From: John Larkin on
On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:04:10 -0800 (PST), Bret Cahill
<BretCahill(a)aol.com> wrote:

>> >> Even the prototype is only $100K.
>>
>> >>http://www.planetanalog.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218400113&cid...
>>
>> >> Leave the big engine in there for the road trips.
>>
>> >> The unsprung weight doubles and the batteries might not always be near
>> >> the original design center of mass but aside from that it's a really
>> >> good idea.
>>
>> "What makes our approach different is we don't need to modify anything
>> in existing vehicles to turn them into a hybrid," said Perry. "We
>> install the motor in the space between the brake mechanism and the hub
>> without any other modifications."
>>
>> I wish the image had the resolution to be readable,
>
>I couldn't find any patents or applications for Charles Perry. It was
>probably invented back in the '70s.
>
>Several companies are coming out with them:
>
>http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/10/12/story5.html

This is the Mechanics Illustrated phenomenon: every month all sorts of
amazing inventions are announced, all of which will revolutionize our
lives and be on the market next year. That's been going on for 60
years or so. And they missed most of the things that have in fact
revolutionized our lives.

The systems you cite here don't appear to even have working prototypes
in operation. And none appear to involve technology that wasn't
available 10 years ago. Explain that.

John

From: Bret Cahill on
> >> >> Even the prototype is only $100K.
>
> >> >>http://www.planetanalog.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218400113&cid...
>
> >> >> Leave the big engine in there for the road trips.
>
> >> >> The unsprung weight doubles and the batteries might not always be near
> >> >> the original design center of mass but aside from that it's a really
> >> >> good idea.
>
> >> "What makes our approach different is we don't need to modify anything
> >> in existing vehicles to turn them into a hybrid," said Perry. "We
> >> install the motor in the space between the brake mechanism and the hub
> >> without any other modifications."
>
> >> I wish the image had the resolution to be readable,
>
> >I couldn't find any patents or applications for Charles Perry.  It was
> >probably invented back in the '70s.
>
> >Several companies are coming out with them:
>
> >http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/10/12/story5....
>
> This is the Mechanics Illustrated phenomenon:

The best lampoon was National Lampoon on MI:

"Convert your piano to diesel power."

Maybe the letter of recommendation from an admitted pimp / vandal to
Harvard Law School was better.

"And since I was living under an assumed name . . ."

> every month all sorts of
> amazing inventions are announced, all of which will revolutionize our
> lives and be on the market next year. That's been going on for 60
> years or so. And they missed most of the things that have in fact
> revolutionized our lives.
>
> The systems you cite here don't appear to even have working prototypes
> in operation. And none appear to involve technology that wasn't
> available 10 years ago.

Or a century ago.

A lot of stuff gets patented before it's cost effective.

> Explain that.

The price of fuel hadn't gone over $5/gallon back then.


Bret Cahill




From: John Larkin on
On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:08:35 -0800 (PST), Bret Cahill
<BretCahill(a)aol.com> wrote:

>> >> >> Even the prototype is only $100K.
>>
>> >> >>http://www.planetanalog.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218400113&cid...
>>
>> >> >> Leave the big engine in there for the road trips.
>>
>> >> >> The unsprung weight doubles and the batteries might not always be near
>> >> >> the original design center of mass but aside from that it's a really
>> >> >> good idea.
>>
>> >> "What makes our approach different is we don't need to modify anything
>> >> in existing vehicles to turn them into a hybrid," said Perry. "We
>> >> install the motor in the space between the brake mechanism and the hub
>> >> without any other modifications."
>>
>> >> I wish the image had the resolution to be readable,
>>
>> >I couldn't find any patents or applications for Charles Perry. �It was
>> >probably invented back in the '70s.
>>
>> >Several companies are coming out with them:
>>
>> >http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/10/12/story5....
>>
>> This is the Mechanics Illustrated phenomenon:
>
>The best lampoon was National Lampoon on MI:
>
>"Convert your piano to diesel power."
>
>Maybe the letter of recommendation from an admitted pimp / vandal to
>Harvard Law School was better.
>
>"And since I was living under an assumed name . . ."
>
>> every month all sorts of
>> amazing inventions are announced, all of which will revolutionize our
>> lives and be on the market next year. That's been going on for 60
>> years or so. And they missed most of the things that have in fact
>> revolutionized our lives.
>>
>> The systems you cite here don't appear to even have working prototypes
>> in operation. And none appear to involve technology that wasn't
>> available 10 years ago.
>
>Or a century ago.
>
>A lot of stuff gets patented before it's cost effective.
>
>> Explain that.
>
>The price of fuel hadn't gone over $5/gallon back then.

Current US average at the pump is about $2.60.

John

From: Bret Cahill on

> >>>>The price of fuel hadn't gone over $5/gallon back then.
>
> >>> Current US average at the pump is about $2.60.
>
> >>The price of fuel should include the true costs of getting the raw
> >>material
> >>(crude oil)
>
> > If I'm not paying for the cost of the crude oil when I buy gas, who
> > is?
>
> All people who pay taxes of any kind, and our future generations who will
> be paying the debt we are accumulating.

Not that it's an immediate concern but the real cost is the climate.

The NY Times recently ran an article claiming that now most economists
agree that it will be more expensive for society to ignore AGW than to
do something about it.

The only long term solution is to get ground transportation powered by
the grid.

> Fuel taxes don't even pay for
> keeping highways in good repair.

Bureaucrats already have plans to tax everyone on a per mile basis --
no more privacy motoring around.

> We should be paying $2 or more per gallon
> in addition to the price we now pay.

The Car Talk guys said it should be $10.

> Truckers who do most of the damage to
> roadways are essentially subsidized to keep their inefficient rigs rolling,
> and railroads are penalized so as not to create "unfair" competition.

Highway taxes and even AGW are all moot issues in the near term.

Buffet just bought a coal hauling RR, BNSF.

The world's most astute investor just bet the ranch that the price of
liquid fuel will soon soar and there is money to be made hauling coal.

Back in the '70s during the OPEC embargo Norfolk and Western which
used coal fired steam engines all the way up into the '60s made so
much money they bought Southern RR.

At times there were up to 80 coal colliers waiting out in Hampton
Roads lined up for Pier 12.


Bret Cahill


"Southern Serves the South
Look Ahead, Look South"

-- Southern RR slogan






From: jim on


Jim Yanik wrote:
>
> "Paul E. Schoen" <paul(a)peschoen.com> wrote in
> news:bOZLm.11939$Sw5.2687(a)newsfe16.iad:
>
> >
> > "John Larkin" <jjlarkin(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote in
> > message news:4mk0g5hbeti1qevmtnjoii2omkp3is7m2g(a)4ax.com...
> >> On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:08:35 -0800 (PST), Bret Cahill
> >> <BretCahill(a)aol.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>>
> >>>The price of fuel hadn't gone over $5/gallon back then.
> >>
> >> Current US average at the pump is about $2.60.
> >
> > The price of fuel should include the true costs of getting the raw
> > material (crude oil) and also the cost of its effect on the
> > environment when it is burned. So the war in the Middle East should
> > most fairly be subsidized by fuel taxes. We are already subsidizing
> > terrorist activities with the profits made by the Arabs and other
> > countries who produce the oil,
>
> because the DemocRATs/environuts keep blocking DOMESTIC oil reproduction
> and refineries.

Is the communist and evironutt agenda to make oil prices high by creating
scarcity and lower the cost of production by limiting capital expenses? Is the
strategy to drowned the oil companies in profits?

-jim