The Dow Jones Index closed below 10,000 today. The Administration and Congress not only wreck the economy but they spook business as well. C’mon November . . .
Money and Business
SmartConnect
A workman from SoCal Edison installed a new SmartConnect™ electric meter on our residence today. The power outage was only a few seconds after the workman waited until the computers could be shut down. Other than resetting a couple of clocks, there was not much impact to us.
According to the brochure (pdf), the new meter eliminates the need for meter readers, since it communicates with the power company to report usage data. It’s sorta big-brotherish too, because of the two-way communications implications and wireless connection to “smart” appliances in the household. I’m not saying they will do it, but there is a real possibility that they will be able to shut off your air conditioning and other stuff. Given the current nanny attitudes state and federal officials have, we could be headed there.
From the brochure:
Smart meters collect hourly energy use data for the home and are capable of two-way communication. This means they can send and receive energy use and cost information from the home to the utility and back again, all through a secure wireless network.
Smart meters are also equipped with wireless radio chips inside to support home area networking. This will make it possible for the meter to communicate with “smart” appliances and devices, such as smart thermostats and refrigerators.
Emphasis mine.
Bad Karma for Prius-Driving Greenbats
In addition to Toyota’s accelerator pedal vehicle recall, there may be additional problems in the Prius’ brake system.
From the OC Register:
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said today that it is opening a formal investigation into problems with brakes on the 2010 Prius hybrid.
The probe, the agency said, is “to look into allegations of momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over an uneven road surface, pothole or bump.
The news comes a day after the car’s brakes were put into question in several media reports and the Japanese government ordered the automaker to look into the issue. Of course, this latest news comes amid two recalls for millions of cars worldwide over unintended acceleration.
The guy in the cartoon (old hippie-lookin’ dude) reminds me of another Prius driver I posted about here for having an unusual paint job . . .
Attack on Banks and the SOTU
Here’s the results of the last five trading days. Obama attacks Banking and Business in the State of the Union campaign speech and in the days before.
Mr. President, Tear Down This Rhetoric . . .
Reaction from the Blogosphere:
The State of the Union Is No ‘Reset’ Button – Karl Rove
The public thinks Obama doesn’t get it; Obama thinks the public doesn’t get it. – Rich Lowry
Here he goes again with his bank penalization idea!!!!!!!! Every time he opens his yap, my mutual funds take a nosedive! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SHUT UP!!! – Nicki @ The Liberty Zone
2 Words to Describe Obama Speech . . . YOU LIE! – Anthony @ The Liberty Sphere
California’s Gasoline Ripoff
Just across the border in Arizona, you can save 17 percent – or more on gasoline. I bet the folks living in Blythe, CA, drive to Ehrenberg, AZ, to top off the old tank.
DirecTV Rate Increase
This week, I received an email advising me that the DirecTV rates were going to increase next month. I guess that times being what they are, that I’m OK with the new rate. However, when I clicked on the link to see the new rates, they sent me to this helpful and informative document (tongue-in-cheek, of course):
C’mon, DirecTV . . . how about posting a readable rate chart showing old vs. new rates and something to indicate which package applies to me?
I wonder if Dish® Network does the same crap.
Click image to enlarge.
Putting a Trillion Dollars in Perspective
A unique graphic approach to visualizing a trillion bucks can be seen here.
More amusing visualizations:
A stack of 100 dollar bills totaling a trillion dollars would stand 740 miles high.
A stack of one dollar bills totaling a trillion dollars would stand 74,000 miles high, or 30% of the distance to the Moon.
If you string a trillion $1 bills end-to-end, you would get a belt of bills about 90 million miles long. That would reach past Mars’s orbit in one direction and in the other direction, would almost reach the Sun.
Hat tip to National Review Online’s Jonah Goldberg.
UPDATE: Thanks to Robb Allen for the link.