Gas Price Explanation

I just ran across this article in the Washington Post that confirms what a lot of people, including those on Capitol Hill, have been saying about the price of oil, that speculators were in fact driving up the price of a barrel of oil. I'll let you read and make up your own mind.


A Few Speculators Dominate Vast Market for Oil Trading

washington_po284:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2008/08/20/AR2008082003898.html

By David Cho Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, August 21, 2008; Page A01

Regulators had long classified a private Swiss energy conglomerate called Vitol as a trader that primarily helped industrial firms that needed oil to run their businesses.

But when the Commodity Futures Trading Commission examined Vitol's books last month, it found that the firm was in fact more of a speculator, holding oil contracts as a profit-making investment rather than a means of lining up the actual delivery of fuel. Even more surprising to the commodities markets was the massive size of Vitol's portfolio -- at one point in July, the firm held 11 percent of all the oil contracts on the regulated New York Mercantile Exchange.
The discovery revealed how an individual financial player had gained enormous sway over the oil market without the knowledge of regulators. Other CFTC data showed that a significant amount of trading activity was concentrated in the hands of just a few speculators.
The CFTC, which learned about the nature of Vitol's activities only after making an unusual request for data from the firm, now reports that financial firms speculating for their clients or for themselves account for about 81 percent of the oil contracts on NYMEX, a far bigger share than had previously been stated by the agency. That figure may rise in coming weeks as the CFTC checks the status of other big traders.

Some lawmakers have blamed these firms for the volatility of oil prices, including the tremendous run-up that peaked earlier in the summer.

"It is now evident that speculators in the energy futures markets play a much larger role than previously thought, and it is now even harder to accept the agency's laughable assertion that excessive speculation has not contributed to rising energy prices," said Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.). He added that it was "difficult to comprehend how the CFTC would allow a trader" to acquire such a large oil inventory "and not scrutinize this position any sooner."
The CFTC, which refrains from naming specific traders in its reports, did not publicly identify Vitol.

The agency's report showed only the size of the holdings of an unnamed trader. Vitol's identity as that trader was confirmed by two industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
CFTC documents show Vitol was one of the most active traders of oil on NYMEX as prices reached record levels. By June 6, for instance, Vitol had acquired a huge holding in oil contracts, betting prices would rise. The contracts were equal to 57.7 million barrels of oil -- about three times the amount the United States consumes daily. That day, the price of oil spiked $11 to settle at $138.54. Oil prices eventually peaked at $147.27 a barrel on July 11 before falling back to settle at $114.98 yesterday.

The documents do not say how much Vitol put down to acquire this position, but under NYMEX rules, the down payment could have been as little as $1 billion, with the company borrowing the rest.

The biggest players on the commodity exchanges often operate as "swap dealers" who primarily invest on behalf of hedge funds, wealthy individuals and pension funds, allowing these investors to enjoy returns without having to buy an actual contract for oil or other goods. Some dealers also manage commodity trading for commercial firms.
To build up the vast holdings this practice entails, some swap dealers have maneuvered behind the scenes, exploiting their political influence and gaps in oversight to gain exemptions from regulatory limits and permission to set up new, unregulated markets. Many big traders are active not only on NYMEX but also on private and overseas markets beyond the CFTC's purview. These openings have given the firms nearly unfettered access to the trading of vital goods, including oil, cotton and corn.

Using swap dealers as middlemen, investment funds have poured into the commodity markets, raising their holdings to $260 billion this year from $13 billion in 2003. During that same period, the price of crude oil rose unabated every year.
CFTC data show that at the end of July, just four swap dealers held one-third of all NYMEX oil contracts that bet prices would increase. Dealers make trades that forecast prices will either rise or fall. Energy analysts say these data are evidence of the concentration of power in the markets.
CFTC leaders have argued that speculators are not influencing commodities' prices. If any new information arises during the agency's examination of swap dealer activity, officials said they would report it to Congress.

"To date, the CFTC has found that supply and demand fundamentals offer the best explanation for the systematic rise in oil prices," CFTC spokesman R. David Gary said, reading a statement that had been crafted by agency officials. "Regardless of their classification . . . the CFTC's market surveillance group scrutinizes daily the positions of all large traders, both commercial and non-commercial, to guard against market manipulation."

Victoria Dix, a spokeswoman for Vitol, declined to answer questions. The firm, through Dix, released a statement that stated only that it had not been contacted by the CFTC about the reclassification of its business and that its trading status remained unchanged. CFTC officials said they do not typically contact firms that are reclassified.

On its Web site, the firm says it has $100 billion a year in revenue and describes its thriving global energy-trading business.

For most of the past century, regulators put limits on financial actors to prevent them from dominating commodity exchanges, which were much smaller than the bond or stock markets. Only commercial operations, such as farms, airlines, manufacturers and the middlemen that handle their trading activities, were allowed to buy nearly unlimited quantities. The goal was to allow these businesses to minimize the effect of price swings.

The first major change to this regulatory framework occurred in 1991, when Goldman Sachs, through a subsidiary called J. Aron, argued that it should be granted the same exemption given to commercial traders because its business of buying commodities on behalf of investors was similar to the middlemen who broker commodity transactions for commercial firms.
The CFTC granted this request. More exemptions soon followed, including one to the Houston-based energy trader Enron.

"When the CFTC granted the 1991 hedging exemption to J. Aron (a division of Goldman Sachs), it signaled a major shift that has since allowed investors to accumulate enormous positions for purely speculative purposes," said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) Now, he added, "legitimate businesses that hedge and take physical delivery of oil are being trampled by the speculators who are in the market purely to make profit."

A second turning point came when Congress passed the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. The law formally allowed investors to trade energy commodities on private electronic platforms outside the purview of regulators. Critics have called this piece of legislation the "Enron loophole," saying Enron played a role in crafting it.
In the months after the act was passed, private electronic trading platforms sprang up across the country, challenging the dominance of NYMEX.

"Investment banks had been frustrated with the established exchange because they really were never able to get control of it," said Michael Greenberger, a law professor at the University of Maryland and a former staff member at the CFTC.

The most successful of the private platforms was InterContinental Exchange, or ICE, founded by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and a few other big brokerages in 2000. ICE soon opened a trading platform in London, allowing its founders to trade vast quantities of U.S. oil overseas without being subject to regulation.

The exemptions for swap dealers and the development of overseas markets allowed big brokerages to open the door for more hedge funds, pensions and big investors to move into commodities.

In the coming years, commodity investments by funds could grow to $1 trillion, veteran hedge fund manager Michael Masters said in testimony before the Senate earlier this year. In an interview, he said this trend could raise commodity prices for everyone in the coming years and "have catastrophic economic effects on millions of already stressed U.S. consumers."
Meanwhile, commodities have been good business for big Wall Street brokerages. Its commodity trades helped keep Goldman Sachs profitable during the credit crisis, said Richard Bove, a banking analyst at Ladenburg Thalmann.

"Business is lousy right now," Bowie said of Goldman Sachs. "Commodities and currencies are clearly the strongest business they have right now."
In the coming months, swap dealers expect to have yet another venue for oil speculation. The CFTC has stated it would not stand in the way of trading in U.S. oil contracts overseas in Dubai. Goldman Sachs and Vitol are among the major investors in this new exchange.

New iPhone

Well, I did it, I got a new iPhone 2.0 today and guess what!!! It isn't working, I have been unable to activate it because all us Apple fanboys have crashed the activation server at apple. Sooooo....I wait and use my old phone as a standby untill I can get it activated.

3g iPhone is finally here!

It's official, Steve Jobs announced it last week, the 3g iPhone is coming to the world July 11, 2008. I've heard it called the Jesus Phone, but I prefer to call it The Wand. Everything you could ever want in entertainment and utility condensed into one device. Here are the details, and just for the record, yes I will be getting one.

3G iPhone Is Here

Just now at WWDC, Steve Jobs confirmed the long-rumored iPhone 3G, which is what he actually called it. It hits stores in the US and over 70 other countries on July 11th. Here it will costs $199 for the 8GB version, and $299 for the 16GB one (in black and white).

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Here are the additional key details, plus the official press release from Apple:

Key Features:
Charcoal Back
Solid Metal Buttons
Same 3.5" Display
Camera
Flush Headphone Jack
Dramatically Improved Audio

3G Advantage
Showing a EDGE vs 3G comparison loading a webpage, 3G took 21 seconds. EDGE...waiting...waiting...uhh...59 seconds! Same phone, same location. 2.8X faster - and they claim loads webpages faster than Nokia N95 (33 seconds) or Treo 750 (34 seconds).

Battery Life
10 hours 2G talk time
5 hours 3G talk time
5-6 hours of high-speed browsing
24 hours of audio playback

And GPS!

And it's coming to 70 countries over the "next several months."

More Affordable
$199 for 8GB

$299 for 16GB (which also comes in white)

Coming July 11th

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Apple Introduces the New iPhone 3G

Twice as Fast at Half the Price

SAN FRANCISCO, June 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today introduced the new iPhone(TM) 3G, combining all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast* as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK. In the US the new iPhone 3G is priced at a stunning $199 for the 8GB model, and just $299 for the 16GB model.** iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries — Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US — on July 11.

"Just one year after launching the iPhone, we're launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iPhone 3G supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync right out of the box, runs the incredible third party apps created with the iPhone SDK, and will be available in more than 70 countries around the world this year."

iPhone 3G gives users ever faster access to the Internet and email over their cellular network with quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA for voice and data connectivity around the world. iPhone 3G supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE
networks and automatically switches between them to ensure the fastest possible download speeds. The new iPhone 3G also makes it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call.

iPhone 3G includes the new iPhone 2.0 software with both the iPhone SDK and key enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide over-the-air push email, contact and calendar syncing as well as remote wipe and Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to corporate networks. The iPhone SDK allows developers to create amazing applications that leverage the iPhone's groundbreaking Multi-Touch(TM) user interface, animation technology, accelerometer and GPS technology on the world's most advanced mobile platform.

iPhone 3G includes the new App Store, providing iPhone users with native applications in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The App Store on iPhone works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi, which means it is accessible from just about anywhere, so you can purchase and download applications wirelessly and start using them instantly. Some applications are even free and the App Store notifies you when application updates are available. The App Store will be available in 62 countries at launch.

Additional features available with the iPhone 2.0 software include the ability to do real-time mapping and track your progress with GPS technology, mass move and delete multiple email messages, search for contacts, access a new scientific calculator, turn on parental control restrictions for specified content, save images directly from a web page or email them to your iPhone and easily transfer them back to your photo library on your Mac(R) or PC. iPhone 3G delivers an amazing 10 hours of talk time on 2G networks and 5 hours using 3G, with up to 5 to 6 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours for video playback and up to 24 hours for audio playback.

iPhone 3G takes advantage of MobileMe(TM), a new Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars from an online "cloud" to native applications on iPhone, iPod(R) touch, Macs and PCs. With MobileMe email, messages are pushed instantly to iPhone, removing the need to manually check email and wait for downloads, and push keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically updated on other devices. With iPhone, you can even snap a photo and post it directly to a MobileMe Gallery to share with friends and family.

iPhone 3G will be available in the US on July 11 for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model and $299 (US) for the 16GB model in both Apple and AT&T's retail stores and requires a new two year contract with AT&T for qualifying customers. iPhone 2.0 software will be available on July 11 as a free software update via iTunes(R) 7.7 or later for all iPhone customers. For further information about iPhone 3G pricing and availability in the US and internationally, visit http://www.apple.com/iphone.

* Based on 3G and EDGE testing. Actual speeds vary by site conditions.

** Based on iPhone 3G (8GB) and first generation iPhone (8GB) purchases. Requires new two year AT&T rate plan, sold separately.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh.
Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its
award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's PR website (http://www.apple.com/pr/), or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

(C) 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iPhone, Multi-Touch, MobileMe, iPod and iTunes are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Metallic Glass

Here's a cool article about a new technology that makes metals both stronger and more resilient.

Gallery: How to Make Superstrong, Superflexible Metals

from Wired: Science by Dave Bullock

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

PASADENA, California -- Researchers at Caltech are pioneering new ways to make superstrong metals that are twice as tough as titanium, and twice as elastic. These "metallic glass" composites are so strong a 3mm rod can support a 2-ton truck and they bend instead of snapping like most other metals of their kind, which are called "glass metals."

The new metals can potentially be used in industries from aerospace to automotive, as well as in consumer electronics. Because the alloy is so strong, less metal is needed, so spacecraft and cars would be lighter.

Glass metals have been around since the '50s. They get their exceptional strength from their disordered atomic structure (hence the "glass" name), whereas most metals have a weaker, crystalline atomic structure that follows a pattern. The downside of the glass structure is that it makes the metal brittle when it's put under too much pressure. The new composites have dendrites of normal crystalline metal structures running through the glass component, which greatly increases the pressure threshold of the alloys.

Left: Making metal composites starts with a special arc welder that completely melts a sample, breaking its crystalline structure and uniformly mixing its atoms. Here, an arc of plasma springs from an electrode to a sample of titanium alloy, melting it instantly. The sample now has the structure of a regular glass metal. Forming the crystalline dendrites comes later in the process.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

The plasma arc melter can be used to melt nearly any metal except beryllium. When beryllium is melted, it produces vapor that mixes with air and oxidizes forming beryllium-oxide, a dangerous carcinogen. The samples that contain beryllium (even a tiny amount) must be melted inside a similar plasma arc melter inside a room that has negative pressure to prevent the beryllium-oxide from escaping.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

A piece of extremely dark welding glass prevents the brilliant white light from blinding the experimenter while the sample melts. When the shield is removed, an incredibly bright beam of light shines on the wall, lighting up the room in the process.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

An ingot of metallic glass glows bright orange after it's heated to more than 3,000 Kelvin with an arc of plasma. The copper base is flooded internally with cold water to prevent the copper from vaporizing when the sample is melted.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

Now that the sample alloy has been melted into a homogenous glass, it's time to form the dendrites inside. Ph.D. candidate Douglas Hofmann must first make sure that water is flowing through the copper tray where the sample rests or the tray will rupture from the heat.

Next, the glass vacuum tube that holds the sample and the tray must be emptied of air and replaced with a noble gas such as Argon (held in the blue tanks). This prevents the sample from oxidizing. Finally, Hofmann cranks the dial on the radio frequency inductor to heat the metal sample on the tray to 800-1,000 degrees Celsius.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

The radio frequency inductor coils heat an alloy sample to between 800 and 1,000 degrees Celsius in a matter of seconds. The goal here is to heat the sample below its melting point to allow only a specified portion of the atoms to form in a crystalline structure. This is the groundbreaking technique that creates the fortifying dendrites within the glass structure.

About 200 volts at 50 amps of radio-frequency energy is pumped through the coil, which heats the sample using induction. The coil itself doesn't get hot, but the sample obviously does. The radio frequency induction provides more control during heating than the arc melter -- control that allows scientists to tweak the composition of the alloy to their specifications.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

A sample of metallic glass composite cools on the melting trough.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

This copper tray failed instantly and ruptured when a student forgot to turn on the cooling pump during the experiment. The copper has a much lower melting point than the various metals that melt atop it, but thanks to its high level of thermal conductivity, it transfers the heat into the water -- as long as the water is moving.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

Several ingots of metallic glass composite are ready to be machined and mechanically tested.

: Photo: Dave Bullock/Wired.com

This scanning electron microscope takes detailed photos of the surface structure of materials, including the metallic glass composite that Hofmann is creating.

: Image courtesy Douglas C. Hofmann/Nature 451

A microscope image shows how the crystalline dendrites affect the way the metals handle pressure. On the left is a composite with a smaller percentage of dendrites, in the middle is a sample with a higher percentage, and on the right is a pure glass metal with no dendrites.

: Image courtesy Douglas C. Hofmann/Nature 451

This electron micrograph shows a sample with both crystalline dendrites (labeled "bcc" for body-centered cubic) and glass structures. Compare the ordered geometric matrix of the atoms on the left to the random placement of the molecules on the right (glass).

Other Cool Automagic Tech - Wind Turbines

In honor of earthday, I thought I'd do another post on one of my favorite green techs, Wind Turbines.

The good: it's free, it doesn't pollute, & you can stick it to the "MAN" at the power company.

The bad: the wind ain't always blowin, you're neighbors might consider you "that environmental weirdo", you may find that the power company doesn't feel warm and fuzzy about losing profits.

Here's a tree hugger blog entry on an affordable one you could hook up to your house.



A Personal Wind Turbine For $500: The Air-X
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 03.23.06
Science & Technology (alternative energy)





The Air-X is a small wind turbine designed to be used by home owners. It has recently been updated to reduce the noise of the blades, and they've added some microprocessor-based technology to improve battery charging. The manufacturers say this turbine can charge “any size battery bank from 25 to 25,000 amp hours or higher”. The internal charge controller periodically stops charging, reads the battery voltage, and decides on the spot whether to continue charging or stop completely. The result is longer battery life and no overcharging. It's available from Affordable Solar and Sundance Solar. :: Via Groovy Green

Earthday

Ok, It's Earthday...in 2008 that's not a big deal, just read the headlines. However, in the spirit of the day, here's 2 things to think about, ponder/go do.

First, around KY gas is now running $3.59 per Gallon, that means that your "average" 15 gallon gas tank costs $53.85. That's a lot more expensive than Americans are used to paying for gas (even in inflation adjusted terms). Oil topped $119 per barrel today. Tonight I'll raise a glass of vodka (ethanol) in a wish that the oil market will collapse the way it did in the early 80's. I admit it, I'm spoiled and want my cheap gas back. Of course I'll always take a raise at work instead, but the bottom line is that it makes it a heck of a lot harder to live from day to day. If there was a train/bus/transit system that ran from the city I live in to the city I work in, I would use it, but there isn't and that's just my reality.

Here's a Carbon Footprint Calculator for you to see how much pollution you put in the air over the course of a year. Me, I do about 10 tons. I'll be better next year...I promise.

Zerofootprint Offers Earth Day Carbon Calculator
by Ron Dembo, Zerofootprint on 04.22.08
Business & Politics (news)


Zerofootprint’s Earth Day Carbon Calculator offers a means to honour the day by measuring your personal impact on the earth. Check it out here:

This particular calculator does a quick calculation of your carbon emitting activities, and provides you with an estimate of your overall personal carbon footprint. Toggle with the answers to see how small changes can make a big difference to your footprint, then make pledges or learns tips to reduce. Keep in mind this only tracks you personal actions, and that in terms of a national average, industry and public services actually pull individual averages up quite a bit higher.
If this calculator is not detailed enough for you, go check out the personal carbon manager offered by Zerofootprint, which takes into account numerous other factors than are available on the shorter one. Alternatively, download the Carbon Calculator Facebook application and challenge some of your friends to measure their footprint.

Zerofootprint is a Canadian not-for- profit whose philosophy is that understanding how your personal actions contribute to climate change is an important first step taking positive steps towards a sustainable future for our planet.

Let us know how the calculators work you by posting back, or emailing us at info@zerfootprint.net

The Next Magic thing

Ok, so here's something totally cool that I ran across! I just ran across a blog post that talks about taking Google Maps and other mashup tools, and taking them to their mind blowing conclusion.

Talk about God's Eye View, if this comes to pass, which it seems to me is only a matter of time, then we can plan on never being bored again....YEAH RIGHT! Seriously though, check the post out, the idea holds a lot of promise.




3.17.2008

Exploring the City of Tomorrow

A hypothetical Aura Map of Istanbul's Golden Horn.Google Transit wants your city to get on their bus. At the American Public Transportation Association's recent TransITech conference the web giant's mass trans-tracking maps app (say that five times fast) challenged every transit agency in attendance to upload their schedules and information to the site by Earth Day of 2008. If Google's effort at TransITech is successful, live, up-to-date GPS-powered transit tracking for every major city in the country (and beyond) could be a reality much sooner than one might imagine.

It's a bit freaky at first; there's a whiff of Big Brother, and a dash of 1984. But once the knee-jerk paranoia passes, the benefits begin to sink in. With live-feed transit information, Google Maps and Google Earth could eliminate the need for standing on a windy or snowy street corner for twenty minutes, waiting for a late bus. Outside it could be pouring rain, but you'd know exactly when to leave the house to catch your train. Even making connections could be more easily choreographed. Suddenly, one of mass transit's biggest drawbacks -- unreliability -- is eliminated. Overcrowding becomes less of a problem, and the whole system runs more smoothly. Everyone wins.

Online mapping technology has come a long way since the basic click-navigation maps of MapQuest hit the web back in the 1990s. Nowadays you can easily access street-level views, satellite images, and highly-detailed maps of buildings and amenities of dozens of cities. Certainly, this makes the prospect of taking an exploratory walk through a new part of town less daunting; you can preview your route, get a feel for landmarks, even decide where you want to stop for lunch. But there's still a dimension missing. Online maps are still very much stuck in the 3D-level, at least as far as the masses are concerned. We're still figuring out how to map the most important factor in cities: people. Not individuals (again with the creepy 1984ishness), but crowds, traffic patterns, and even emotions.

Think back, once again, to the SimCity game franchise. In later versions of the game, players could open up maps that charted everything from traffic to crime to the general happiness (aura) of the entire city. Live. Can you imagine the potential of people-mapping technology as a tool for planners and policy-makers?

A scenario: it's 8:00pm on a Friday in the year 2015, and you're looking for something to do. You grab your wi-fone and fire up the GoogleCity live maps app. There are three parties within a ten minute walk of your house being advertised on GoogleSocial (a convenient MeetUp/Bebo-powered mashup), a wifi-gallery showing one of your favorite artists from deviantArt four subway stops to the south, a restaurant opening on the corner where that hookah bar just closed last spring, and a band whose iSpace page you just subscribed to because you heard one of their songs on Pandora's new Loc:Audio channel. There's no excuse to be bored. And oh, look -- if you leave now, you can catch the next bus, but it'll be at least five minutes for a train. Perhaps tonight will be a concert night? The e-stars have aligned...

You're happy. You're entertained. You click a button on the screen that tells Google that someone on your block is in high spirits. The block's aura jumps up one point. At City Hall a few weeks later, the general happiness trend of your neighborhood is noticed to be on the rise. Civic officials study the area to learn why this spike in aura has been occurring, and use this people-powered live information to liven up some less brightly-colored spots on the map. Repeat this process with any resource, tangible or otherwise. The places that need something get it more quickly, and the decrease in wasted funds leaves more tax money to be distributed wherever it's most needed.

Now you, as a citizen, have every right to see this information if your elected officials are looking in. So the aura map overlay is available via GoogleSocial. You tap the screen, pull it up. There's a spike near your friend's apartment building downtown. What's the deal? Street fair. You are so there. You lift the phone to your ear, call the friend, and then check a transit map. You just missed the train, which means 10 minutes of waiting. But oh, there's a cab around the corner. You ping it with the push of a button, and you're on the road a few seconds later.

The next day, you're ready to go for a run. You check out air pollution and crowd overlays. The wind is blowing everything to the south today, so air quality will be best on the north side of town, which is good, because that's where you live. The big orange blob in the middle of the park closest to your house suggests some kind of festival is going on. Not wanting to deal with people-dodging, you check out the riverfront. Clear as crystal. And you're off!

The full potential of maps, in terms of improving the quality of life in cities, is just beginning to be realized. Soon, maps won't just tell you where movie theaters are; they'll tell you which ones are less likely to be crowded, dirty, or noisy. Get ready for the cartographolution.

The Power Elite

Today I ran across an article that has me thinking about my place in the world. The article, which can be found here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/130637/page/1, talks about how a very select group of people (approximately 6,000) have a vast amount of influence over millions of people.

This has me thinking of the 2 things it takes to get to this level, power and money. These are both things that I do not have, and the more I think about it, I do not desire them. What I want are the ability to control my little corner of the world, to support my loved ones, and to work at a job I enjoy. I don't need to control the lives of others, nor do I need the responsibility that comes with it. I am content with my life as it is proceeding now, and reject the assertion made by society that I have to crawl over everyone and everything in my path to the top. A Gulfstream V is nice, but I like my world the way it is, I'll pretend to be a prince of the world when I go on a cruise or on vacation at a resort. I'm content to be master of the 60 miles that I travel every day, raising my child and loving my wife, and maintaining my home. These are the things that truly make me happy.

Read the article, it is interesting



What Power Looks Like
They ride on Gulfstreams, set the global agenda, and manage the credit crunch in their spare time. They have more in common with each other than their countrymen. Meet the Superclass.

By David Rothkopf NEWSWEEK
Apr 14, 2008 Issue

http://www.newsweek.com/id/130637/page/1

Technology as Magic

Weather people believe it or not, we are living in a golden age. People will look back on this era and marvel at all that we have. We have command over time, distance, information, and in some cases death and disease. Things that 200 or 300years ago would have killed a man, are now easily cured. People can be dead for minutes, and be brought back to life with little or no ill effects.

Trips that in the past would have taken days or weeks, can now be made in hours. We have access to information, and can see events occuring in the world instantly, even though we stand thousands of miles away. We can talk to people half way around the world as though they were next door. All of this continually amazes me.

First Official Post

Here's my first official post, so in keeping with the spirit of my site, here's a post from Engadget, because lets be honest, mobile phones are the coolest kind of automagic technology.

Sprint hits back with the Samsung Instinct

Posted Apr 1st 2008 1:15PM by Nilay Patel
Filed under: Cellphones

See that? That's the Samsung Instinct, due to hit Sprint in June. Better get used to it, because Sprint's about to start hyping it with the biggest marketing push in its history -- it's going to drop some $100M on this lil' guy. Of course, there's no escaping the comparison to a certain other touchscreen candybar phone, and Sprint's not backing down from a fight -- it's just being willfully obtuse, saying that while the Instinct wasn't developed in response to the iPhone, the company recognized that it needed "a product from a usability standpoint that can compete." Um, sure. Samsung and Sprint worked together to simplify the UI, which features a reconfigurable home screen, music, and TV features, but we're going to hold off judgment until we get a look at the browser in person a little later.