photo: abcnews.go.com
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Cajun Navy
Houston, Texas, has had over fifty inches of rain since last Friday night. Houston police sent out a request for volunteer boat-owners to help people in trouble. An answer came back: "#Houston Hang on. The CAJUN NAVY is already activated and on the way."
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Elon's solution
(cont'd from yesterday's post)
"As you can imagine, iPhones and Tesla cars—which source their cobalt from child slave labor—are a [potential] corporate scandal nightmare"
Tesla can't afford to be tarred by cobalt from mines in the Congo (yesterday's post), so here's their plan to avoid potential scandal:
Tesla says they now get their cobalt from a Japanese company operating in the Philippines. They also claim that the gigafactory (which will supply batteries for the half-million cars Tesla plans to make in 2018) is going to get all its materials from North America.
It turns out that the U.S. hasn't mined cobalt since 1971, but a Canadian company with a commitment to ethical operation plans to start doing that in Idaho - and they will supply cobalt to Tesla.
At mining.com, they say that buying cobalt from the Congo is "Elon Musk's worst nightmare." But Elon Musk didn't get where he is by failing to look ahead. So it seems like this is Tesla getting ahead of the problem.
Phone companies are under scrutiny too. Sony, Apple, and Samsung say that they enforce ethical standards on their suppliers.
"As you can imagine, iPhones and Tesla cars—which source their cobalt from child slave labor—are a [potential] corporate scandal nightmare"
Tesla can't afford to be tarred by cobalt from mines in the Congo (yesterday's post), so here's their plan to avoid potential scandal:
Tesla says they now get their cobalt from a Japanese company operating in the Philippines. They also claim that the gigafactory (which will supply batteries for the half-million cars Tesla plans to make in 2018) is going to get all its materials from North America.
It turns out that the U.S. hasn't mined cobalt since 1971, but a Canadian company with a commitment to ethical operation plans to start doing that in Idaho - and they will supply cobalt to Tesla.
photo: entrepreneur.com
Phone companies are under scrutiny too. Sony, Apple, and Samsung say that they enforce ethical standards on their suppliers.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Child labor
(cont'd from yesterday's post)
According to this website, roughly 135,000 electric vehicles will be sold this year. Tesla alone plans to sell about 500,000 in 2018. Cobalt will be needed for each one. Easy to see why there's a lot of attention on the cobalt industry, and why projected shortages are making people nervous.
Aside from the production shortfall, there's this other big problem. A year and a half ago, Amnesty International reported "children as young as seven working in dangerous conditions" producing cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"Children told Amnesty International they worked for up to 12 hours a day in the mines, carrying heavy loads to earn between $1 and $2 US a day. In 2014, approximately 40,000 children worked in mines across southern DRC, many of them mining cobalt, according to UNICEF.
“Anyone with a smartphone [or electric vehicle] would be appalled to think that children as young as seven carrying out back-breaking work for 12 hours a day could be involved at some point in the making of it.”
According to this website, roughly 135,000 electric vehicles will be sold this year. Tesla alone plans to sell about 500,000 in 2018. Cobalt will be needed for each one. Easy to see why there's a lot of attention on the cobalt industry, and why projected shortages are making people nervous.
Aside from the production shortfall, there's this other big problem. A year and a half ago, Amnesty International reported "children as young as seven working in dangerous conditions" producing cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"Children told Amnesty International they worked for up to 12 hours a day in the mines, carrying heavy loads to earn between $1 and $2 US a day. In 2014, approximately 40,000 children worked in mines across southern DRC, many of them mining cobalt, according to UNICEF.
“Anyone with a smartphone [or electric vehicle] would be appalled to think that children as young as seven carrying out back-breaking work for 12 hours a day could be involved at some point in the making of it.”
photo: lcnewsgroup.com
(cont'd tomorrow)
Monday, August 28, 2017
Cobalt surge
Cobalt is not a household word in America, but it probably is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They produce 60% of the world's supply, and the mines are worked . . by children.
The world needs cobalt more than ever before. There's more cobalt than lithium in
lithium-ion batteries--the essential component of those electric cars that all car companies are developing as fast as they can.
It's critical to electric car development but worldwide production is not keeping up. Severe shortages are getting worse. Its price jumped 150% last year.
(cont'd tomorrow)
image: periodictable.com
The world needs cobalt more than ever before. There's more cobalt than lithium in
lithium-ion batteries--the essential component of those electric cars that all car companies are developing as fast as they can.
It's critical to electric car development but worldwide production is not keeping up. Severe shortages are getting worse. Its price jumped 150% last year.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Now two
Twin girls Eva and Erika were born conjoined at the chest, but at two years old they were separated in just the second surgery of its kind. This month they celebrated their third birthday as separate children.
Thursday, August 24, 2017
More attacks
Nigeria has been suffering the attacks of Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist terrorist group, for eight years. Over 20,000 people have been killed and thousands have been kidnapped, following the pattern of ISIS.
Last year the Nigerian government claimed to have crushed the group, but another 19 have been killed. Victims included members of a civilian self-defense force and some people in mourning for them, plus another 23 wounded, all in a string of attacks this summer.
"Boko Haram has increasingly used girls and young women to carry out attacks on marketplaces, checkpoints and other targets. Some young women who escaped extremist group have said girls are drugged and forced to carry out suicide missions."
photo: newafricabusinessnews,com
"Boko Haram has increasingly used girls and young women to carry out attacks on marketplaces, checkpoints and other targets. Some young women who escaped extremist group have said girls are drugged and forced to carry out suicide missions."
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Eclipse trip
We were there yesterday, directly in the path of totality for the Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017.
We were late making plans, but got a 12x20 hilltop spot for our tent on the grassy grounds of a local business. (Hotel reservations maxed out months ago by people who understood the significance of this eclipse early and who are not procrastinators.) Lawn chairs and coolers lined parking lots early in the day to stake out viewing positions.
The sky started out partly cloudy, then overcast, then it started to rain. We were washed out. The freeway was overwhelmed, a 7 or 8 hour drive home became almost 11 hours.
Not everything turns out great.
We were late making plans, but got a 12x20 hilltop spot for our tent on the grassy grounds of a local business. (Hotel reservations maxed out months ago by people who understood the significance of this eclipse early and who are not procrastinators.) Lawn chairs and coolers lined parking lots early in the day to stake out viewing positions.
The sky started out partly cloudy, then overcast, then it started to rain. We were washed out. The freeway was overwhelmed, a 7 or 8 hour drive home became almost 11 hours.
Not everything turns out great.
Monday, August 21, 2017
How-to book
You've probably heard of How to Win Friends and Influence People. You may have the same impression that this author had, and that I used to have - that it teaches you how to use or manipulate people.
"Everything I thought the book about turned out to be wrong. This is not about manipulating others . . . [it] is about being alert to others around you, getting out of your own head to see the world as others see it. Why should you do this? Here is the twist: because it is in your own interest to do so.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Friday, August 18, 2017
Perfect eclipse
(cont'd from yesterday's post)
So our moon is 400x closer to us than the sun is, and moon's size is 400x smaller than the sun. Christians, like author Jay Richards, see this as one element of the Creator's fine tuning of the universe. But why would He do that? If we could find a plausible reason why He would do that, it would add credibility to the claim.
So our moon is 400x closer to us than the sun is, and moon's size is 400x smaller than the sun. Christians, like author Jay Richards, see this as one element of the Creator's fine tuning of the universe. But why would He do that? If we could find a plausible reason why He would do that, it would add credibility to the claim.
image: Rick Fienberg/Travel Quest International
During solar eclipses, 19th century astronomers could study the light around the sun, which taught them how to understand the light of the stars. That became the key to astrophysics.
Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity was affirmed through study of solar eclipses, and that led to modern cosmology and the revelation that the universe had a beginning.
"[The] best time and place to view total solar eclipses in our Solar System is just when and where there are observers to see them. Let that sink in." Our Creator intended humanity to discover the secrets of His creation.
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Closer/smaller
When our moon comes right between our sun and the earth during daytime, we are right in the shadow of the moon and it's called a solar eclipse. Jay Richards goes on with the story:
"But the story doesn’t end there. A rare alignment of events allows Earthlings to witness not just solar eclipses, but what we might call perfect solar eclipses. Our Moon just barely covers the Sun’s bright photosphere. Such an eclipse depends on just the right sizes, shapes, and relative distances of the Sun, Moon and Earth.
"But the story doesn’t end there. A rare alignment of events allows Earthlings to witness not just solar eclipses, but what we might call perfect solar eclipses. Our Moon just barely covers the Sun’s bright photosphere. Such an eclipse depends on just the right sizes, shapes, and relative distances of the Sun, Moon and Earth.
(cont'd tomorrow)
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Trees mapped
Chicago Tree Initiative mapped the Chicago area in great detail, including the canopy created by trees. They layered the map with human patterns and some interesting things popped up.
Director of the project says, "Communities that have higher tree population have lower crime. Areas where trees are prevalent, people tend to be outside, mingling, enjoying their community.”
"Chicago’s richest and safest areas tend to have high canopy covers, up to 40 percent. Meanwhile, on the economically depressed South Side, canopy cover can be as low as 7 percent. The map seemed to show, time after time, that areas with rich canopies are safer, and the ones with high criminality are “tree deserts.”
Trees are always better than no trees.
Director of the project says, "Communities that have higher tree population have lower crime. Areas where trees are prevalent, people tend to be outside, mingling, enjoying their community.”
"Chicago’s richest and safest areas tend to have high canopy covers, up to 40 percent. Meanwhile, on the economically depressed South Side, canopy cover can be as low as 7 percent. The map seemed to show, time after time, that areas with rich canopies are safer, and the ones with high criminality are “tree deserts.”
Trees are always better than no trees.
photo: www.homepeddler.com
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Ice cream launch
SpaceX launched another mission to the International Space Station yesterday. The booster rocket again came back to earth and landed safely in Florida. The Dragon (space capsule) brought over 6,000 lbs. of supplies up to the ISS.
Included in those supplies was ice cream for the astronauts. It was delivered in freezers which will come back when Dragon returns to earth, packed with experiments done in space.
Mice were also delivered to the ISS for research on visual problems, and protein crystals for the Michael J. Fox Foundation research into Parkinsons disease.
"This particular Dragon is brand new, as is the Falcon rocket. In June, SpaceX launched its first reused Dragon, and in March, its first reused Falcon. From now on, the company said it may only fly used Dragons."
Included in those supplies was ice cream for the astronauts. It was delivered in freezers which will come back when Dragon returns to earth, packed with experiments done in space.
Mice were also delivered to the ISS for research on visual problems, and protein crystals for the Michael J. Fox Foundation research into Parkinsons disease.
"This particular Dragon is brand new, as is the Falcon rocket. In June, SpaceX launched its first reused Dragon, and in March, its first reused Falcon. From now on, the company said it may only fly used Dragons."
Monday, August 14, 2017
EU, have kids
Last week's posts focused on the "birth dearth" - birth rates falling well below the rate needed to maintain a stable population. In short, way fewer babies now means way fewer grown-ups in about 20 years.
European leaders have tried to reverse the trend (for example, the Danish government’s “Do it for Denmark” ad campaign). But instead of setting an example, many of them are childless - including the leaders of France, the U.K., Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden.
Catholic writer George Weigel spoke to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, where he said, "Europe is committing demographical suicide."
"When an entire continent—healthier, wealthier, and more secure than ever before—deliberately chooses sterility, the most basic cause for that must lie in the realm of the human spirit . ."
He calls for the European Catholic church to renew its faith, "to inspire Europe to reject demographic suicide and rediscover the joy of creating the future through having children."
European leaders have tried to reverse the trend (for example, the Danish government’s “Do it for Denmark” ad campaign). But instead of setting an example, many of them are childless - including the leaders of France, the U.K., Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden.
Catholic writer George Weigel spoke to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, where he said, "Europe is committing demographical suicide."
"When an entire continent—healthier, wealthier, and more secure than ever before—deliberately chooses sterility, the most basic cause for that must lie in the realm of the human spirit . ."
He calls for the European Catholic church to renew its faith, "to inspire Europe to reject demographic suicide and rediscover the joy of creating the future through having children."
photo: talkinfrench.com
Friday, August 11, 2017
God & eclipses
(cont'd from yesterday's post)
Solar eclipses have played an important role in revealing knowledge about the solar system, the galaxy, and even the universe. That's because scientists can study the corona of light around the sun, which is not visible unless the disk of the sun is covered.
"Britain’s famed mathematical physicist, Sir Arthur Eddington, organized an expedition to observe the total solar eclipse in Brazil that occurred in May 1919." Measurements that he took were affirming evidence that Albert Einstein's theory was correct, leading to the conclusion that the universe had a beginning.
It changed the scientific paradigm because, up to this point, astronomers had believed that the universe was eternal. What a shocker to discover that it wasn't the universe that was eternal, but that there was a Cause beyond space and time Who certainly is eternal.
"The universe now clearly testified of the supernatural, super-intelligent handiwork of the God of the Bible."
Solar eclipses have played an important role in revealing knowledge about the solar system, the galaxy, and even the universe. That's because scientists can study the corona of light around the sun, which is not visible unless the disk of the sun is covered.
"Britain’s famed mathematical physicist, Sir Arthur Eddington, organized an expedition to observe the total solar eclipse in Brazil that occurred in May 1919." Measurements that he took were affirming evidence that Albert Einstein's theory was correct, leading to the conclusion that the universe had a beginning.
image: reasons.org
It changed the scientific paradigm because, up to this point, astronomers had believed that the universe was eternal. What a shocker to discover that it wasn't the universe that was eternal, but that there was a Cause beyond space and time Who certainly is eternal.
"The universe now clearly testified of the supernatural, super-intelligent handiwork of the God of the Bible."
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Eclipse
Are you going to see the eclipse? Unless you're under a cloudy sky, it will be visible to some degree across the fifty mainland US states. To find out how much of the eclipse can be viewed in any area, check this map from the American Astronomical Society.
A solar eclipse happens when our moon comes between the sun and the earth, blocking some or all of the sun's disk. "Totality" occurs when the moon blocks the sun exactly, covering all of sun but none of the corona of light around it. An exact match.
photo: skyandtelescope.com
The last time a total solar eclipse went from one coast of America to the other was 1918, 99 years ago. It's expected that 2-7 million people will flood into the path of totality, and that's going to make for some crowded hotels and highways.
But the website www.greatamericaneclipse.com says:
"Despite this, we urge you to make every effort to travel to a spot inside the path of totality. You will be stunned at the apparition of the Sun's corona, the majestic light show in the sky, and the full sensory experience of totality. You will remember this sight for the rest your life and will never regret the effort to see totality."
But the website www.greatamericaneclipse.com says:
"Despite this, we urge you to make every effort to travel to a spot inside the path of totality. You will be stunned at the apparition of the Sun's corona, the majestic light show in the sky, and the full sensory experience of totality. You will remember this sight for the rest your life and will never regret the effort to see totality."
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Low birth rate
(cont'd from yesterday's post)
Elon Musk's tweet showed some worry about the consequences that will come from shrinking birth rate and shrinking population. Japanese policy-makers are plenty worried . . as this re-post from 2013 explains.
Elon Musk's tweet showed some worry about the consequences that will come from shrinking birth rate and shrinking population. Japanese policy-makers are plenty worried . . as this re-post from 2013 explains.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Consequences of less people
In Japan, the government has for many years been paying its citizens to have more children without successfully moving the birth rate up to replacement level (2.1 babies per woman). Many programs, but the total fertility rate is still only 1.39 babies per woman. Way, way below replacement.
"Because of its dismal fertility rate, Japan's population peaked in 2008; it has already shrunk by a million since then . . At the current fertility rate, by 2100 Japan's population will be less than half what it is now." Picture what that would look like.
"Because of its dismal fertility rate, Japan's population peaked in 2008; it has already shrunk by a million since then . . At the current fertility rate, by 2100 Japan's population will be less than half what it is now." Picture what that would look like.
Sociologist Masahiro Yamada coined a new term: Parasaito shinguru, or "parasite single." Harsh words for a working woman who lives with her parents and spends her entire paycheck on trendy clothes, travel, restaurants - instead of building a family.
From What to Expect When No One's Expecting
From What to Expect When No One's Expecting
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Musk warning
(cont'd from yesterday's post)
"The world's population is accelerating towards collapse, but few seem to notice or care," said Elon Musk in a tweet to ten million followers a month ago.
He has always been a long-term thinker. He started two companies, SpaceX and Tesla, to solve what he saw as long-term problems for life on earth. Now it's the population implosion--as opposed to the concept of population explosion.
It was 2013 when I started following the falling birth rate and its consequences. Now Elon Musk is tweeting about it.
"The world's population is accelerating towards collapse, but few seem to notice or care," said Elon Musk in a tweet to ten million followers a month ago.
He has always been a long-term thinker. He started two companies, SpaceX and Tesla, to solve what he saw as long-term problems for life on earth. Now it's the population implosion--as opposed to the concept of population explosion.
It was 2013 when I started following the falling birth rate and its consequences. Now Elon Musk is tweeting about it.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Frown on babies
Maybe you've heard the claim that there are too many humans on this planet. BBC nature film maker, Sir David Attenborough, says that humans are "a plague on the earth." He and others want to control (read: reduce or stop) population growth by limiting new babies.
It's kind of hard to believe that anyone still thinks this way. Back in the 1970's The Population Bomb said that massive famines would take millions of lives, but that didn't happen. Forty years later, the world's population has nearly doubled while poverty and hunger are much reduced.
The fear of exploding population is thoroughly debunked. None other than Elon Musk says the real problem facing planet earth is just the opposite. Tomorrow, his comments.
(cont'd tomorrow)
It's kind of hard to believe that anyone still thinks this way. Back in the 1970's The Population Bomb said that massive famines would take millions of lives, but that didn't happen. Forty years later, the world's population has nearly doubled while poverty and hunger are much reduced.
The fear of exploding population is thoroughly debunked. None other than Elon Musk says the real problem facing planet earth is just the opposite. Tomorrow, his comments.
(cont'd tomorrow)
Friday, August 4, 2017
Saves a life
You wouldn't dive into the 47-degree water around Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska unless somebody's life depended on it. But the captain of a salmon fishing vessel did just that, for that reason, back on July 25.
When his boat,"Grayling," took on too much water, a nearby vessel tried to tow it to land. But the boat rolled over. Captain Rosvik and others were picked up by the rescue boat, but one crewman was still missing.
As the Coast Guard arrived, the captain dove back into that frigid water, hauled out the man in trouble, and saved his life with five minutes of CPR. The Coast Guard got a camera on the rescue (below, with no sound).
(taken from article at stream.org)
When his boat,"Grayling," took on too much water, a nearby vessel tried to tow it to land. But the boat rolled over. Captain Rosvik and others were picked up by the rescue boat, but one crewman was still missing.
As the Coast Guard arrived, the captain dove back into that frigid water, hauled out the man in trouble, and saved his life with five minutes of CPR. The Coast Guard got a camera on the rescue (below, with no sound).
(taken from article at stream.org)
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Progress
Your country - and your world - has changed since you were born.
Go to yourlifeinnumbers.org, enter your country and the year you were born to find out how much it has changed in your own lifetime. You'll see differences in food supply per person, how much schooling the average person had, average income, and more.
There's been a lot of improvement in most countries. Check out your parents' birth years to see how much improvement there's been since they were born.
Go to yourlifeinnumbers.org, enter your country and the year you were born to find out how much it has changed in your own lifetime. You'll see differences in food supply per person, how much schooling the average person had, average income, and more.
There's been a lot of improvement in most countries. Check out your parents' birth years to see how much improvement there's been since they were born.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
"Dude, no way"
When the company is focused on launching a new car model at Tesla, the atmosphere is definitely intense. It's not for everyone.
In the words of CEO Elon Musk, "“We’re building the cars as fast as we can . . And we’re going to drive this ramp-up as fast as we can.” That's pressure.
A guy who can roll with that kind of pressure is Hokuto Ueda, "a Harvard Business School graduate who was on the team that took the Model S from prototype to delivery and launched Tesla's Gigafactory."
"When I was launch manager there, every goal, every timeline that Elon set for us seemed impossible. When he set it out, it was like, dude, there's no way that’s gonna happen."
In the words of CEO Elon Musk, "“We’re building the cars as fast as we can . . And we’re going to drive this ramp-up as fast as we can.” That's pressure.
A guy who can roll with that kind of pressure is Hokuto Ueda, "a Harvard Business School graduate who was on the team that took the Model S from prototype to delivery and launched Tesla's Gigafactory."
"When I was launch manager there, every goal, every timeline that Elon set for us seemed impossible. When he set it out, it was like, dude, there's no way that’s gonna happen."
image: dreamstime.com
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Model 3 launch
(cont'd from yesterday's post)
That goal to produce 600,000 cars (all three models) by next year is ambitious, considering their production was just 100,000 cars in 2016.
Tesla has half a million pre-orders for the brand new Model 3 alone. Excited customers put down $1000 each to get on the wait list, which amounts to a half billion dollars that dropped into Tesla's cash pot last year. But the company spent $2 billion last year getting to this point.
Designed to be the safest car in its class, it has a 15" center touchscreen, 220 miles of range, and 60 mph in 5.1-5.6 seconds. (Go here for specs and a comparison to Model S.)
That goal to produce 600,000 cars (all three models) by next year is ambitious, considering their production was just 100,000 cars in 2016.
Tesla has half a million pre-orders for the brand new Model 3 alone. Excited customers put down $1000 each to get on the wait list, which amounts to a half billion dollars that dropped into Tesla's cash pot last year. But the company spent $2 billion last year getting to this point.
Designed to be the safest car in its class, it has a 15" center touchscreen, 220 miles of range, and 60 mph in 5.1-5.6 seconds. (Go here for specs and a comparison to Model S.)
photo of the clean interior: motortrend.com
Elon Musk says in the launch video that by the end of next year they will also triple the current number of supercharging stations - important customer support.
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