GM's Lutz sees limited share for electric cars

 I wrote a column about cars that run on air last year;

As It Stands: Vehicles that run on air are ready

 It’s nice to see all of this talk about electric cars, but an air-powered car holds more fascination for me.

The technology is there. Perhaps we’ll hear more about it in the coming years.

Meanwhile this from Reuters:

“GM unveiled the production version of the Chevy Volt at the show, a battery-powered car set to launch at the end of 2010 that has become a symbol for the automaker's effort to reinvent itself over the past four years.”

Go here to read this story.

Also, go to High Battery Powered Electric Cars For 2010 for a related story.

A summary of religions …

Via incredimazing

French hamster hotel lets guests live like rodents

During my caffeine infusion this morning I ran across this wacky story and decided it would be a good way to start a day…with a chuckle!

“It's a unique concept according to its creators. A hotel in the French city of Nantes is offering the chance for people to become a hamster.” Go here for the story.

Segway Inventor’s New Device Turns Sewage into Clean Water

The inventor of the Segway has come up with a revolutionary invention that could provide access to clean water for millions of people.

 Go to Gimundo News & Features for the story.

 Image via Gimundo

These babies are chilling out…

While slurping my first cup of coffee this morning I couldn’t help noticing all the news (NBC) was negative. There’s so much going on in our stressed-out world that I felt an image like this might make you smile!

“RNPS IMAGES OF THE YEAR 2009 - Seven babies sit in tummy tubs filled with water to cool down after a baby massage class held for young mothers in IJmuiden March 24, 2009. The "cooling down" segment is to simulate a womb-like environment for the infants to experience the warmth and comfort.”

REUTERS/United Photos (NE RLANDS SOCIETY HEALTH IMAGE OF THE DAY TOP PICTURE)

Who you know, and wealth, pave the way to elitism in the USA

It’s time for a look at our red, white, and blue class caste system.

  Earlier this year a hoax was perpetrated on the media by a middle-class family. Richard and his wife Mayumi, Heene faked out the world for a day claiming their son flew away...in a home-made flying saucer!
  When the “balloon boy” six-year-old Falcon slipped-up during a national TV interview, the Heene’s attempt to launch a reality show ended up in court where they both pleaded guilty to lying to the authorities.
   They’re getting two-years probation for part of their prank, but a hefty fine is hovering in the future after the FAA finish their report and turn the bean-counters loose after them.
    I think their also paying some other fines in relation to the search effort that was launched.
   Mr. Heene wanted to make a buck on the reality TV craze, but underestimated the consequences of his efforts. Someday the Heene’s may return with a TV show of their own investigating hoaxes or something, but they better get slicker in their efforts.
   Then we have the case of the “blue bloods” crashing the President’s party. Like the Heene’s, Michaele and Tareq Salahis, wanted to be in a reality show. In this case, “The Real Housewives of DC.” The wealthy socialite couple managed to get past secret service security and to shake hands with President Obama.
  Wow huh? Needless to say the Secret Service is not pleased that everyone is snickering at them. What a screw-up eh? Just think if the Salahis had been extremist Muslim moles? Serious stuff. Someone has to pay for this hoax.They were uninvited guests that just turned out to be a wealthy Washington socialite couple that liked to have attention focused on them. Kinda like the Heene’s.
    Do you think the justice department will go after them? I heard some vague muttering about getting them for lying about having an invitation. Actually they were more like grunts coming from embarrassed law enforcement officials.
    If you’re like me, you suspect the most the Salahis will ever have happen to them is they’ll get their own reality TV show. “Money makes money,” I heard someone once say. The Heene family could have used some more money to raise their kids. The Salahis (by all reports) see this kind of exposure as power. Their Face Book page is littered with gripe-and-grins with the nation’s power elite, and now they have the biggest coup of all...President Obama.
      Can you imagine if the Heene’s had tried a stunt like the Salahis’s pulled off? Richard Heene would still be in a dark cell being “water-boarded” until he confessed to being a Muslim terrorist. And just imagine if his name was Tareq Salahis! His muffled screams would ring throughout the holidays.
      CNN would be airing stories of terrorist suicide families that were willing to do anything to kill infidel Americans. Legislators would sacrifice little Falcon Heene on the White House steps during a solemn patriotic ceremony. His entrails would be scattered to the on-looking Senators who would take them back to their constituents.
     As It Stands, instead of dots on the forehead like India’s caste system, elite Americans have dollar signs tattooed over their hearts!  

America: an Empire at Risk

Is the sun setting upon the American Empire? We show a lot of the classic signs of a degenerating superpower, from crumbling infrastructure to our economic influence worldwide.

We won the cold war and weathered 9/11. But now economic weakness is endangering our global power.

“But if the United States succumbs to a fiscal crisis, as an increasing number of economic experts fear it may, then the entire balance of global economic power could shift. Military experts talk as if the president's decision about whether to send an additional 40,000 troops to Afghanistan is a make-or-break moment. In reality, his indecision about the deficit could matter much more for the country's long-term national security. Call the United States what you like—superpower, hegemon, or empire—but its ability to manage its finances is closely tied to its ability to remain the predominant global military power. Here's why:” Go to NewsWeek to read the rest.

AOA study says Americans practice poor eye care

By Dave Stancliff/For the Times-Standard

Posted: 11/29/2009 01:27:19 AM PST

”The eye is the jewel

of the body.”

-- Henry David Thoreau

My first clue that my vision was going came when I bought a new television set in 1985 and couldn't get the picture to come in clearly. My wife and three children assured me there was nothing wrong with the set and I should see an optometrist.

Go to the Times-Standard to read the whole column.

Innocents Betrayed: A Times Investigation

 What compounds this sad story is that we’re only talking about one county in America.

The reality is it’s happening nationwide in countless counties.In my opinion, this is one of the most devastating societal problems we have.

These children are our future. But our current priorities don’t reflect that. This may seem like a gloomy thing to be talking about during the holiday season, but it’s reality. For them Christmas is secondary to surviving!

Flawed county system lets children die invisibly

Miguel Padilla, mistreated and abandoned, killed himself at 17

Lazhanae Harris, 13 and on the run, was stabbed to death in L.A.

She had bounced from one stop to another in the welfare system.

County dithered, children died

When agencies fail to share details of abuse cases in L.A. County, tragedy can result. A good database remains elusive.

Files detail deaths of 14 children

The abuse cases came from families that had been under scrutiny by L.A. County child welfare officials.

Go here to see a video and more photos.

 

Secret Service breakdown blamed for White House gate-crashing

 It’s a miracle that Obama hasn’t been assassinated yet. This breakdown in security is unbelievable. Two uninvited guests to a State dinner? Wow!

 I’ve got a hunch someone is going to lose their job, or worse, get reassigned to Bush’s security detail in Crawford, Texas!

'Our procedure wasn't followed' at one security checkpoint at the gala, an agency spokesman says. The couple who attended uninvited had been auditioning earlier for a reality TV show.

Go to The LA Times for the story.

Skip the plane, take the train? More Americans looking for cheaper Thanksgiving travel options

 I pity the millions of Americans who have to travel long distances in this economy (and deal with the stress it causes) to be with loved ones.

I won’t be posting anything tomorrow as I will be enjoying the day with my ever-growing family.

I wish you a peaceful and fruitful day with your love ones. Here’s what millions of travels are facing:

“Millions of Americans got an early jump on their Thanksgiving travel Wednesday, with many opting to drive or take trains and buses instead of shelling out more money for flights amid a sour economy still hitting household budgets hard.”

Go to the Chicago Tribune to read this story and see a video.

Why we swing our arms when we walk

Haven’t you laid awake nights wondering why your arms swing back and forth when you walk?

I’ve pondered many mysteries in my life – but this was NOT ONE.

So why post about this swigging scientific revelation? Why not?

Who knew? My wife says I have “monkey arms” because (in her estimation) they are longer than normal. There is a reason we do it however. Read On:

“BOSTON: A new study explains why people swing their arms as they walk, a seemingly unnecessary movement for which researchers have tried to find an explanation.”

Go to Cosmos Magazine to read the whole story.

Photo via the University of Michigan

Obama promises to 'finish the job' in Afghanistan

My only comment is, the sooner the better!

“Signaling he's decided on new troop levels for the Afghanistan war, President Barack Obama said Tuesday he intends to "finish the job" on his watch and destroy terrorist networks in the region.”

Go to this AP article to read the whole story.

Home sales rise to highest level in 2.5 years

Seems to me that this is a positive sign and things are getting a little better. However, before getting too excited it’s important to understand that these statistics are based upon an expiring tax credit.

Once the deadline passes we should get a better picture of what’s really going on in the real estate market. Check back in six months and survey the economy then.

Meanwhile…   

Only a 7-month supply of homes on market; bidding wars are erupting

From the Associated Press about an hour ago…

“Home sales surged for the second month in a row in October, climbing to the highest level in 2 1/2 years as first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of an expiring tax credit.”

Read the whole story here.

Patrons toke medical marijuana in Oregon cafe

 I’m not surprised someone has taken advantage of the positive vibes that have been going out on legalizing medical marijuana.

I am surprised that it was Oregon, and not California that got the first smoking lounge. This is the first, but I’m sure not the last.

So when are we going to get one in Humboldt County?

 “The Cannabis Cafe is the nation's first medical marijuana smoking lounge. It's all perfectly legal and, for cancer patient Albert Santistevan, it's about time.”

Go to USA Today to read the story and to see a video.

PHOTO: Madeline Martinez, executive director of the Oregon chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, uses a "vaporizer," a device with a plastic bag that captures the potent vapors of heated marijuana, at the Cannabis Cafe. By Rick Bowmer, AP

 

Technorati Tags: medical marijuana,smoking lounges

Don't forget to toast the turkey this Thanksgiving

By Dave Stancliff/For the Times-Standard

Posted: 11/22/2009 01:27:20 AM PST

I think it's high time turkeys got more respect.

Most people don't think about this noble bird until Thanksgiving rolls around. Then, according to numerous surveys, 90 percent of American homes serve turkey as the main course in their holiday dinner.

Are turkeys stupid? This bad rap demonstrates the misinformation flying around about Meleagris Gallopavo (scientific genus and species). Just look at how turkeys got their name. I'll give you a hint; what does a country in the Middle East have in common with an American bird?

Go to The Times-Standard to read the rest of this column.

Technorati Tags: turkeys,thanksgiving

Ten Whatchamacallits And Their Real Names

You see these things around you all the time. Some of them, you even use. The least you could do is know their names!

1. Punt, or Kick

The small indentation at the bottom or a wine bottle, designed to give the bottle extra strength, and also, to make it look like it has more wine than it really does.

To see the rest go to ListVerse

Hacked emails add fuel to climate dispute

 Here’s more fuel for the “global warming” debate. Frankly I don’t know who to believe anymore. One scientist says there is global warming and another says there isn’t.

 What is a lay person, such as myself, suppose to do with this conflicting information?

Hackers steal, release electronic data from top climate research center

“Hackers broke into the electronic files of one of the world's foremost climate research centers this week and posted an array of e-mails in which prominent scientists engaged in a blunt discussion of global warming research and disparaged climate-change skeptics.”

Go to this Washington Post article via MSNBC

Technorati Tags: global warming research,computer hackers

Cartoons invade reality or vice versa?

 The 7-11 at the intersection of Olive and Verdugo in Burbank has temporarily been converted into a Kwik-E-Mart.

Eleven 7-11s in the United States and two in Canada have been converted into Kwik-E-Marts as part of the promotion.DCist has their very own Kwik-E-Mart in Bladensburg, MD.

 Go to what’s the crack? for more information and some more cool pictures.

  Warning: I’m not sure how old this news is.

Technorati Tags: The Simpsons,Kwik-E Marts

Military experiment seeks to predict PTSD

 I think this program has some merit, but I’m concerned it might take funds that could be used to treat the thousands of troops that need help right now.

While there is an awareness of PTSD (unlike when I was serving)it doesn’t change the fact the VA is overwhelmed with disability claims and doctors to treat the condition.

In my opinion you put the fire out first, then you go back and try to figure out a way to keep it from happening again.  

"Right now, we can't determine with certainty who will and who won't develop PTSD," said Paula Schnurr, deputy executive director of the Department of Veterans Affairs' National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. "Perhaps with better measures, we can get closer."

Go to AP News Via Yahoo News to read the whole story.

Technorati Tags: PTSD