@robr2 said:
To be honest, I rarely watch Fox News or MSNBC. More than half the programming on both is opinion and commentary and when they are doing "news", I can't help but try to find the gotcha they are going to toss out.. This quote I found tells the story: "MSNBC has opted to emulate Fox News Channel’s point of view programming performing editorial journalism for a like-minded audience..." Neither channel is really news - they both remind me of tabloid newspapers with the intent of screaming out a headline and hoping someone listens.
For news, I find the nightly news reports on CBS, ABC and NBC to at least be somewhat real news and IMHO, more trustworthy. If I had to turn to anyone for unbiased reporting of the news, I'd have to say NPR and the BBC do the best job.
I would have to say that NPR has become very liberal, though the BBC does a fair job. I'm afraid that CNN does its own fair share of tossing out personal opinions while reporting the news. No current network is guiltless these days. Unfortunately, the days of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley are gone forever, along with many other great newscasters and reporters.
@tyguy said:
Excellent point about the rate of switchover, Driver, and I agree.
Crude oil WILL run out in time, and as we approach more resource scarcity the price of oil related fuels is expected to grow to the point they are no longer affordable.
The key to avoiding major social upheaval and disasterous world wars over the dwindling crude supply is to begin a slow transition away from oil....now. Not later. Now. Develop the technology and infrastructure over time with a goal to eliminate our dependency on crude oil for transportation before we hit a point it's too late.
Consider how long it's taken for gas cars to mature to the point we are today. We should expect no different for alternative fuel vehicles. Gas cars were terrible until the last few decades. Awful emissions, hard to start in certain weather, temperamental at changing altitude, relatively low power, and grossly inefficient. For electric cars, and cars in general regardless of energy source, Tesla has set a pretty high bar for other manufactures to beat. But they will, and that's a beautiful thing.
The good news is we already have the technology to start this transition, and as more companies investigate alternative energy, the better the solution will become which will lead to even higher adoption rates by consumers.
Excellent post---realistic and forward thinking. I agree that we need to begin now and keep an open mind as we search for good alternatives.
@graphicguy said:
Electrics don't have to sell in the 10s of millions of units. They already are selling 100s of thousands. And, that's with no standardized "plug or voltage output". The vast majority of people don't drive anywhere near 300 miles/day, not even 200 miles/day.
In my estimation, if the volume of electrics increases 30% annually over the next decade, electrics will be a success. That number isn't really that hard to achieve, especially with range getting better and prices coming down.
But, it is perception....about range anxiety, and not being stranded. I believe that "mental block" would go away in an electric with a 200 mile range. That way, you come home, plug it in, until you're ready to go out again.
Mentioned before about a shopping mall in a remote area about 15 miles from me that already has plugs for electrics. Restaurants could do the same thing...charging in their parking lot for their CUSTOMERS while they dine. What a great incentive to come to their restaurant.
Thinking of the places that would let you "top off" your charge, and that range anxiety becomes less and less. Just think, a store, with a minimal investment to install a charging station, could charge a $1/15 minutes to charge someone's car (kind of like a parking meter). Given enough volume of electric cars, it would pay for itself in short order, and become a profit center, with no work involved.
Add to that, the advances in "quick charging" technologies, which are being developed as quickly as possible, seeing a large chunk of the population isn't a dream, but a viable reality.
Allow me to ask you a question, and try to remember that I am the technically challenged poster on this thread. If I gave an EV a full charge and didn't drive it for say two months, would the full charge still be there? Just how long would a charge last if the vehicle isn't used? Thanks.
The story was national news because, according to some political experts, it was a harbinger of 2016. It was a "minor" event with supposedly "major" implications.
Mike, I know what you mean. We were in Florida and could only see the news item on local stations. I thought at the time how strange that seemed to be.
The human mind is truly an amazing creation. Due to its ability to observe, evaluate and develop ideas, it has been responsible for transporting astronauts to the moon, develop flight in airplanes, transform atom splitting to create a new form of energy, build skyscrapers that defy gravity, transform moving water through turbines to create electricity, create artistic beauty in many forms, to name just a smidgen of its abilities.
When a need arises, the human mind will develop new forms of energy to satisfy our need to drive cars for an infinite period of time.
So we can go back and forth for ever about developing EV's with a range of 350-500 miles (or more) knowing full well that it will happen! The issues associated with NOW will be solved WHEN....! It's just a matter of how important it is to society - the more critical it is that the problem is solved the sooner it will be solved.
The profit motive has never failed us!
No one could have stated it better! Perfect evaluation!
Unfortunately, the days of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley are gone
I was in Navy boot camp in May 1969 at Great Lakes Training Center.
Feeling a little lonely about ten minutes after lights out I decided to hear my name from about 80 guys in my same predicament. So I yelled out "Goodnight Chet" and all 80 responded "Goodnight David". I slept well that night. Dave
@sterlingdog said:
Allow me to ask you a question, and try to remember that I am the technically challenged poster on this thread. If I gave an EV a full charge and didn't drive it for say two months, would the full charge still be there? Just how long would a charge last if the vehicle isn't used?
That's a great question to ask, Richard.
Electric vehicles are a bit like smart phones. If left unused, they both will slowly drain the battery while they stay in standby mode waiting for the operator to ask it to do something. Standby mode allows a smart phone to react almost instantly to a button press, or in the case of the Tesla, touching the door handles instantly activates the onboard systems.
However, a smart phone can be powered down with the power switch to conserve battery, but then you have to re-boot it to start using it again.
A Tesla is very similar. When the Model S was first launched, it could potentially drain a full battery in less than a couple of weeks. Tesla updated the software to be more battery efficient, though, and also now allows an owner to place the car into "sleep" mode and consume far less battery power during storage. The downside is that you have to restart the computer when you next need to drive. The feature is nice if you park at an airport, for instance, but doesn't make much sense for day-to-day needs.
EVs will definitely take an adjustment in thinking. I'm not sure of the battery capacity when a Model S is in sleep mode. Maybe Mike could ask during his extended test drive.
@mako1a said:
Unfortunately, the days of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley are gone
I was in Navy boot camp in May 1969 at Great Lakes Training Center.
Feeling a little lonely about ten minutes after lights out I decided to hear my name from about 80 guys in my same predicament. So I yelled out "Goodnight Chet" and all 80 responded "Goodnight David". I slept well that night. Dave
@tyguy said:
EVs will definitely take an adjustment in thinking. I'm not sure of the battery capacity when a Model S is in sleep mode. Maybe Mike could ask during his extended test drive.
Thanks for that explanation. I figured that they wouldn't last indefinitely.
@stickguy said:
speaking of EVs. I was reading the local paper tonight, and they had a piece (sourced through USA today) on testing that AAA did. They tested a Leaf, Focus, and Mitsubishi pure electric. They looked at battery charge life under ideal, hot and cold conditions.
under prime conditions (75 degrees I believe) they averaged just about 100 miles to empty. When cold (20) it dropped ~57%, and hot (95) dropped ~30%. Pretty dramatic difference IMO.
I thought of you today. It was so warm and sunny here in North Carolina. For the South, we've had such a rough winter. This weather is so welcomed.
The human mind is truly an amazing creation....
When a need arises, the human mind will develop new forms of energy to satisfy our need to drive cars for an infinite period of time.
So we can go back and forth for ever about developing EV's with a range of 350-500 miles (or more) knowing full well that it will happen! The issues associated with NOW will be solved WHEN....! It's just a matter of how important it is to society - the more critical it is that the problem is solved the sooner it will be solved.
The profit motive has never failed us!
All very good points Mike, but may I add another? When we develop a more efficient form of propulsion for the automobile then what? The roads in metropolitan areas are now choked with traffic. It will take yet a beautiful mind to overcome this hurdle. I think this time we will have to make a trade-off for independence or mass transit.
I think you cannot discern the politics or inclinations of the owners of media from the occasional commentaries of a few employees. Two entirely different things.
"All very good points Mike, but may I add another? When we develop a more efficient form of propulsion for the automobile then what? The roads in metropolitan areas are now choked with traffic. It will take yet a beautiful mind to overcome this hurdle. I think this time we will have to make a trade-off for independence or mass transit."
Going back to my premise that the human mind's potential to solve problems has bee barely tapped, let us assume that same mind has or will have the ability to solve that problem as well. You need to think multi-laterally and multi-dimensional.
Righ now, wheeled transportation moves horizontally - whether in tunnels, on railroad tracks, on bridges, and over land. What about "virtual " transportation that can move horizontally, vertically as well as simultaneously in a host of dimensions.
You approach a tollbooth that read your preset destination in your vehicle and then places your vehicle into a route conglamorate that whizzes your vehicle to its destination using an unlimited abundance of routes, directions and dimensions?
Rembrr, we need to allow our minds to be flexible rather than restrictive - that is how ideas are turned into reality.
We are only restrained by those who refuse to be flexible or who are incapable of the free flow of ideas to solve problems.
One can respond to my hypothesis by stating the need is NOW, but the ideas have not yet been born to solve the problems. Those who have become impatient waiting for the ideas to surface to solve the problems of society will always be shortsighted. But those who live in the THINKTANK world deal with ideas and how those ideas can be applied to current science or future technologies are the true saviors of our way of life and the creators of new ways of life - or ways/means of solving problems.
@stickguy said:
speaking of EVs. I was reading the local paper tonight, and they had a piece (sourced through USA today) on testing that AAA did. They tested a Leaf, Focus, and Mitsubishi pure electric. They looked at battery charge life under ideal, hot and cold conditions.
under prime conditions (75 degrees I believe) they averaged just about 100 miles to empty. When cold (20) it dropped ~57%, and hot (95) dropped ~30%. Pretty dramatic difference IMO.
We have a Ford C-Max Plug-in Hybrid. Officially it has 18 miles of electric only range, but we get around 20 ... without the A/C or Heater on.
If you turn them on, the range drops by about 3 miles (heater) and 6 miles (A/C.)
Luckily even with the reduced range, our daily usage is still within the electric only range. We've had it for 6 months and we've filled up 4 times I think (and that's mostly because of road trips.)
@MrShift@Edmunds said:
Oh, no, bicycles were very serious machines back in the 1890s. There were bicycling clubs all over America.
Oh I beg to differ with you, bicycles were very primitive back in the 1890's compared with today. And while there were bicycling clubs all over America it still was mostly recreational, very few people actually used them for serious commuting (less than today).
Bicycling was so popular in the 1880s and 1890s that cyclists formed the League of American Wheelman (still in existence and now called the League of American Bicyclists). The League lobbied for better roads, literally paving the road for the automobile.
Yes it was popular in the later part of the 19th century as a recreational activity. Also remember that the League of American Wheelman were not the only ones lobbying for better roads nor where they the first.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
@robr2 said:
What I don't like about Fox is that they advertise "Fair and Balanced" but don't bother to let anyone know what 40% of their programming it applies to.
I would say it's easy to tell what is being reported as news and what is a commentary.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
@driver100 said:
I find CBS, ABC, CBS and CNN are pretty fair in their reporting, at least you can get the basic facts and know they will be a little bit to the left of centre, but you will get a pretty good picture of what they are trying to explain.
I suggest reading a book called "Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News" by Bernard Goldberg
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
@graphicguy said:
Mentioned before about a shopping mall in a remote area about 15 miles from me that already has plugs for electrics. Restaurants could do the same thing...charging in their parking lot for their CUSTOMERS while they dine. What a great incentive to come to their restaurant.
Around here it is hard to find a municipal parking lot that doesn't have a charging station. And a lot of privately owned parking structures have them now too.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
@driver100 said:
CNN had reporters saying making a stand against Russia is pointless. Sanctions aren't going to do anything, Crimeans want to be part of Russia, and Americans don't want another war.
Yep it's October 10, 1938 all over again.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Bicycle use was HUGE in the 1890s, but of course not in the boonies. One bicycle club (the aforementioned Wheelmen) had 150,000 members. The biking "craze" not only helped to spawn modern roads in America, but the automobile itself. Look at the first cars--- chain drive, tiller steering and spoke wheels? Remind you of something?:)
Many pioneer automobile builders were at first bicycle manufacturers. Among these were Charles E. Duryea, Alexander Winton, and Colonel Albert A. Pope. Furthermore, Wilbur and Orville Wright were bicycle manufacturers in Dayton, Ohio, before they turned their attention to the aeronautical field, and Glenn H. Curtiss, another aviation pioneer, started out as a bicycle manufacturer.
Bicycles were used for recreation, for business delivery and for commuting to work.
My son broke the driver's door handle off the Lincoln during a recent ice storm trying to force open the frozen door. What a big deal getting it fixed. My mechanic had to special order and then send it to a paint shop because it's the same color as the sheet metal. Turns out it's "special" three step paint that costs $80 a pint. Told him find some left over paint from a beige Chevy and hope for the best. Glad I don't own something really exotic.
Filed for social security. Since I'm still working (probably until I'm carried out) I'll have to forfeit most of my check but that's better than nothing. Who knows what will happen to me by full retirement age.
They said to wait 5 business days before checking status but after 10 days...nothing! Called and spoke to a rep. Who said they got the online application but no one will look at it for at least two more weeks. Don't you love the bureaucracy?
I'd like to know the precise payout to see if will cover a new car payment. Might have to wait for the 2016 Mustang.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
My son broke the driver's door handle off the Lincoln during a recent ice storm trying to force open the frozen door. What a big deal getting it fixed. My mechanic had to special order and then send it to a paint shop because it's the same color as the sheet metal. Turns out it's "special" three step paint that costs $80 a pint. Told him find some left over paint from a beige Chevy and hope for the best. Glad I don't own something really exotic.
Filed for social security. Since I'm still working (probably until I'm carried out) I'll have to forfeit most of my check but that's better than nothing. Who knows what will happen to me by full retirement age.
They said to wait 5 business days before checking status but after 10 days...nothing! Called and spoke to a rep. Who said they got the online application but no one will look at it for at least two more weeks. Don't you love the bureaucracy?
I'd like to know the precise payout to see if will cover a new car payment. Might have to wait for the 2016 Mustang
You might drop by your local SS office and get quicker results. It worked for me.
It might have been huge, I am not arguing that. What I am saying it was primarily recreational.
but of course not in the boonies. The biking "craze" not only helped to spawn modern roads in America,
Hardly, first of all there were others before bicyclists that were promoting paved roads. Secondly the modern road system in the U.S. started long after the bicycling fad of the 19th century faded.
but the automobile itself. Look at the first cars--- chain drive, tiller steering and spoke wheels? Remind you of something?:)
Tell me again what cars today have chain drives, tiller steering and spoke wheels.
Actually I would think that the spoke wheels of early automobiles were from wagon wheels not bicycles. Different spokes.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Here's Henry Ford's first car, about as bicycley (is that a word?) as you can get!
Bicycles were used for business deliveries and to commute to factories, as well as recreation.
Once electric rail lines took over in the big cities, in the 1910s or so, bicycle use declined. But in the 1890s we had over 300 bicycle manufacturers in the USA.
Here's a cool shot of bicycle traffic in New York in 1890. As you can see, the bikes look fairly modern by that time.
@MrShift@Edmunds said:
Here's Henry Ford's first car, about as bicycley (is that a word?) as you can get!
OK you convinced me because if you put a horse in front of that car no way would it look like this:
Oh wait, there was a reason they were called horseless carriages.
Bicycles were used for business deliveries and to commute to factories, as well as recreation.
I am not saying they weren't, just the vast majority were not used for that.
Once electric rail lines took over in the big cities, in the 1910s or so, bicycle use declined. But in the 1890s we had over 300 bicycle manufacturers in the USA.
Here's a cool shot of bicycle traffic in New York in 1890. As you can see, the bikes look fairly modern by that time.
That's not really bike traffic as much as it is an organized ride. Those people are dressed in their best and are not commuting to work. Organized rides are still very common and are recreational in scope. Here is a more modern version and I guarantee you no one there is commuting anywhere (I know I was there).
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
@snakeweasel said:I suggest reading a book called "Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News"
You have a lot of knowledge about a lot of topics, from watches, to bicycles, to some good tips on books to read on a variety of topics. How do you know so much?
The book sounds excellent and has excellent ratings on amazon. I read a lot of fiction so I don't know if it is for me, though I do have an interest in the media...once took a Communication Arts course. It seems Goldbergs point is similar to what I said, most media has a left wing slant...lets face it, media people, social workers, actors, union workers, teachers, university professors, students and many more groups of people have liberal leanings....it's part of why they do what they do.
Bicycles in the 1890s had developed into very dependable practical machines, and instead of walking 10 miles a day you could, if you were robust, pedal 50 or more. This offered people greater job opportunities, and also allowed businesses to make much faster deliveries in urban areas. It also was used in law enforcement.
If anyone wants to read up on the fascinating history of the bicycle, and its connection to automobile development, and the technology of mass production, here's a great book:
Well so-called "mountain bikes were, when first developed, nothing more than modified "fat-tire" bikes.
The reason bicycles influenced car design so much was because bicycle-type spoke wheels were lightweight. The anemic engines of the late 1800s, early 1900s couldn't propel those huge wooden wheels (with steel bands) very well. That's also why early cars were all open. Closed bodies were too heavy for the abilities of most engines of the time.
Bicycle manufacturers also knew something that wagon makers didn't---an efficient form of mass production and precision machining.
Some famous wagon makers made the transition though---like Studebaker. And of course, when carriage makers needed a new market, some of them built specialty bodies for automobile chassis.
There's really no "left wing" in America, unless you mean a battered storefront in Berkeley with some old toothless socialist ranting about how 'the man is keeping us down".
What we discern now as "leftist" is mundanely centrist, because the left has move to center in the last 30 years in America, and the right has moved radically right.
Think of a see saw with kids bunched up in the middle and on the right side. That's about it IMO.
Real "leftists" have no credible voice here anymore...well maybe a few podcasts here and there.
@MrShift@Edmunds said:There's really no "left wing" in America, unless you mean a battered storefront in Berkeley with some old toothless socialist ranting about how 'the man is keeping us down"
>
I guess everyone's interpretation is different. The Berkley guy is either extremely left or possibly is an anarchist Moderate left and rights are probably not that far apart...it's when you get the extremists that there is a noticable difference..
That is what I wrote originally, but I reread your post MrS and I think you are right. I have to run and go bowling, so I'll think about that some more.
One of the reasons I left the field was that so many of my fellow MSWs had such a strident political bias that they often made decisions detrimental to the client's best interest. Most people in the helping professions have a liberal tilt which is not a bad thing, necessary maybe, but some of these folks were working a personal agenda through the clients.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
@MrShift@Edmunds said:
Well so-called "mountain bikes were, when first developed, nothing more than modified "fat-tire" bikes.
The reason bicycles influenced car design so much was because bicycle-type spoke wheels were lightweight. The anemic engines of the late 1800s, early 1900s couldn't propel those huge wooden wheels (with steel bands) very well. That's also why early cars were all open. Closed bodies were too heavy for the abilities of most engines of the time.
Bicycle manufacturers also knew something that wagon makers didn't---an efficient form of mass production and precision machining.
Some famous wagon makers made the transition though---like Studebaker. And of course, when carriage makers needed a new market, some of them built specialty bodies for automobile chassis.
Didn't Henry Ford start out making bikes, or was that the Wright brothers?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
@snakeweasel said:
I know plenty of Fox viewers and not a one of them think that O'Reilly and Hannity are
reporting the news.
Perhaps those were a stretch so I'll give another example. I flipped through the channels this morning and landed on Fox News. Fox and Friends was on - which is an opinion show. A story came on and the anchor started out with the lead sentence of "Why is America giving up control of the Internet?" Sounds ominous, doesn't it?
I'm sure that most watchers of F&F would consider it news that America was ceding control of the Internet to a bunch of 'furriners thus proving that the President is weak. In reality, the Dept. of Commerce is ceding control over assignment of domain names to ICANN - who's been doing it for over 15 years - as was originally planned in 1998.
@MrShift@Edmunds said:What we discern now as "leftist" is mundanely centrist, because the left has move to center in the last 30 years in America, and the right has moved radically righ
OK, I am back...not a great bowler, best game was 134.
Somebody sent me a recording of a single Mom...she had 10 kids from about 8 different fathers, and the last guy jut left her. She was crying, why doesn't the government help me out...these kids are their responsibility. I think of her as a far left winger.
But, I think your analysis is right on MrS. Maybe the left is learning the government isn't going to look after all of us.
@oldfarmer50 said: Most people in the helping professions have a liberal tilt which is not a bad thing, necessary maybe, but some of these folks were working a personal agenda through the clients
Also happens in the school system. I was surprised at some of the ideas my 14 year old grandaughter picked up in her classes in school. I was getting ready to sound off but I could see the parents were getting a little uneasy about how the discussion was going.
@robr2 said:In reality, the Dept. of Commerce is ceding control over assignment of domain names to ICANN
Sometimes I get so much of CNN I try FOX and particularly F&Fs when I am doing my exercises. They seem to do those kind of stories so often....I think it really works against them after awhile. As soon as they start into those stories or remarks I have to go to Good Morning America or Dr Phil....at least I will be entertained and can make up my own mind what the story means-if anything.
I think "Fair and Balanced" is really false advertising, and I am a conservative (though moderate).
ATTITUDES, PREFERENCES CHANGE SLOWLY, BUT POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE CHANGED VERY QUICKLY IN THE PAST 30 YEARS
Back in 1960, I was a registered democrat. I considered Nixon and Goldwater way far right for my tastes and Johnson and Kennedy fairly moderate. In 1976, I voted for Carter because I though he was liberal enough yet not too far to the left. I voted Republican from 1980 through 2000 because I though the democratic party had moved much too far to the left while the Republican Party had moved more to the center (Reagan and Bush #1.
The republican party and democratic party of today are not the same party or philosophy that they once were back in the 60's through the 80's. These parties do not represent my true philosophy of how things should be run. That is why I have become an independent. I find I vote more for republicans (moderates, not right wingers) much more than I vote for Democrats who I find are too far to the left for my taste.
I am a Kennedy Democrat, a Reagan Republican and a Herbert Walker Bush Republican and I even found myself voting for Clinton for his second term. Since then, I am the purest independent you can find. I vote for the individual and his/her policy.
If they was to redistribute the wealth, I won't vote for them. If they want to grow government bigger, I won't vote for them. If they want to raise taxes, I won't vote for them. If they want to rewrite the tax code so that there are few deductions and people start paying their fair share, I will vote for those who support that. I believe that everyone who lives in this country should pay some form of tax to support the country - no matter how small it is. If they can't afford to pay tax, they should work part-time for a government service. My philosophy is that if you live in this country, you should help to support in any way you possible can.
That's all I'll say about politics - too much of it on this forum!!!!!
@abacomike said: ATTITUDES, PREFERENCES CHANGE SLOWLY, BUT POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE CHANGED VERY QUICKLY IN THE PAST 30 YEARS
Back in 1960, I was a registered democrat. I considered Nixon and Goldwater way far right for my tastes and Johnson and Kennedy fairly moderate. In 1976, I voted for Carter because I though he was liberal enough yet not too far to the left. I voted Republican from 1980 through 2000 because I though the democratic party had moved much too far to the left while the Republican Party had moved more to the center (Reagan and Bush #1.
Mike, you just described my politics as well. Identical to yours.
Comments
I would have to say that NPR has become very liberal, though the BBC does a fair job. I'm afraid that CNN does its own fair share of tossing out personal opinions while reporting the news. No current network is guiltless these days. Unfortunately, the days of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley are gone forever, along with many other great newscasters and reporters.
Richard
Excellent post---realistic and forward thinking. I agree that we need to begin now and keep an open mind as we search for good alternatives.
Richard
Allow me to ask you a question, and try to remember that I am the technically challenged poster on this thread. If I gave an EV a full charge and didn't drive it for say two months, would the full charge still be there? Just how long would a charge last if the vehicle isn't used? Thanks.
Richard
The story was national news because, according to some political experts, it was a harbinger of 2016. It was a "minor" event with supposedly "major" implications.
Mike, I know what you mean. We were in Florida and could only see the news item on local stations. I thought at the time how strange that seemed to be.
Richard
No one could have stated it better! Perfect evaluation!
Richard
"No one could have stated it better! Perfect evaluation!"
Coming from you, Richard, that means a lot! Thanks - it took me quite a while to put into words what I was thinking.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Really? I would imagine that by now those stats would be pretty close to even. Interesting.
Richard
Unfortunately, the days of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley are gone
I was in Navy boot camp in May 1969 at Great Lakes Training Center.
Feeling a little lonely about ten minutes after lights out I decided to hear my name from about 80 guys in my same predicament. So I yelled out "Goodnight Chet" and all 80 responded "Goodnight David". I slept well that night. Dave
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
That's a great question to ask, Richard.
Electric vehicles are a bit like smart phones. If left unused, they both will slowly drain the battery while they stay in standby mode waiting for the operator to ask it to do something. Standby mode allows a smart phone to react almost instantly to a button press, or in the case of the Tesla, touching the door handles instantly activates the onboard systems.
However, a smart phone can be powered down with the power switch to conserve battery, but then you have to re-boot it to start using it again.
A Tesla is very similar. When the Model S was first launched, it could potentially drain a full battery in less than a couple of weeks. Tesla updated the software to be more battery efficient, though, and also now allows an owner to place the car into "sleep" mode and consume far less battery power during storage. The downside is that you have to restart the computer when you next need to drive. The feature is nice if you park at an airport, for instance, but doesn't make much sense for day-to-day needs.
EVs will definitely take an adjustment in thinking. I'm not sure of the battery capacity when a Model S is in sleep mode. Maybe Mike could ask during his extended test drive.
What a really neat thing to do.
Richard
Thanks for that explanation. I figured that they wouldn't last indefinitely.
Richard
I thought of you today. It was so warm and sunny here in North Carolina. For the South, we've had such a rough winter. This weather is so welcomed.
Richard
All very good points Mike, but may I add another? When we develop a more efficient form of propulsion for the automobile then what? The roads in metropolitan areas are now choked with traffic. It will take yet a beautiful mind to overcome this hurdle. I think this time we will have to make a trade-off for independence or mass transit.
I think you cannot discern the politics or inclinations of the owners of media from the occasional commentaries of a few employees. Two entirely different things.
"All very good points Mike, but may I add another? When we develop a more efficient form of propulsion for the automobile then what? The roads in metropolitan areas are now choked with traffic. It will take yet a beautiful mind to overcome this hurdle. I think this time we will have to make a trade-off for independence or mass transit."
Going back to my premise that the human mind's potential to solve problems has bee barely tapped, let us assume that same mind has or will have the ability to solve that problem as well. You need to think multi-laterally and multi-dimensional.
Righ now, wheeled transportation moves horizontally - whether in tunnels, on railroad tracks, on bridges, and over land. What about "virtual " transportation that can move horizontally, vertically as well as simultaneously in a host of dimensions.
You approach a tollbooth that read your preset destination in your vehicle and then places your vehicle into a route conglamorate that whizzes your vehicle to its destination using an unlimited abundance of routes, directions and dimensions?
Rembrr, we need to allow our minds to be flexible rather than restrictive - that is how ideas are turned into reality.
We are only restrained by those who refuse to be flexible or who are incapable of the free flow of ideas to solve problems.
One can respond to my hypothesis by stating the need is NOW, but the ideas have not yet been born to solve the problems. Those who have become impatient waiting for the ideas to surface to solve the problems of society will always be shortsighted. But those who live in the THINKTANK world deal with ideas and how those ideas can be applied to current science or future technologies are the true saviors of our way of life and the creators of new ways of life - or ways/means of solving problems.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
We have a Ford C-Max Plug-in Hybrid. Officially it has 18 miles of electric only range, but we get around 20 ... without the A/C or Heater on.
If you turn them on, the range drops by about 3 miles (heater) and 6 miles (A/C.)
Luckily even with the reduced range, our daily usage is still within the electric only range. We've had it for 6 months and we've filled up 4 times I think (and that's mostly because of road trips.)
Oh I beg to differ with you, bicycles were very primitive back in the 1890's compared with today. And while there were bicycling clubs all over America it still was mostly recreational, very few people actually used them for serious commuting (less than today).
Yes it was popular in the later part of the 19th century as a recreational activity. Also remember that the League of American Wheelman were not the only ones lobbying for better roads nor where they the first.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I would say it's easy to tell what is being reported as news and what is a commentary.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I suggest reading a book called "Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News" by Bernard Goldberg
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Around here it is hard to find a municipal parking lot that doesn't have a charging station. And a lot of privately owned parking structures have them now too.
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Yep it's October 10, 1938 all over again.
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Bicycle use was HUGE in the 1890s, but of course not in the boonies. One bicycle club (the aforementioned Wheelmen) had 150,000 members. The biking "craze" not only helped to spawn modern roads in America, but the automobile itself. Look at the first cars--- chain drive, tiller steering and spoke wheels? Remind you of something?:)
Many pioneer automobile builders were at first bicycle manufacturers. Among these were Charles E. Duryea, Alexander Winton, and Colonel Albert A. Pope. Furthermore, Wilbur and Orville Wright were bicycle manufacturers in Dayton, Ohio, before they turned their attention to the aeronautical field, and Glenn H. Curtiss, another aviation pioneer, started out as a bicycle manufacturer.
Bicycles were used for recreation, for business delivery and for commuting to work.
my prediction about the charging stations if EVs keep becoming more popular?
charger rage will replace road rage.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Random thoughts:
My son broke the driver's door handle off the Lincoln during a recent ice storm trying to force open the frozen door. What a big deal getting it fixed. My mechanic had to special order and then send it to a paint shop because it's the same color as the sheet metal. Turns out it's "special" three step paint that costs $80 a pint. Told him find some left over paint from a beige Chevy and hope for the best. Glad I don't own something really exotic.
Filed for social security. Since I'm still working (probably until I'm carried out) I'll have to forfeit most of my check but that's better than nothing. Who knows what will happen to me by full retirement age.
They said to wait 5 business days before checking status but after 10 days...nothing! Called and spoke to a rep. Who said they got the online application but no one will look at it for at least two more weeks. Don't you love the bureaucracy?
I'd like to know the precise payout to see if will cover a new car payment. Might have to wait for the 2016 Mustang.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
For some but not all. I would guess that many Fox viewers think O'Reilly and Hannity are reporting the news - not their opinion.
You might drop by your local SS office and get quicker results. It worked for me.
Richard
It might have been huge, I am not arguing that. What I am saying it was primarily recreational.
Hardly, first of all there were others before bicyclists that were promoting paved roads. Secondly the modern road system in the U.S. started long after the bicycling fad of the 19th century faded.
Tell me again what cars today have chain drives, tiller steering and spoke wheels.
Actually I would think that the spoke wheels of early automobiles were from wagon wheels not bicycles. Different spokes.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I know plenty of Fox viewers and not a one of them think that O'Reilly and Hannity are reporting the news.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
No, that only applies to the main street media.
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They aren't journalists. They are entertainers.
Here's Henry Ford's first car, about as bicycley (is that a word?) as you can get!
Bicycles were used for business deliveries and to commute to factories, as well as recreation.
Once electric rail lines took over in the big cities, in the 1910s or so, bicycle use declined. But in the 1890s we had over 300 bicycle manufacturers in the USA.
Here's a cool shot of bicycle traffic in New York in 1890. As you can see, the bikes look fairly modern by that time.
OK you convinced me because if you put a horse in front of that car no way would it look like this:
Oh wait, there was a reason they were called horseless carriages.
I am not saying they weren't, just the vast majority were not used for that.
That's not really bike traffic as much as it is an organized ride. Those people are dressed in their best and are not commuting to work. Organized rides are still very common and are recreational in scope. Here is a more modern version and I guarantee you no one there is commuting anywhere (I know I was there).
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
You have a lot of knowledge about a lot of topics, from watches, to bicycles, to some good tips on books to read on a variety of topics. How do you know so much?
The book sounds excellent and has excellent ratings on amazon. I read a lot of fiction so I don't know if it is for me, though I do have an interest in the media...once took a Communication Arts course. It seems Goldbergs point is similar to what I said, most media has a left wing slant...lets face it, media people, social workers, actors, union workers, teachers, university professors, students and many more groups of people have liberal leanings....it's part of why they do what they do.
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Bicycles in the 1890s had developed into very dependable practical machines, and instead of walking 10 miles a day you could, if you were robust, pedal 50 or more. This offered people greater job opportunities, and also allowed businesses to make much faster deliveries in urban areas. It also was used in law enforcement.
If anyone wants to read up on the fascinating history of the bicycle, and its connection to automobile development, and the technology of mass production, here's a great book:
Bicycle: The History by David Herlihy
Here's the Los Angeles police department in 1904:
I didn't see one mountain bike!
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>
How about the naked bike rides in San Francisco!
(It's a protest about using fossil fuels......though I don't get the connection)
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Well so-called "mountain bikes were, when first developed, nothing more than modified "fat-tire" bikes.
The reason bicycles influenced car design so much was because bicycle-type spoke wheels were lightweight. The anemic engines of the late 1800s, early 1900s couldn't propel those huge wooden wheels (with steel bands) very well. That's also why early cars were all open. Closed bodies were too heavy for the abilities of most engines of the time.
Bicycle manufacturers also knew something that wagon makers didn't---an efficient form of mass production and precision machining.
Some famous wagon makers made the transition though---like Studebaker. And of course, when carriage makers needed a new market, some of them built specialty bodies for automobile chassis.
There's really no "left wing" in America, unless you mean a battered storefront in Berkeley with some old toothless socialist ranting about how 'the man is keeping us down".
What we discern now as "leftist" is mundanely centrist, because the left has move to center in the last 30 years in America, and the right has moved radically right.
Think of a see saw with kids bunched up in the middle and on the right side. That's about it IMO.
Real "leftists" have no credible voice here anymore...well maybe a few podcasts here and there.
>
I guess everyone's interpretation is different. The Berkley guy is either extremely left or possibly is an anarchist Moderate left and rights are probably not that far apart...it's when you get the extremists that there is a noticable difference..
That is what I wrote originally, but I reread your post MrS and I think you are right. I have to run and go bowling, so I'll think about that some more.
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"...social workers....liberal bias..."
One of the reasons I left the field was that so many of my fellow MSWs had such a strident political bias that they often made decisions detrimental to the client's best interest. Most people in the helping professions have a liberal tilt which is not a bad thing, necessary maybe, but some of these folks were working a personal agenda through the clients.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
"it's a protest about using fossil fuel"
Don't kid yourself...it's an excuse to get naked.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Didn't Henry Ford start out making bikes, or was that the Wright brothers?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayton_Aviation_Heritage_National_Historical_Park
Wright Bros are memorialized in at least 3 places around the Dayton area.
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Perhaps those were a stretch so I'll give another example. I flipped through the channels this morning and landed on Fox News. Fox and Friends was on - which is an opinion show. A story came on and the anchor started out with the lead sentence of "Why is America giving up control of the Internet?" Sounds ominous, doesn't it?
I'm sure that most watchers of F&F would consider it news that America was ceding control of the Internet to a bunch of 'furriners thus proving that the President is weak. In reality, the Dept. of Commerce is ceding control over assignment of domain names to ICANN - who's been doing it for over 15 years - as was originally planned in 1998.
OK, I am back...not a great bowler, best game was 134.
Somebody sent me a recording of a single Mom...she had 10 kids from about 8 different fathers, and the last guy jut left her. She was crying, why doesn't the government help me out...these kids are their responsibility. I think of her as a far left winger.
But, I think your analysis is right on MrS. Maybe the left is learning the government isn't going to look after all of us.
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Also happens in the school system. I was surprised at some of the ideas my 14 year old grandaughter picked up in her classes in school. I was getting ready to sound off but I could see the parents were getting a little uneasy about how the discussion was going.
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Sometimes I get so much of CNN I try FOX and particularly F&Fs when I am doing my exercises. They seem to do those kind of stories so often....I think it really works against them after awhile. As soon as they start into those stories or remarks I have to go to Good Morning America or Dr Phil....at least I will be entertained and can make up my own mind what the story means-if anything.
I think "Fair and Balanced" is really false advertising, and I am a conservative (though moderate).
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ATTITUDES, PREFERENCES CHANGE SLOWLY, BUT POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE CHANGED VERY QUICKLY IN THE PAST 30 YEARS
Back in 1960, I was a registered democrat. I considered Nixon and Goldwater way far right for my tastes and Johnson and Kennedy fairly moderate. In 1976, I voted for Carter because I though he was liberal enough yet not too far to the left. I voted Republican from 1980 through 2000 because I though the democratic party had moved much too far to the left while the Republican Party had moved more to the center (Reagan and Bush #1.
The republican party and democratic party of today are not the same party or philosophy that they once were back in the 60's through the 80's. These parties do not represent my true philosophy of how things should be run. That is why I have become an independent. I find I vote more for republicans (moderates, not right wingers) much more than I vote for Democrats who I find are too far to the left for my taste.
I am a Kennedy Democrat, a Reagan Republican and a Herbert Walker Bush Republican and I even found myself voting for Clinton for his second term. Since then, I am the purest independent you can find. I vote for the individual and his/her policy.
If they was to redistribute the wealth, I won't vote for them. If they want to grow government bigger, I won't vote for them. If they want to raise taxes, I won't vote for them. If they want to rewrite the tax code so that there are few deductions and people start paying their fair share, I will vote for those who support that. I believe that everyone who lives in this country should pay some form of tax to support the country - no matter how small it is. If they can't afford to pay tax, they should work part-time for a government service. My philosophy is that if you live in this country, you should help to support in any way you possible can.
That's all I'll say about politics - too much of it on this forum!!!!!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Mike, you just described my politics as well. Identical to yours.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Maybe as we get older and wiser we become less idealistic.
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