Tesla Motors - Leadership

Tesla Motors - Leadership: "He claims that he departed on his road trip with a full charge and drove conservatively, around 60 mph, and yet he got stranded on his way back"

"So we consulted the trip information our car stores in its firmware. We found that Colwell departed for his trip from Ann Arbor to Saginaw with only 85 percent state of charge. He had charged in “standard” mode, not “range” mode, the preferred mode by customers who have long-distance hauls. Colwell averaged between 70 and 80 mph, and went north of 80 a few times, significantly more aggressive than his claimed 60 mph average. (Some in the office wondered if maybe his speed is what attracted the attention of the trooper he mentions in his piece.) Colwell also claimed to have driven conservatively, but the logs reveal that his energy usage ranged between 300 and 400 Watt-hours per mile (Wh/mi), not conservative by any measure."

Be careful what you say when a computer is logging your actions! :-)

Walking like Spider-Man may not be so far off | Crave - CNET

Walking like Spider-Man may not be so far off | Crave - CNET: "A one-square-inch contraption with millions of holes sized at 1 micron each, for example, could hold more than 15 pounds--clearly far from enough to sustain a human climber, but a big wall shimmy in the right direction."

So could a 5" diameter circle (~20 square inches) hold 300 lbs? That would easily hold most humans!

FBI wants records kept of Web sites visited | Politics and Law - CNET News

FBI wants records kept of Web sites visited | Politics and Law - CNET News: "The FBI is pressing Internet service providers to record which Web sites customers visit and retain those logs for two years, a requirement that law enforcement believes could help it in investigations of child pornography and other serious crimes."

Of course big brother is better and investigating crime, but we also balance that with personal rights and limiting government power.

The Mysterious Ways Of Fannie And Freddie | Johan Norberg | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Mysterious Ways Of Fannie And Freddie | Johan Norberg | Cato Institute: Commentary: "When Congress created the Commission they wanted a crisis narrative of greedy bankers and passive regulators. In other words, they wanted to put the blame somewhere else. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are creatures of Congress and it was Congress that pushed them to undermine underwriting standards and increase lending to low-income households while stalling reform.

Fannie and Freddie regularly let members of Congress announce large housing developments for low-income earners in exchange for political and financial support; over the past decade the two GSEs spent almost $200 million on lobbying and contributions to both parties, but most of all to Democrats, the present majority. Politicians wanted scapegoats on stage--Fannie and Freddie representatives would have functioned as a mirror."

"Investment bankers have been publicly scolded by the Commission for taking on so much risk, with leverage ratios around 30 to 1. Shouldn't they ask how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ended up with a leverage ratio closer to 60 to 1?"

FOXNews.com - Rep. Hoekstra Says 'Justice Denied' in Shoot-Down of Innocent Americans

FOXNews.com - Rep. Hoekstra Says 'Justice Denied' in Shoot-Down of Innocent Americans: "Before the deadly attack, the CIA aircraft came up behind the Bowers's plane, piloted by Kevin Donaldson. Believing it was an aircraft used for drug trafficking, the CIA alerted the Peruvian Air Force, which scrambled a fighter jet.

Over the next two hours, as doubts set in, the CIA pilots repeatedly expressed their concern over the true identity of their target but did nothing to prevent the Peruvians from shooting down the missionaries.

In the footage, conversation between the Peruvians and the CIA, and the missionaries' pilot's last desperate screams are clearly heard.

The CIA pilots are heard expressing doubt, saying, 'This guy doesn't fit the profile.' They contact Peruvian Air Force on the ground, asking, 'Are you sure is bandito? Are you sure?'

'Yes, OK,' is the Peruvian response.

'If you're sure,' says the CIA operative. Then one of the CIA men whispers to his colleague in his aircraft: 'That is bull****. I think we're making a mistake.'

'I agree with you,' says the other operative.

A minute and a half later the gunships open fire and Donaldson screams in Spanish for the jet to stop."

FOXNews.com - Taxpayers to Fork Out $2.5 Million for Single Census Ad During Super Bowl

FOXNews.com - Taxpayers to Fork Out $2.5 Million for Single Census Ad During Super Bowl: "Taxpayers might want to pay close attention to this Sunday's Super Bowl broadcast or they'll miss Uncle Sam's 30-second, $2.5-million reminder to stand up and be counted."

Health Care and the Constitution | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary

Health Care and the Constitution | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Since the New Deal, the Supreme Court has held that Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce amounts to a power to regulate anything that 'substantially affects' that commerce — and a power to order any means that may be 'necessary and proper' for that regulation. Because uninsured people who seek free emergency-room care substantially affect interstate commerce, Congress can regulate that behavior by ordering those people to buy insurance.

But the implications of that constitutional reading, Will notes, are boundless. If Congress can order you to buy insurance, why stop there? It can order you to exercise, and to eat healthy foods, etc. More disturbing still, it means that the Constitution itself and judicial review under it are no more."

"A reading of the commerce power that effectively renders many of Congress's other enumerated powers superfluous, or that is inconsistent with other constitutional provisions, cannot be right. And concerning history and function, the power was given primarily to ensure the free flow of goods and services among the states in light of the protectionist measures states had begun to erect under the Articles of Confederation. It was, that is, a limited "free market" power — precisely opposite its understanding today."

On the Job Hunt: Teen Jobs Crisis

On the Job Hunt: Teen Jobs Crisis: "Economists cite several reasons for the high teen unemployment rate. Most frequently they blame the recession that resulted in older workers squeezing out younger job applicants. According to New York University Stern, Economics Professor Joseph Foudy, “youths obviously have less experience in the job market.” Foudy said teens are “the first to lose work” during difficult times."

"Some economists argue that a recent increase in the minimum wage also contributed to the high rate of teen unemployment. Last July the federal minimum wage increased from $6.55 to $7.25. Over the next two months 330 thousand teen jobs vanished."

Sally Jenkins - Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are - washingtonpost.com

Sally Jenkins - Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are - washingtonpost.com: "As statements at Super Bowls go, I prefer the idea of Tebow's pro-life ad to, say, Jim McMahon dropping his pants, as the former Chicago Bears quarterback once did in response to a question. We're always harping on athletes to be more responsible and engaged in the issues of their day, and less concerned with just cashing checks. It therefore seems more than a little hypocritical to insist on it only if it means criticizing sneaker companies, and to stifle them when they take a stance that might make us uncomfortable.

I'm pro-choice, and Tebow clearly is not. But based on what I've heard in the past week, I'll take his side against the group-think, elitism and condescension of the 'National Organization of Fewer and Fewer Women All The Time.' For one thing, Tebow seems smarter than they do.

Tebow's 30-second ad hasn't even run yet, but it already has provoked 'The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us' to reveal something important about themselves: They aren't actually 'pro-choice' so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical."

Milwaukee Public School (MPS) financing

January 29: "in his past 7 years as governor, MPS has received over $5.2 billion in state aid and with 80% of the school budget coming from state and federal sources. This was an interesting statement in that despite billions in state aid from taxpayers, the district is still failing. It is also interesting to remind lawmakers that MPS taxpayers are only paying 20% of their local school district. I know that property taxpayers in my district would greatly benefit from the state picking up 80% of the local school bill…"