Onex Single-Place, Folding-Wing, Aerobatic Sport Aircraft Makes First Flight
Posted By RichC on January 28, 2011
Stock markets in a sea of red do to unrest in Egypt
Posted By RichC on January 28, 2011
As the middle east boils and Egypt joins Tunisia in a public uprising against their governments, world markets grow nervous seeing oil rise 4% today on worry over disruption. Not only is our U.S. stock market giving back it’s gains from the past few days, but the political unrest a half a world away reminds me just how connected our world has become … for the good and the bad.
Neil Cavuto reminded us (audio above), that during times of international turmoil just like back in the 1970 in Iran during the overthrow of the Shah, events can quickly spiral out of control and even bring down the president in the United States. This is of serious concern both economically and politically. (AP video update below)
Adding some follow up video illustrating the chaos …
Video: Jimmy Buffett … “after the fall”
Posted By RichC on January 28, 2011
A few words of appreciation from Jimmy Buffett … humbled by the outpouring of concern and well wishes from his fans.
From his comments it does look like he is going to be just fine although will miss the New Zealand concert. Gotta love the the “Fins Up!” smile.
😎
Our Sputnik moment … now and then
Posted By RichC on January 28, 2011
In the State of the Union address this past Tuesday night, President Obama reflected on the space race as a time American’s found themselves behind in technology and rose to the occasion as Americans competed with the Russians in the frontier of space. “This is our generation’s Sputnik moment,” Obama said. As a result, we need to fund “a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the space race,” with particularly strong investments in biomedicine, information technology, and clean-energy technology.
For those a bit too young to remember, this is the sound being broadcast from a circling satellite that sent chills down the spines of all who were charged with protecting our nation from nuclear weapons.
Can Carter Copter make the next leap in personal aviation?
Posted By RichC on January 27, 2011
Although the dream of flying around like the Jetsons has been something many of us believed would be here by now, those at Carter Copters are a bit more serious in developing something that might move us closer to that reality. Their combination of aviation engineering using fuel sipping diesel engines, gyro-plane lift, airplane like speeds and helicopter maneuverability is in my opinion on the right track.
I listened to an interesting EAA interview with founder Jay Carter about their recent flight testing – perhaps an experimental kit is right around the corner?
2+2 Place Personal Air Vehicle Performance
Civilian 200 HP Diesel Version w/ 34′ Wingspan & Rotor Diameter
- Turbo Delta Hawk Engine – 200 HP to 17.5K ft
- 34 ft Wing Span & Rotor Diameter
- 2400 lb Gross Weight
- 1000 lb Empty Weight
- 400 lb Max Fuel
- 4 Place
DJIA crosses 12000 as the business climate improves
Posted By RichC on January 26, 2011
A comment in President Barack Obama’s State of the Union call for corporate tax cuts and a spending freeze along with good corporate earnings reports have helped the Dow Jones Industrial Average to cross the 12000 mark. Let’s hope jobs follow?
On a totally separate subject, I just heard that singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett fell from a stage during a concert in Sydney Australia and went unconscious. Some say there was a bright flash before he fell and that he had a cut on his head as paramedics rushed him to the hospital.
SOTU: President Obama, liberals and conservatives differ
Posted By RichC on January 26, 2011
Wh.gov’s web and social networking team did a great job with enhanced State of the Union coverage, as well as pre and post-coverage tonight. I wish I could say the same for my confidence in President Obama’s leadership and vision for our country.
(SOTU Transcript and Republican response video below the split)
First a positive – it was great to have the Hon. John Boehner behind the President, rather than Pelosi and knowing that there is at least a check to growing government. 
Second, the mention of Gabby Giffords and the shooting in Tucson was most respectful: "Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater." Unfortunately that was the last believable component of Obama’s SOTU speech. I had difficulty believing that his focus will be on “jobs” and need to keep us competitive; instead I saw a campaign for re-election starting in earnest – “say the right things.” His bragging about “tax cuts” being passed rang a little weak in my ears … considering his policies require more government and more spending … and therefore more taxes. I think he is being a bit disingenuous taking create for extending taxes cuts.
As for re-inventing America, working smarter and focusing on innovation are all great talking points, but Democrats and Republicans have two entirely different philosophies in how we get there. Obama’s recommendation that we stop subsidizing the oil companies and that they are “doing ok on their own.” This may be true, but instead of removing government, he turns right around and wants to extend subsidies to another industry. Not only is there a disagreement that government should be picking winners and losers … there is a real disconnect in funding business when we don’t have the money in the first place.
For all the polite applause and congress making an effort to show civility to the citizens, there are some serious disagreements as to government’s place in peoples’ lives. Personally I much preferred less political correctness and more political directness of Rep. Paul Ryan’s Republican response (below).
Transcript of President Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address below:
EDIT 1/26/2011:
Adding a YouTube link to Michele Bachmann speaking on invitation from the Tea Party groups.
HP-Palm’s new tablet device needs a better name
Posted By RichC on January 25, 2011
So the HP-Palm gadget many though might be the “PalmPad” is not going to receive the blessing of the United States Patent and Trademark Office; they sees the too close to other trademarks? (Palm, Palm Pre, etc) It sort of looks to me as if HP needs to go back to the ‘slate’ devices – maybe the “TouchSlate” isn’t so bad after all?
"Registration of the applied-for mark is refused because of a likelihood of confusion with the marks in U.S. Registration Nos [lists 5 registration numbers]."
"Trademark Act Section 2(d) bars registration of an applied-for mark that so resembles a registered mark that it is likely that a potential consumer would be confused or mistaken or deceived as to the source of the goods and/or services of the applicant and registrant."
"Applicant’s mark PALMPAD is similar to the registered marks PALM because applicant’s mark contains the entirety of the registered marks. Simply adding the term PAD to its mark does not differentiate the marks sufficiently to overcome the striking similarity created by applicant’s use of the registered mark PALM in its mark. The mere addition of matter to a registered mark generally does not obviate the similarity between the marks nor does it overcome a likelihood of confusion under Trademark Act Section 2(d)."
see Precentral.net
MyTether on webOS 1.5.5 for the Palm Pre is working again
Posted By RichC on January 25, 2011
After switching to Verizon’s webOS Mobile Hotspot on my Sprint connected Palm Pre in order to be able to tether my phone, I had all but given up on MyTether. Although I’m not an everyday “tether-er” … 
having the ability to connect my notebook computer to the Internet in a pinch is important. Thankfully Raja (the developer) has updated his Java coded program and MyTether is working once again. In the email I received, Raja also talked with some encouragement that he is making an effort to program a “C ” version in order to keep MyTether working once webOS 2.0 is installed on HP/Palm devices. I’m hopeful future updates will be successful before webOS 2.0 is ready to be installed on my Palm Pre (that is if it ever becomes available).
Fun Twitter related web app: twbirthday.com
Posted By RichC on January 25, 2011
Every once in a while an unusual and simple web app catches one’s attention – in this case twbirthday.com. Plug your Twitter name into this site and it creates a Birth Certificate along with “assigning” a Godfather; who is your Godfather? In my case it is my New Hampshire friend Scott Bilik (@sbilik).
Wow, has it been 3 almost 4 years of ‘tweeting’ for @richc?
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.