Keep the TDI ‘clean diesel’ tax credit deadlines in mind
Posted By RichC on June 4, 2010
Worth mentioning if you’re considering a new Volkswagen TDI this year …
via cincitdi.com
Roz Savage, Ocean Rower, complete crossing of the Pacific Ocean
Posted By RichC on June 4, 2010
Roz Savage finished her row across the Pacific Ocean and is welcomed into Madang, Papua New Guinea by a crowd of 5000 welcomers. Her rowing, endurance and spirit is amazing. Here’s a snippet from her blog, rozsavage.com.
The first local people to congratulate me were a few fishermen, out early in their outrigger canoes, who formed an orderly line to pass close to my boat and shake my hand.
They were just the first of many. As I neared the harbour a flotilla of about twenty canoes, all decked out in traditional garlands of leaves, came out to join me and escort me to the dock. I hope you’ve seen the photos that Mum posted earlier, and seen how splendid the boats and their paddlers looked. Everybody was smiling, especially me. I kept stopping to wave to the crowds, who waved back enthusiastically. I wish I could find a way to row and wave at the same time, but I’m still working on it.
As I got closer to the dock the crowds on the shoreline thickened. Schoolchildren in uniform created blocks of colour. As I rounded the corner towards the Madang Resort the harbour wall was absolutely packed. The estimated number is five thousand people, and I don’t think that is any exaggeration.
We completed the formalities on the dock, and then I was free to step ashore. I was met by the Governor of PNG, who explained the meaning of the traditional garlands and string bags that various well-wishers placed around my neck. As we moved through the crowd everyone was reaching out to shake my hand or touch me. It could have been overwhelming to be surrounded by such a crush of humanity after 46 days at sea, but in fact it felt great.
via rozsavage.com
Radium License contest at Mac.AppStorm
Posted By RichC on June 4, 2010
An easy way to listen to web-based radio is using Radium on the Mac. By entering a contest at mac.apstorm.net you might even get a license free. (Thanks Scott)
via mac.appstorm.net
Lightning made for a beautiful 11PM photo
Posted By RichC on June 4, 2010
While heading home the distant lightning lit night and the sky making for an interesting photo … so stuck the camera out the window for a 2 second exposure just as the bolt brighten the surroundings.
The Palm Pre and Pixi’s future is in question … again
Posted By RichC on June 3, 2010
After HP purchased Palm, most developing and carrying around webOS mobile devices had a sigh of relief believed that having a bigger company behind Palm would give them a chance to compete in the crowded handset device market. Unfortunately HP CEO Mark Hurd isn’t seeing things the way Palm advocates did? Thanks for the link Scott.
HP CEO: "We didn’t buy Palm to be in the smartphone business"
You’d think spending a billion dollars on a smartphone company would indicate a desire to, say, make and sell smartphones, but you’d apparently be thinking wrong: HP CEO Mark Hurd just told investors at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch tech conference that his company "didn’t buy Palm to be in the smartphone business," and that he’s not going to "spend billions of dollars trying to go into the smartphone business; that doesn’t in any way make any sense." Yes, that sound you’re hearing is Jon Rubinstein’s heart breaking into a million tiny pieces. According to Hurd, HP was actually more interested in Palm’s IP — specifically webOS, which he wants to put on "tens of millions of HP small form-factor web-connected devices." Sure, that makes sense, and it lines up perfectly with HP’s plan to "double down on webOS" and put it on everything from netbooks and slates to printers, but hey, Mark? You should really look into the smartphone business when you get a second, okay? Just trust us on this one.
We didn’t buy Palm to be in the smartphone business. And I tell people that, but it doesn’t seem to resonate well. We bought it for the IP. The WebOS is one of the two ground-up pieces of software that is built as a web operating environment…We have tens of millions of HP small form factor web-connected devices…Now imagine that being a web-connected environment where now you can get a common look and feel and a common set of services laid against that environment. That is a very value proposition.
Reid Stowe Returns – June 17, 2010
Posted By RichC on June 3, 2010
Reid Returns – June 17, 2010
10 am to 1 pm
Flotilla to welcome Stowe from south of the Verrazano Bridge to Pier 81
All vessels must register. — Flotilla PlanNoon (approximately)
Best viewing of the Welcome Flotilla is at Robert F Wagner Park along the Battery Parkcity Esplanade; Bring signs saying “WELCOME HOME, REID!!!”1 pm to 3 pm
Welcome event on Pier 81 (World Yacht / Circle Line)
Foot of West 42nd Street & Hudson River
Stowe lands, reunited with family, greetings by NYC VIPs, photo oppty.
Free admittance by Press Event Pass reservation, only.
Pier 81 event, food & champagne generously hosted by Circle Line / World Yacht
via 1000days.net
Stock market averages rebound helped by energy sector
Posted By RichC on June 3, 2010
The stock market rebounded on Tuesday after selling on the government’s comments regarding criminal investigations of BP yesterday. Since I regularly reflect on moves down, it is about time to acknowledge that their is still an appetite for value … in today’s case, energy sector stocks.
Most stocks were up as the DJIA jumped 225.52 points, or 2.2% to 10249.54. Big movers were Exxon Mobil and Chevron 
of the energy sector, as well as American Express and Walt Disney — both up over 4%. For BP conditions in the Gulf haven’t improved as the “Top Kill” operation to plug the Gulf spill failed. Today they are attempting to try a rubber sealed cap, although cutting the pipe one mile under the ocean is proving to be a big challenge. (Link to their response website)
Still, for investors worried about the economy and if or when they should invest in companies, today was positive. For companies themselves, seeing signs of recovery and a desire to hire will be a first step to improving unemployment woes for many Americans. The news yesterday that the Bank of Canada would be tightening interest rates also underscores that internationally we may be seeing a recovery.
This grab taken from a BP live video feed shows the energy giant’s latest attempt
to stop fluid escaping from the fractured pipe / AFP
Do we really need a more sophisticated black box for our cars?
Posted By RichC on June 2, 2010
Speaking of “more government,” how about adding a few more thousand dollars to the price of a car? Do we really need another electronic gadget … a black box … for our cars? (Neil Cavuto video clip below)
Wall Street sours on Govt Criminal probe into BP Oil spill
Posted By RichC on June 1, 2010
The U.S. Government through Attorney General Eric Holder announced that they have opened a criminal investigation into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. His comments spooked late day trading on Wall Street –"We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law anyone who has violated the law."
The huge spill from a well owned by British oil giant BP, has leaked – spewed – oil over a month and is damaging Louisiana and surrounding shores extensively. Businesses from fishing to tourism have been severely affected and the damage will total into the billions of dollars. Damage to the environment will be much harder to measure, but will surly to be a subject of debate well after the offshore well is capped and businesses have been reimbursed.
Of concern to many have been either the lack of a high priority response from Washington DC or the wrong response … proceeding with a“heavy handed criminal probe.” It might make more sense to tackle the immediate 
problem of stopping the oil, cleaning up the mess and taking care of the people before focusing on “criminal charges,” don’t ya think?
From my point of view, both BP and the Federal government were ill-prepared to shut down and containing the spill. I have little problem pointing the finger at the drillers and BP … but find is sanctimonious for the Federal government to see themselves as innocent in their oversight duties and in responding effectively after the spill occurred. What is really frustrating is that after about a month of “talking like they are in charge,” the Obama Administration is now jumping to the “criminal investigation.” Responding with such heavy handedness only spooks an already jittery economic recovery. Business leaders and investors, needed to expand business an put Americans back to work, already fear government takeovers and an intrusion into capitalism and free markets.
A little pro-business policy would go a long way to help the economy recover and ease the worry for those wanting to invest in American businesses and industry.
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.