Posted By RichC on January 11, 2012
We’ve all probably watched the Mousetrap-like YouTube videos over the past few years and admired the producers ingenuity (not this kind of mousetrap video though); well here’s one that I could actually use to help turn my paper the morning … until I switch to a tablet! I wonder if I could train my daughter’s rabbit into playing the part of the “rodent?”
Posted By RichC on January 11, 2012
Governor Mitt Romney soundly defeated Republican challengers in New Hampshire last night and most talking heads have noted desperation from a couple GOP candidates. Both Gingrich and Perry have taken what I would call “cheap shots” at Romney’s “real world” business experience at Bain Capital as well as U.S. based capitalism — a core Republican believe in keeping business competitive, efficient and profitable. The next nearest vote getter, Ron Paul, would be better running as a pure Libertarian than trying to fit into the mainstream Republican 
party, but may keep the GOP’s focus on shrinking government and cognizant about trampling individual liberty (something neither the Democrats or Republicans have been good at in recent years).
The momentum gain in New Hampshire will be needed in the next primary of South Carolina where they will weigh social values a little heavier than in the previous primary. Some have suggested that if Romney continues to deflect the negative attacks that he will have nearly clinched the nomination by Florida.
I heard a little audio on SirusXM’s CNBC Q & A stream this morning that highlighted the difference between the 3 years of Obama and his administration’s political philosophy and what one under a President Romney might be like.
Mitt Romney on CNBC’s Squawkbox – Jan. 11, 2012
Posted By RichC on January 11, 2012
Without getting too political, I question whether Mercedes-Benz Chairman of the Board of Management Dieter Zetsche was thinking clearly as he gave his presentation at CES in front of an enlarged photo of Che Guevara?
“Some colleagues still think that car-sharing borders on communism," Dieter Zetsche said "but if that’s the case, viva la revolucion!"
I suppose the German car company could have gone with an even more dysphemistic German figure for shock value … if that was their intent, but the folks at Mercedes need to have their head examined if they think this marketing works on most Americans considering a Mercedes-Benz, or maybe it is just me?
For the record, they were not celebrating Guevara or even promoting their next expensive luxury sedan, but highlighting “car sharing” … but then you be the judge regarding using Che at the CES presentation. LINK
"Viva la revolucion!"
Mercedes-Benz may not seem like the kind of company that would promote the social use of its vehicles, but at CES today, it was doing just that.
During the company’s CES press conference, Daimler’s chairman of the board of management, Dieter Zetsche, laid out a vision for car sharing that may be intimately tied to Mercedes cars in the future.
Posted By RichC on January 10, 2012
A WSJ article illustrated what economists monitoring the U.S. employment market have known, but have failed to communicate successfully; we as a nation are on a long-term trend of fewer decent paying middle class career jobs with dim prospects unless things change. (we deny it, make excuses and kick the can down the road just as we have with the debt, deficits and underfunded and bloating entitlements)
By a wide range of measures, the U.S. labor market has over the past two decades lost much of the edge it enjoyed over other developed countries. The big gains in education in the early 20th century have slowed. Americans are moving less frequently and changing jobs less often, making the job market less flexible. And most critically, a smaller share of Americans are working.
We all to often focus on short term changes measured in months or maybe even a year, but the long term trend for U.S. economic competitiveness and living wage jobs have been weakening for longer than just the current administration or second half of the prior administration. As a country we need the kind of change that makes the United States the most attractive place to manufacture products, run companies and raise a family, but until we focus on the reason companies move elsewhere we are doomed to continue the downward trend.
The risk, economists say, is that the U.S. will develop an underclass of semipermanently unemployed workers, with severe consequences for productivity, public finances and even social stability. Europe, which faced a similar problem in the 1980s, is still dealing with the consequences.
With Europe hoping to hang on to their socialist ways and heading into a recession, we have an opportunity to learn from their entitlement failures and buck the current trend. It is not too late, although the deeper government dependency grows, the more difficult it will be to return America to the principles which founded our country. The individual is key – return decision making and self-determination to the individual and reduce government dominance where ever possible.
How about starting with these three points:
Posted By RichC on January 9, 2012
A couple of“rat” stories (and a photo above) caught my attention today — and I thought all the “rats” in Washington DC were on vacation?
City: Rat population has ‘exploded’ around Occupy D.C. camps
By Annie Gowen
The rat population around the two Occupy D.C. camps at McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza has “exploded”since protesters began their vigil in October, according to Mohammad N. Akhter, the director of the District’s Department of Health.
Akhter said in an interview Monday that city health inspectors have seen rats running openly through both camps and spotted numerous new burrows and nests underneath hay-stuffed pallets occupiers are using for beds.
Posted By RichC on January 9, 2012
Before you “leap” … how do you know the bungee is going to hold? I enjoy an adrenaline rush as much as the next guy, but the older I get the more control in the outcome I want to have; I’m not sure I like the idea of trusting a bungee cord.
One lucky bungee jumper was fortunate to survive not only the “leap”and impact, but the swim to shore.
Posted By RichC on January 9, 2012
Although I’m not at all disappointed with my current single 135W Kyocera solar panel, I don’t want to be wasting amps and not returning them to my battery bank. I was reading an article debating the different controllers regulating charging and began doing some of my own research since I’m thinking about adding an additional panel (2 x 135w).
If indeed I could increase efficiency and minimize loss … perhaps a 3 stage charge control like the one from Blue Sky Energy is a good idea? Thoughts from those already heavily into solar?
12V / 25 amp low cost MPPT charge controller
Patented Maximum Power Point Tracking technology allows Solar Boost 2512i and Solar Boost 2512iX to increase charge current up to 30% or more compared to conventional charge controllers. Don’t waste your money by throwing PV power away! Get the power you paid for with a Solar Boost charge controller.
The low cost Solar Boost 2512i provides an advanced fully automatic 3-stage charge control system to ensure the battery is properly and fully charged, resulting in enhanced battery performance with less maintenance. A partial IPN™ network interface is also included to allow use of the IPN-Remote or IPN-ProRemote displays.
Additional features provided in the Solar Boost 2512iX include automatic or manual equalization, battery temperature sensor input, full IPN network compatibility, and an auxiliary output. The user configurable auxiliary output can serve as either a 25 amp load controller, or as a 2 amp auxiliary battery charger. The load control feature can be used to limit excessive battery discharge in
unattended remote systems, where as the auxiliary battery charge feature is ideal for charging a separate battery such as the engine battery in an RV.Blue Sky Energy’s advanced Integrated Power Net™, or IPN Network, allows up to 8 IPN capable charge controllers to communicate with each other and operate as a single machine rather than separate charge controllers. The IPN network also allows networked controllers to share an optional battery temperature sensor and remote display. The IPN network does not require a display or other special hardware to operate.
Posted By RichC on January 8, 2012
In Autoblog’s 2011 VW Jetta TDI longterm update there were a couple less than flattering comments about the VW’s comfort and the manual gearbox. Besides disliking the firm Volkswagen seats, the follow up was that the 2011 TDI had a "much-disliked" and "tricky" gearbox. Having driven a variety of manual transmission cars and owning two A4 TDIs with 5-speeds, I’m puzzled of the disappointment in the new 6-speed manual. Any thoughts from owners or those who may have test driven 2011 or 2012 manual transmission TDIs?
… the interior seems to be more broken-in, though it isn’t showing any noticeable signs of wear. That said, it still isn’t a very pleasant place to be. I didn’t love it on my cross-country journey a few months ago, and while it’s more comfortable now that more butts have been in the driver’s seat, there simply isn’t anything to rave about.
Fuel economy, however, is as great as ever – I commonly see numbers over 40 mpg. The car’s much-disliked gearbox is still tricky, and we broke a sweat trying not to stall while starting out on some of those steep San Francisco hills (especially when cars were behind us). But with some serious concentration, we managed with minimal problems.
Posted By RichC on January 7, 2012
I’ll be joining the “cut the cord” crowd when fiber makes it to my house and an Internet only package is fairly priced. For many would be “cable cutters,” cable is their only access to high speed Internet and the marketing of package prices make it questionable for customers to decouple. For me, I’m still tied to Time Warner for broadband, a phone (my dedicated home fax number) and TV content. Perhaps I could pull local HDTV and the networks over the air, but the loss of ESPN and national cable news would be missed … for a while. Still, I see the day is coming and I wouldn’t mind a smaller monthly bill.
Dear Cable:
Before I say anything else: It’s not you. It’s me.
I’ve changed over the years. I’m hardly at home. And when I am, it’s not live television I’m watching. It’s stuff that’s been queued up on my DVR for weeks. But mostly, when I’m on my couch with a remote in my hand, I’ve been…streaming. I know how wrong that must sound. But everyone’s getting their shows and movies through the Internet these days. I’m sorry. It’s just the reality of things.
Posted By RichC on January 6, 2012
Audi Vail expect to be similar to the Q3 (above)
What are the chances that Audi’s new “Vail” CUV concept expected at the Detroit Auto Show this year will sport a TDI diesel engine like their A3 does here in the U.S. – I’m guessing slim?
Audi will use the Detroit motor show next week to unveil a concept “Vail” version of the compact Q3 SUV for the U.S. market and plans to build a sedan version of the A3 hatchback after the newest model comes to market this year, Chief Executive Officer Rupert Stadler said in an interview.