicle in Shreveport, La., at a former General Motors production facility. The company is committed to creating American jobs and helping to boost the country’s traditional leadership role in manfucturing.

About Elio Motors


Founded by car enthusiast Paul Elio in 2009, Elio Motors Inc. represents a revolutionary approach to manufacturing an ultra-high-mileage vehicle. The three-wheeled Elio is engineered to attain a highway mileage rating of up to 84 mpg, while providing the comfort of amenities such as power windows, power door lock and air conditioning accompanied by the safety of multiple air bags and an aerodynamic, enclosed vehicle body. Elio’s first manufacturing site will be in Shreveport, Louisiana.

About WR Hambrecht + Co

WR Hambrecht + Co was founded in January 1998 to level the playing the field for investors and corporate clients. Like its predecessor firm, Hambrecht & Quist, WRH+Co seeks to identify high prospect growth-stage companies, and then enable access to the capital necessary to fund development, marketing and infrastructure so that these companies can achieve their full potential. WRH+Co’s Regulation A+ strategy is a continuation of Bill Hambrecht’s legacy of conducting small public offerings for what were once considered high-risk start-ups that are now household names and Fortune 500 companies.

Contact Helen Miazga (hmiazga@wrhambrecht.com) at 415-551-3237 or visit our website wrhambrecht.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements.” These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause cash flows to decrease or actual results to differ materially include, without limitation, consumer interest in the Company’s products, general economic conditions, consumer and retail trends, costs and availability of raw materials, competition, market conditions, and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Company’s control. Readers are referred to the Company’s periodic reports filed with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The information contained in this press release is a statement of the Company’s present intentions, beliefs or expectations and is based upon, among other things, the existing business environment, industry conditions, market conditions and prices, the economy in general and the Company’s assumptions. The Company may change its intentions, beliefs or expectations at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in its assumptions or otherwise, and it undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. The cautionary statements contained or referred to in this press release should be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that the Company or persons acting on its behalf may issue.

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The Elio Team | February 19, 2016 at 11:04 am | Categories: News | URL: http://wp.me/p4P8LE-18h

A Ben Bernanke cameo in The Big Bang Theory? #TBBT

Posted By on February 19, 2016

BenBernankeBigBangTheory160218It is fun finding out about cameo appearances in movies and TV programs … as I mentioned the other day with singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

Another cameo tidbit popped up after this week’s popular The Big Bang Theory sitcom. According to the commentary on FoxBusiness, the previous Fed chair Ben Bernanke and his wife are big enough fans of the program to have been included in the background … check it out!
Smile

While the image below isn’t exactly a cameo … I did smile when I saw it while watching a favorite AmazonStudios “made for television” series Man in the High Castle. The series is based on Phillip Dick’s novel of the same name and in the final 2015 episode, has a billboard from a simulated 1963 San Francisco showing “actor” Ronald Reagan in a Windam “Fresh Air” cigarette billboard advertisement (For the record, Ronald Reagan was a spokesman for Chesterfield cigarettes in the 1940s and 1950s). Great series and looking forward to an even better season 2!

RonReaganFreshAirWindamCigarettesAd

Campaigning, mud-slinging and dirty politics #photoshopped

Posted By on February 18, 2016

All is fair in love and war … AND POLITICS … or is it?

Cruz campaign photoshops Rubio/Obama

In the campaign for president this year, candidates have pulled out all the stops and are turning to deceit. In the above Ted Cruz ad, his campaign put together an ad that portrays Sen. Marco Rubio shaking hands with President Obamanot that they may not ever have shook hands … but the misleading Photoshopped tweaks are very questionable tactics.

Who knows if all the Trump bluster or Cruz campaign’s growing list of deceiving propaganda and slight-of-hand campaign tactics will eventually turn voters to other candidates?

Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon know how to deliver monologues

Posted By on February 18, 2016

Great monologue on the Tonight Show … Jay Leno tag teams with Jimmy Fallon.

Who in the Republican field can beat Hillary Clinton?

Posted By on February 18, 2016

WhoCanBeatHRC

The field of GOP candidates is still pretty full (six candidates) yet the election looks a little more challenging according to the polls IF the Republicans put up the wrong candidate. I’m still hoping some commonsense arrives and voters pick someone who can win … and not just nominate someone who expresses their anger and frustration. Maybe South Carolina primary voters will consider backing Marco Rubio after their governor Nikki Haley endorsed him on Wednesday?

BUT so far, I’ve been wrong about the momentum from Donald Trump and his ability to say things that would have sink any other Republican candidate … yet the crazy words keep coming. Not only has he belittled the appearance of certain women, disparaged a distinguished Vietnam POW as “not being a war hero” (John McCain), turned to foul language at campaign rallies … but he has now even attacked the previous President George W. Bush for not preventing 9/11 and “lying” about WMDs in Iraq. As many pundits have said, those kind of statements previously have only come from the left … and most likely extreme left like moveon.org at that? It is puzzling for someone sitting on the lead to do this. I’m not sure where he is going, but one thing is for sure, Donald Trump keeps his name in the headlines and is forcing other competitors to raise the rhetoric and make uncharacteristic personal attacks towards each other. Thank you for the civility Donald Trump [/sarcasm].

So who in the Republican can win …and will Donald Trump make a run as an Independent?

Jimmy Buffett made a cameo in Jurassic World – who knew?

Posted By on February 17, 2016

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Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog