See the article “Don’t kid yourself that electric taxis are green” by Tom Holland in SCMP:
http://www.scmp.com/business/article/1238505/dont-kid-yourself-electric-taxis-are-green
I do not fully agree with Tom Holland but he does raise some valid points. We need indeed to look at the global ecological footprint. But saying no to e-vehicles is wrong. Their technology needs to improve and most important is to tackle the batteries. In the case of e-bikes in China, those are actually not green at all, because of the lead acid batteries. Lithium batteries are also still needing a better approach. As for the energy mix and the promotion of e-vehicles, read “Toxic Capitalism”: contrary to what most believe China is making serious efforts to increase the use of non-coal/oil based power stations, with renewable energy, natural gas, nuclear, etc. (leaving aside the issue of nuclear here). Trying to demonstrate a diesel or gasoline car is better is like trying to say, wind turbines and solar are bad. I personally and officially recommended the use of e-vehicles for the city of Beijing in the 12th Five Year Plan; the recommendation followed, except for some further incentives I had listed.
Consumer & Environment Issues
consumer analysis and impact on environment
NYT article shows the extent of e-waste in the USA
“Where Do Old Cellphones Go to Die?”
Article in IHT/NYT by LEYLA ACAROGLU
Published: May 4, 2013
See the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/opinion/sunday/where-do-old-cellphones-go-to-die.html
“Americans replace their cellphones every 22 months, junking some 150 million old phones in 2010 alone. Ever wondered what happens to all these old phones? The answer isn’t pretty.”
Indeed, not pretty as I explain in my book Toxic capitalism. A lot of the e-waste ends up in China, with the dramatic impact on the health of the people involved in recycling, Chinese way, hence the “cancer villages”. The cover of my book shows the arrival yard of e-waste in a Beijing factory, one of the few that handles e-waste correctly.
I always try to buy “top of the line” electronics, so I can use them much longer than normally. I had a mobile that I used for at least five years (twice repaired). My old iMac, reaching ten years is still doing a good job for some of the software – even better than my now 3-year old MacBook Pro.
The article in the NYT also shows some frightening statistics about how many tons of e-waste is generated (computers, monitors, TV, printers and so on):
We should stop this madness.
“Toxic Capitalism” at work: the drama in Dhaka factory
See the article in SCMP:
26 April 2013 – Dozens pulled alive from Dhaka factory as toll hits 256
Screams filtering through the cracks in the concrete suggest more survivors awaiting help
Agence France-Presse in Savar
http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1222144/bangladesh-factory-collapse-kills-124-injures-hundreds
“Toxic Capitalism” at work. Consumers are happy around the world to buy all the cheap stuff from countries such as Bangladesh, ignoring where and how it was made, then criticize the horrible conditions. The companies involved strike it rich while the workers suffer, or worse, perish. Once more hypocrisy from the West as long as they do not enforce the due diligence of the complete supply chain. The horrors will not stop as long as the West does not change its habits of over-consumption and not paying a fair price for durable goods. Shop till you drop and waste our planet. Never mind the workers in Bangladesh, China etc.
Voice Memos of iPhone not showing up in iTunes
Since a long time, users of the iPhone have been complaining bitterly that Apple has completely ignored complaints that Voice Memos on the iPhone cannot be transferred to iTunes. People have been trying out all kind of tricks, such as trimming the voice memos without really trimming, and like me, by ticking on and off “sync voice memos” etc. The problems were pretty dramatic for some users, as they had made important recording (interviews, family) that they could not use.
See the discussion group:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2607144?tstart=0
I think I was one of the first to comment there, and giving some tips that did work for me, even if a bit confusing. Then things got more complicated, like seeing a 1 hr 21 min voice memo showing up in iTunes (where I could play it but not delete), but nowhere appearing in the iPhone. Everybody got really upset with Apple, after so many years no solution. So, I gave up and bought the software we are not allowed to talk about (see below): iExplorer (It is said Apple deletes any mention). Now that was not only a solution, it was showing things were much much worse: it shows the Voice Memos but also another folder in the iPhone called “Recordings”. The files are mostly .m4a, one is .mov. A total of 13 files totally hidden, old voice memos that were supposed to have been deleted more than a year ago. With iExplorer I copied them to my MAC and then deleted them in the iPhone, also with iExplorer. So, if you think your problem is not being able to download your “existing” voice memos, it could be worse. I know it sucks we have to buy a software that we don’t need in theory. What choice?
Do note: I have the latest OS on the iPhone.
iExplorer is available with Macroplant (USD 34.99). It lets you look straight into your iPhone as a hard disk, basically. You check all the hidden files and copy what you want from the iPhone into your MAC (in my case). I still have to explore (!) more of its features: you can also see and copy your SMS messages, notes, pics and much more.
As a Macfanatic, thumbs down for Apple.
Man owned and drove the same car for 77 years
They certainly don’t make ’em like that anymore. Call that quality and durability” as I preach in my book Toxic capitalism. Of course you could say, bad for the economy, no business for the car makers. On the other hand, look at all the jobs generated by the owner, using servicing for the car. Jobs are jobs.
Got this sent by my friend Ginny, thanks dear.
This man owned & drove the same car for 77 YEARS. Can you imagine even having the same car for 77 years!
Mr. Allen Swift (Springfield, MA.) received this 1928 Rolls-Royce Piccadilly-P1 Roadster from his father, brand new – as a gift in 1928.
He drove it up until his death in October 2005 – at the age of 102!
He was the oldest living owner of a car that was purchased new.
Just thought you’d like to see it (great car, at least it still has character, not like all the new ones that all start looking alike).
It was donated to a Springfield museum after his death.
It has 1,070,000 miles on it, still runs like a Swiss watch, dead silent at any speed and is in perfect cosmetic condition. That’s approximately 13,896 miles per year. 1,070,000 that’s miles not kilometers!