For the price of a mile of highway, you too can have a bike-friendly city (video)

Roadways suitable for motor traffic are expensive to construct & expensive to maintain. Cycle paths on the other hand are much cheaper.

Of course, there are many other benefits of bikes for transport, including improved health of cyclists, improved air quality & reduced traffic congestion.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/28/price-mile-highway-bike-friendly-city / cars Fred Armisen Spyke, bicycle advocate Portlandia car noisy ugly smell terrible cause disease epidemic proportion. move too fast extraordinary amount space leech economy run people over kids motor accident fatality death road toll bicycle activist Portland Oregon bicycle friendly most bicycle-friendly city USA US hate cars people who drive cars drivers most to lose cost expense money major source cause household debt investment investments like houses depreciation depreciate cost costing more own them use car ownership federal Consumer Expenditure Survey 2012 average family spend spends transportation spend on food reasonable affordable cost of roads construct construction build building maintenance maintaining them petrol gas gasoline gasolene taxes tax myth President Eisenhower signed Interstate Highway Act generation generations escalating civic and private debt sales income property special levies pay for roads bargain taxpayers users alike paint signage concrete rider riders disease chronic diseases heart disease stroke cancer diabetes autism exercise zoning fast food consumption stress social isolation depression healthcare savings invest millions network bicycle only bicycle-only highways connect city suburbs commute save savings healthcare claims medical bills save our lives /

Australia's carbon tax — no repeal bonanza?

Australia relatively recently introduced a "carbon tax" on emissions of carbon dioxide as an initial step towards a carbon trading scheme. The then opposition Liberal/National coalition complained loud & long about the upward pressure on prices which the carbon tax was alleged to have produced. Late last year, the Liberal/Nationals (whose leader, Tony Abbot, once described global warming as "crap") won an election substantially on a promise to repeal the carbon tax, with a substantial downward impact on consumer prices.

Now industry leaders are claiming that repealing the carbon tax will have little or no impact on prices.

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/11/7/policy-politics/no-carbon-repeal-bonanza-0?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=500899&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt= / assorted claim claims past five years Abbott tabloid media Australia Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry buy buying price prices buy buying electricity bills halved repeal price bonanza business groups industry association ACCI businesses represent sell sale sales Australian Industry Group membership manufacturer manufacture centric manufacturing-centric government AiGroup survey per cent businesses business manufacturing services construction sectors sector pass through on carbon related carbon-related energy cost increases to customers sample pass through cost business businesses total carbon costs estimated passed on to customers customer suggest energy prices price not go down energy prices price risen continue continuing rise other reasons reason particularly large increases electricity network costs dramatic increase in wholesale gas prices proportionate impact remove removing carbon costs not match impact introduction Energy Supply Association coalition government now reduction power bills previous prior government claimed based Treasury modeling modelling Energy Supply Association reduction in prices legislation parliament inform informing direction power bills consumers electricity power prices Australian Food and Grocery Council government community food grocery prices abolish abolishing across the board reduction repealed Business Council of Australia proportion carbon price nature industry contract implication implications government community expectations expectation scale price reductions reduction community community’s expectations expectation impacts impact carbon price based on exaggerated claims elect election elected /

Fun with USB On-The-Go gadgets

Credit: The Gadgeteer

USB OTG (USB On-The-Go) flash drive (4GB) connects to (some) Android devices. Also includes microSD card reader & full size USB flash drive for $25.


Credit: The Gadgeteer

USB OTG 4 port USB hub shown connected to Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Apple keyboard, Lenovo mouse & two USB flash drives. Supplied with an adapter for use as a conventional USB hub for your laptop or desktop computer for $11 total!

More at:

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/11/04/fun-with-usb-on-the-go-gadgets-from-brando/#more-142541 / Android device phone mobile cell smart smartphone OS version 3.1 higher USB on the go On-The-Go useful feature USB On-The-Go abbreviated abbreviate OTG enable enabled enables attach flash storage drive mouse mice keyboard keyboards Android device through micro USB port device Brando sells sell images image 2-in-1 micro USB Flash Drive vailable red black silver 2-in-1 micro USB Flash Drive standard key flash drive full size sized USB connector computer one end micro USB connector Android phone opposite end 2-in-1 3 capacities 8GB 16GB 32GB version 8.43 GB free drive transfer files computer plug it in copy files ordinary flash drive Android phone’s phone micro USB port file explorer app X-plore view copy delete files drive play audio video files easy use works great blink blinks file files being accessed transferred annoy annoying distracting plugged in into phone tablet watch video blink blinking red LED drive full sized USB connector micro USB connector 4GB capacity micro SD card slot MacBook Air Samsung Galaxy S3 Samsung Galaxy Note 2 flash memory SD card mounted separate drive drives copy copying files built in storage SGN2 3rd party ROM installed $25 PQI Connect 201 2-in-1 USB Flash Drive 16 32GB capacities capacity PC Mac Macintosh Linux machine mount external drive remove cap expose micro USB connector connect plug Android device 32GB flash storage PQI physical size built in memory MicroUSB OTG 4-Port Hub gadget review reviewed reviewing micro USB cable groove along the edge /

iPin Laser Presenter for iPhone

iPin laser

Installed in iPhone
Credit: The Gadgeteer

Relatively expensive for a laser presenter, but no batteries to replace (powered from the earphone socket) & nothing extra to carry. iPhone only.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/11/01/ipin-laser-presenter-for-iphone-review/#more-142401/ iPhone iPad iPod iOS Apple present presentation beam point /

SR-71 Blackbird — Running out of superlatives (video)

Credit: NASA

Having entered service in 1964, the SR-71 remains the fastest air breathing, manned aircraft. Ever. At an altitude of 87,000 feet (16.5 miles, 26.5 kilometres), the pilot could see the curvature of the Earth & the blackness of space. Faster than a bullet, the SR-71 flew too high & too fast to be threatened by fighters or missiles.

At Mach 3 it had a turn radius of 100 miles (160 kilometres).

Interestingly, it is claimed that the SR-71 is the only plane that used less fuel the faster it travelled.

Stories from SR-71 pilots:

http://www.twinturbo.net/nissan/300zx/forums/general/view/1116764/Humor-Man-Ive-been-stressed-badlythis-broke-it.html

Video of SR-71 Blackbird:

http://youtu.be/vpVT5Lr0BbI

Longer video (47 minutes)

http://youtu.be/kn6CgKEuB-M / sr71 plane air plane aeroplane photograph aerial surveylance pilot photograph photography Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird advanced long range long-range Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft development develop developed black project Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft Skunk Works division Clarence Kelly Johnson design designing designer design's innovative concepts reconnaissance missions SR-71 operated operate operation high speeds altitude altitudes outrace threats surface-to-air missile launch detected standard evasive action accelerate outfly missile serve served U.S. Air Force Habu world record fastest air breathing air-breathing manned aircraft /

TronicalTune adds push-button tuning to your existing guitar (video)

Credit: TruNorth/The Gadgeteer

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/11/01/tronicaltune-adds-push-button-tuning-to-your-existing-electric-guitar/

Video of TronicalTune add-on push-button tuning in action:

http://youtu.be/Y0D8k5TwtcI / TronicalTune Cybertronic Tuning System Germany German TruNorth tunes tune guitar seconds push button strum strings system consists miniaturized low profile micro controller micro-controller six motorized tuning pegs install installs back guitar’s headstock replace replacing replaced existing tuning pegs peg 10 minutes professional installation alteration special tools TronicalTune powered rechargeable lithium polymer battery lithium ion LiIon provides 300 tunings tuning tune per charge charged charging system compatible with hundreds of electric acoustic guitars well known brands brand Gibson Fender Yamaha Taylor Epiphone Ibanez music musician musicians switch between 18 different tune tuning tunings 12 factory presets 6 user presets preset press of a button button pressed TronicalTune signals signal servomotor servo motor peg turn tighten tightening tighten loosen tight loose loosening string adjust adjusting adjusted pitch tune TronicalTune recommend recommended retail price pricing suggested price $329 chrome vintage pearl $349 black $369 gold close closest retailer /

Blood & Gore: Coal is becoming a stranded asset

Credit: BBC

With widespread installation of solar, wind farms & other renewable sources of electricity, coal is becoming less attractive to investors. In an article published in The Wall Street Journal, Al Gore & David Blood, claim that coal may become a stranded asset. I.e. "... an asset that has become obsolete, or non-performant, but must be recorded on the balance sheet as a loss of profit. The term has particular relevance to pricing long-term economic and environmental sustainability." — Wikipedia

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088081_gore-and-blood-coal-is-becoming-a-stranded-asset / power station Gore Blood our energy future stranded assets those lose economic value anticipated useful life reserves fossil fuels particularly coal unused value values fall decrease legislation legislative technology improvements obsolescence petroleum future stranded asset regulation education automotive industry spending more cut contribution climate change form emitted carbon regulatory regulation side influenced carbon budgets budget limits limit restrict carbon output energy usage use company companies industry long term long-term carbon budgets reduce fossil fuel use existing fuel reserves monetized authors suggest cause the current energy market energy-market bubble burst investors see perceive value assets will fall Al Gore David Blood writing The Wall Street Journal carbon based carbon-based energy investors same mistake invest investment invested sub-prime mortgages global economic crisis 2007 2008 ignore risk stranded carbon assets government governments governmental policy attempts mitigate effects climate change coal reserves viewed as valuable major part electricity electrical electric energy generation particularly susceptible stranded-asset stranded asset risk regulation advances technology green greener options fixing fix problem best option divestment encouraging investors away from portfolios carry high carbon related carbon-related risks risk towards low risk reduce reduced alternative energy convinced by climate change global warming green house greenhouse green-house effect carbon dioxide CO2 arguments change changes government governmental policy invest investing industry increasing increasingly expensive regulation political economic outlook renewable energy becoming cost competitive cost-competitive subsidy subsidies future success alternative energy base based regulation regulatory mandates energy companies company looking towards alternatives investors invest investment coal exports reducing reduction dropping USA U.S. coal-heavy China reduce pollution problems hint fairly value coal decline future investors overlooking risk stranded assets asset bottom line continued use carbon-based fuel fuels economic /