Posted By RichC on November 10, 2010
I wouldn’t be throwing rocks if I lived in your “house” Ms. Maddow … MSNBC TV cable news network is far from innocent when it comes to having political bias.
We’re not a political operation, Fox is. We are a news operation.
~ Rachel Maddow
Posted By RichC on November 9, 2010
Where would you install photovoltaic solar panels if they were clear? Perhaps they will be in the not so distant future as contemplated by Alyssa Danigelis in her Discovery News article.
And here’s a new word of the day: buckyballs – spherical or ellipsoidal cages made up of covalently bonded carbon atoms discovered in 1985 and named after engineer, inventor, architect Buckminster Fuller. (see photo and you’ll understand why)
- Analysis by Alyssa Danigelis
You’ve probably heard of thin-film solar power, but scientists from Los Alamos and Brookhaven National Laboratories made new light-harvesting material that’s actually transparent. Solar electricity from the whole house, anyone?
A team led by physical chemist Mircea Cotlet created a transparent thin film using a relatively simple process. As James Rickman of Los Alamos National Laboratory explained to me, it involved taking a standard polymer – plastic — and spiking it with soccer-ball shaped 60-carbon-atom spheres called fullerenes, better known as "buckyballs" after Buckminster Fuller. Their research was just published in the journal Chemistry of Materials.
While the material design isn’t Earth-shattering, Rickman says the novelty is in the transparency. "The way that these things line up, you get this honeycomb-shaped pattern that’s like a screen from a screen door," he says. The transparent effect is caused when micron-sized water droplets are sprayed across a thin layer of the buckyball-plastic solution. The water and solution naturally create a concentration of semiconducting material in the pattern as the water evaporates.
The material could either be used as a solar collector, or as a light-emitting diode, depending on the application. Transparency is crucial because it would allow for flexible and transparent light displays, and solar collection from windows that still allow the light in.
Imagine a house that has solar collectors on the roof, and the windows. That could potentially generate far more electricity than a traditional solar array. Getting the material to that stage will take more years of research and testing, though, since the scientists are currently making droplet-sized quantities of it in the lab. Plus it would be great to use a renewable feedstock to make the plastic solution.
Still, Rickman points out that the process to make the material is fairly easy to develop and that should make it scalable. Scaling up solar simply and affordably — the advantages are clear to me.
Posted By RichC on November 8, 2010
For many trying to recover from a difficult and seemingly never ending recession, the thought of their dollars getting weaker and weaker is demonstrated most clearly by the price of gold continuing to rise. For people living on a fixed income, the fear of their purchasing power falling is unsettling. Not only has gold continued to rise, but basic commodities are rising as well … something that may soon to be reflected in the products we buy. Hold on to your hats as we could be dealing with inflationary pressures in 2011.
Gold futures topped $1,400 for the first time amid uncertainty on the outcome of Group of 20 currency talks and worries about sovereign debt in Europe.
Further highlighting gold’s role as an alternative currency, the World Bank president advocated the inclusion of the metal in a revamped global monetary system.
The most actively traded contract, for December delivery, rose $5.50, or 0.4%, to settle at $1,403.20 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Posted By RichC on November 8, 2010
The US military continues to move forward with renewable alternatives to petroleum. The latest being the a 49-foot naval gunboat testing a algae-based biodiesel in Norfolk, Virginia. (See Green Investing article from Green Chip Stocks)
Algae Biodiesel Filling U.S. Naval Tanks
Last week, a 49-foot naval gunboat was the first to test-drive algae-based fuel as part of the United States military’s initiative for a new improved, energy efficient strike force.
The experimental vessel was tested at the Norfolk, Virginia naval base and operated successfully on a tank filled with equal parts algae-based and diesel fuels.
The navy hopes to eventually have 50% of its fleet run on a combination of renewable and nuclear energy by 2020 — a lofty goal, considering less than 20% of the naval fleet currently runs on energy from unconventional sources…
In the short term, the navy has ambitions to roll out a strike force comprised of less than a dozen ships, subs, and plans that run on a mix of biofuels and nuclear power by 2012, and they could find themselves deployed in the field as soon as 2016.
A move in a greener direction is necessary in a world in which conventional fuels are only getting more expensive — and harder to come by…
The U.S. military is currently the single largest buyer of oil in the world. Estimates have pegged daily oil use at 400,000 barrels — during peacetime; that number can double during active wartime.
The Pentagon has made no secret of the dangers and cost burden of importing oil for the war efforts in Afghanistan. According to one report, the true cost of a gallon of petrol is well over $400.
So the efforts of the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard to rethink and redesign the way equipment is used is not just about the environment; more oft than not, it comes down to the bottom line and combat efficiency.
"Our program to go green is about combat capability, first and foremost… We no longer want to be held hostage by one form of energy such as petroleum," Rear Admiral Philly Cullom, director of the navy’s sustainability division, said at the test run at Norfolk last week.
Biofuels do win out over oil in terms of production materials, since they can be produced wherever the raw materials going into them (algae, corn).
The setback with organic ingredients, however, is that their shelf life is not as long as oil’s.
And the cost to produce, package, and ship biofuels (especially given that shelf life) is not cheap.
But then again, the technology is still relatively new. And the benefits for the overall bottom line, the environment, and combat efficiency might one day outweigh the dollar amount on a barrel of algae-based fuel.
Just last month, the navy bought 150,000 gallons of algae-based fuel from a company in California. It looks as though they are willing to try it, in spite of the current price drawback.
And what about the little test-driving 49-foot gunboat from Virginia?
The experimental vessel will be used in rivers and marshes, and has a future in the Middle East for oil installations.
Source: Green Chip Stocks
Posted By RichC on November 8, 2010
This past weekend was part chore part automotive fun. My daughter was home and it was time for a little light Volkswagen TDI tinkering … and routine oil and filter changes. All is well with her little 2001 VW Jetta TDI diesel which is now at 135,000 miles. Katelyn does love her little economical car which is averaging 47.8 mpg. Wish I were getting that.
I also stopped over to my friend Tim’s to help reset a couple codes with the Vag-com after he replaced his glow plug harness. His VW Golf TDI’s fuel economy is not to shabby either — 46.7 mpg. BUT … I was really over to see his new project, a 1979 Volkswagen van. Thank for the ride Tim.
Posted By RichC on November 8, 2010
Maybe I’m still in shock and still need to slap myself in order to believe the Cleveland Browns gave the New England Patriots a “shellacking” on Sunday afternoon – CLE 34, NE 14. It was a great game to have enjoyed watching with my daughter, a Browns fan now that she has spent 17 of her 24 years in northeastern Ohio. Of course our support is far from the truly dedicated fans …
CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio man won over the woman he loves at Cleveland Browns Stadium before the team won a big victory over New England.
Browns fan Phil Hogan of Cuyahoga Falls dropped to one knee Sunday and proposed to his girlfriend while they were tailgating in a parking lot with friends.
WEWS-TV reports the two met four years ago while tailgating at a Browns game.
Hogan presented not only a ring as he popped the question but also a Browns jersey with his last name on the back. She said yes and immediately suited up in the "Hogan" jersey.
The Browns beat the Patriots 34-14.
Posted By RichC on November 7, 2010
While behind on my autumn chores, I was shocked to see my gutters iced over when cleaning them out on Saturday. I didn’t realized that the temperature dropped so much and was actually shocked to see 21 degrees this morning. No wonder the furnace is running so much already!
Palm Pre smartphone video posted to Facebook
Posted By RichC on November 7, 2010
Perhaps I’ve been living in a cave or something … but just recently heard about the legal battle over the Nissan.com domain while talking with a client this week. 
He mentioned the story I’m sharing below after we talked about a minor frustration I was having over domain name – all ended well. I told him that back in the 1990s I “squatted” on a couple of domain names even using one that another company demanded. That particular one wasn’t a ‘squat’ but legal council advised me that unless the database I was developing was worth the legal fight that I should relinquish the domain name. I did and made a few dollars.
Anyway the Nissan case is a little different and is a David vs Goliath type story. Little guy, Uzi Nissan verses the big guy Nissan Motor Corporation and the interesting part of the story is that the little guy hung in there combatting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the NMC’s legal team. The lawsuits and filed case(s) started in 1999 and final judgment issued in 2008 … but ego being what it is, may still not be the end of things for Uzi Nissan.
I’ll included the text and links from Uzi’s side of the story below; it is interesting.
Nissan Motor Sued Nissan Computer For Trademark Infringement,
Trademark Dilution And Cyber-Squatting Seeking 10 Million Dollars In Damages
By Uzi Nissan – founder and president, Nissan Computer Corp.
BACKGROUND
My name is Uzi Nissan. I was born in Jerusalem – Israel. My father’s last name was Nissan, his father’s last name was Nissan, and so on. Nissan is a biblical term identifying the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar. The term Nissan also is Arabic for the month of April.
Click here for supporting articles
I came to the US in 1976, and have used my surname for years to identify a number of business enterprises. The first was "Nissan Foreign Car" in 1980. When I operated this business, I serviced different makes and models of foreign cars, including cars manufactured by Nissan Motor, back then known as "DATSUN". Contrary to the allegations by Nissan Motor, I did not choose to use my last name "Nissan" for my business in 1980 because of their name. At that time, they and their automobiles were known as "DATSUN" and were not known as "Nissan".
Click here for supporting articles
In December 1987, I started an import/export business known as "Nissan International" At that time, Nissan Motor was not well known as Nissan, but primarily as "DATSUN". As with the earlier business, I chose to use Nissan in my business name because it was my last name.
Click here for supporting articles
On May 14, 1991, "Nissan Computer Corp" was incorporated in the state of North Carolina. I was then, and still am, the company President. I have used Nissan as part of my trade name in connection with the sale of computer hardware, computer maintenance, networking, computer training and other consulting services related to computers. On June 4, 1994, I registered the domain name "nissan.com" and created a web site to promote computer related products and services on the Internet.
In July of 1995, I obtained a service mark registration for Nissan and my logo from the State of North Carolina.
Click here for supporting articles
On March 17, 1996, I registered the domain name "nissan.net" , and began offering Internet services, including dial-up connections and direct data connections to business.
In another example of Nissan Motor’s flexing its corporate might, age old eminent domain laws have been rewritten in Mississippi allowing the State to take land and homes from local landowners for the sole private benefit of Nissan Motor. How the State of Mississippi was "convinced" to change these laws is unclear, but it is clear that local individuals are being deprived of their property rights so Nissan Motor can build its own plant.
Click here for supporting articles
UPDATES
DECEMBER – 1999, Initial Filing.
More then five years after I registered nissan.com, legal action was instituted by Nissan Motor seeking $10,000,000 in damages, and to restrain me from the use of MY family name for business purposes on the Internet.
APRIL – 2002, First Round of Summary Judgments.
The court ruled on a summary judgment motions as follows:
1. "Cyber-Squatting" claim, in Nissan Computer’s favor.
2. "Infringement on non-auto-related" claim, in Nissan Computer’s favor.
3. "Infringement on auto-related" claim, in Nissan Motor’s favor.
4. "Dilution" claim was sent to trial.
Nissan Motor’s intention to make this case as expensive as possible for me was evident from the beginning. Undoubtedly, the notion that my company and me might be forced into bankruptcy rather than fight for my name, given the great expense, must have been a consideration. As if the financial burden incurred by me and Nissan Computers was not enough, Nissan Motor filed a lawsuit against the Internet Center, Inc., a corporation with three shareholders, in which I am the majority shareholder. The Internet Center, Inc. did not and does not utilize the word "NISSAN" in any way.
SEPTEMBER – 2002, Second Round of Summary Judgment.
The previous court rulings did not end this case. Nissan Motor filed a second round of Summary Judgment Motions, trying (and has been successful) to get the Court to deprive me of the right to a jury trial.
The Court, surprisingly, changed its attitude on this issue and:
1. Changed the relevant date for "fame" from 1991 to 1994.
2. Found that no reasonable jury could find that Nissan was not famous by 1994.
3. Found that Nissan Computer diluted Nissan Motor’s trademark.
4. Found that the publication of information about this lawsuit, the comments
made by many people on this site and my efforts to bring this issue to
the public, actually tarnished Nissan Motor’s trademark.
Many legal experts view this case, not as a "law-breaking" case, but as a "law-making" case. The Court indicated that certain aspects of this case may be creating new law as well.
Nissan Motor is now asking the Court to transfer nissan.com to them entirely. The potential loss of a domain name in this fashion may set the wrong precedent for future cases and will open the door for any deep-pocket corporation to do the same. This may become "the law of the land" by being solely based on "the law of the jungle", and could affect you or someone you know.
DECEMBER – 2002, Final Injunction.
The district court issued a final Judgment (PDF) allowing Nissan Computer to keep its nissan.com and nissan.net domain names, but restricted our rights to do the following:
1. Posting Commercial content at nissan.com and nissan.net;
2. Posting advertising or permitting advertising to be posted by third parties at
nissan.com and nissan.net;
3. Posting disparaging remarks or negative commentary regarding Nissan Motor
Co., Ltd. or Nissan North America, Inc. at nissan.com and nissan.net;
4. Placing, on nissan.com or nissan.net, links to other websites containing
commercial content, including advertising; and
5. Placing, on nissan.com or nissan.net, links to other websites containing
disparaging remarks or negative commentary regarding Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
or Nissan North America.
After reviewing this and other rulings of the district court, we believed that the only practical option was to appeal. One of the reasons for the appeal is that we and other experts considered the injunction and parts of other rulings to be a clear violation of our "First Amendment Rights" as it is to every American citizen’s constitutional rights.
OCTOBER – 2003, Appeal Initial Motion.
Nissan Computer filed its Opening Brief (PDF) to the 9th circuit court of appeals, addressing the district court’s rulings on:
A. Trademark Dilution
B. Trademark Infringement
C. Final Injunction
NOTE: It’s a long brief, but will allow you to better understand the merits of this case.
JANUARY – 2004, Appeal Reply Motion.
Nissan Motor filed a consolidated brief opposing Nissan Computer’s opening brief and a cross appeal on:
A. Trademark Infringement.
B. Final Injunction.
C. Requesting the court to force transfer Nissan.com to them.
Nissan Computer filed a Consolidated Brief (PDF) opposing NMC’s cross appeal and replying to their opposition.
AUGUST – 2004, Appeal Ruling.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling reversing the case and remanding it back to the District Court. In a Published Opinion (PDF) the Appellant Court rejected Nissan Motor’s cross appeal and reversed the District Court’s ruling against Nissan Computer on Dilution and the broad scope of the Final Injunction.
Not to our surprise, Nissan Motor filed a motion for rehearing by the 9th Circuit’s panel and a rehearing en banc (a rehearing by all of the Court of Appeals Judges). On September 2004, the 9th Circuit issued a Ruling (PDF) denying Nissan Motor’s motion for rehearing and rehearing en banc.
DECEMBER – 2004, Petition to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Nissan Motor filed a Petition for a "Writ of Certiorari" to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking review of the Appellant Court ruling on the Infringement and First Amendment issues.
APRIL – 2005, U.S. Supreme Court Order.
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued an Order, (PDF) Denying Nissan Motor’s Petition for a "Writ of Certiorari", thus the dilution claim, which is the only remaining issue was sent back to the district court.
JANUARY – 2007, Motion to strike Jury Demand.
Nissan Motor’s intentions to deprive us of a jury trial was evident from the beginning, they always felt that they have a better chance of prevailing in front of the judge rather than the jury. In the 11th hour, after all their efforts to do so was unsuccessful, they pulled their last ace and dropped their $10,000,000 damage claim in exchange for a "bench trial" rather then a "jury Trial".
MARCH – 2007, Trial.
The four-day bench trial occurred between March 27 and March 30 to determine NMC’s claims on:
1. Dilution
2. Permanent Injunction re: Dilution.
3. Permanent Injunction re: Infringement.
We are now waiting for the court’s ruling on these matters.
SEPTEMBER – 2007, Ruling.
The court has issued a Ruling (PDF) addressing NMC’s alleged claims in our favor:
1. Found that Nissan Computer did not Dilute NMC’s mark.
2. Denied NMC’s requests for Permanent Injunctions.
We are still waiting for the court to issue a final judgment.
JANUARY – 2008, Motion For Attorneys’ Fees.
Nissan Motor has been unrelenting in its lawsuit against us and despite that they lost; they subsequently filed a motion asking the court to award them millions of dollars in attorneys’ fees.
FEBRUARY – 2008, Ruling on Attorneys’ Fees and Final Judgment.
The court has issued a Ruling (PDF) addressing these remaining issues:
1. Nissan Motor is NOT entitled to attorneys’ fees.
2. Nissan Computer is entitled to cost under rule 68.
The court ordered NMC to pay $58,000 as cost under rule 68, this is less then 2% of what the cost was to defend this case.
You would think this case is over….. but it really isn’t.
MARCH – 2008 Nissan Motor’s trademark registration.
Nissan Motor is attempting to obtain a Federal Trademark Registration for computers and computer peripherals among other classes of goods and services. We feel that Nissan Motor, in this action, is staging a future case against us in the computer and peripherals market.
We are left with no other course of action but to oppose this registration.
Public awareness of this unacceptable corporate behavior is crucial to eradicating it and we are asking you to take a stand and make a difference on this issue. Your collective voice is more compelling than the lobbying power of corporate giants and it is a voice that cannot be ignored. Together we can make a difference and help keep our freedom intact, for us, for our children, and for our grandchildren.
Posted By RichC on November 6, 2010
Although the new HP Palm Pre 2 has shown up in France, and according to rumors (an accidental web posting) will be available on Verizon in a couple days, I’m having a hard time getting too excited. That’s probably a good thing since my carrier Sprint may not have it for a while.
The added memory and 1ghz processor should make it snappier and bring Palm devices up to the current speed that Android and iPhone users have been upgraded too. The features in the enhanced webOS 2.0 operating system shipping on the new HP devices will also improve on a few productivity glitches … but still I’m hearing that a few things that we once had with old PalmOS devices are still not supported. I do like the new ‘gorilla glass’ screen and portrait/vertical oriented slide-out keyboard, but occasionally find myself envious of devices with bigger screens — but, it’s a cellphone and many of us want to carry it in our pockets, right?
I’ll hold my judgment for now … and cross my fingers that HP/Palm has also done something to extend battery life.
Posted By RichC on November 5, 2010
Here’s a last minute Tech Friday idea; a website that creates your own newspaper from Twitter connections. Paper.li is a service that assembles a newspaper-like page with links, photos and media from Twitter users, lists or #keywords. Within a minute you can publish and share a randomly composed page of interesting, or not so interesting, reading.
According to paper.li, a new page is generated each day based on the Twitter content you request. Give it a try, I did since it’s free.
