Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Pot luck Wednesday.



I've been busy today. So, no rants. Lucky you! You get a Noble and an Xprize car from Saba Motors.

These pictures are two weeks old.

Sitting in traffic we accidentally ran across a car show at the San Jose Mercury News building. I didn't post these because I wasn't expecting to be at a car show, and I only had mint berry. Who's batteries promptly failed. Stupid non standard batteries.





These were taken with a cell phone.







Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Today Mr. S chides me about my punctuation. I point him to my title banner.

Today on, While the world burns.

Oh yeah. The week is starting that way.

Well, it's good to know that banks and brokerage houses treat the filthy rich just as badly as the rest of us. If I were Mark Zuckerburg I'd be punching at the sky.

One week you are on top of the world, the next week all your employees hate you. Because you know, they are still locked up for two more months. With the way this stock is falling, this stock could be down by half. I mean, for three days in big bold letters, Marketwatch said the stock was worth 13 bucks and change. I would guess it eventually falls to that range.

And then there is California thinking they were playing the Facebook lottery. Last week it was estimated that thousands of millionaires would be created by the IPO. I think that army just became smaller. Replaced by the people who listened to this guy:

Facebook Short-Sellers in Front of ‘Freight Train’

Published: Wednesday, 23 May 2012 | 4:21 PM ET
By: Matthew J. Belvedere Street Signs, Producer

Investors looking to short Facebook stock are getting “in front of a freight train,” analyst Laura Martin of Needham & Co. told CNBC.

Martin initiated coverage of Facebook Wednesday with a “buy” rating and a $40 per share price target — that’s a 29 percent premium to Tuesday’s closing price.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Fanimeh 2012.



I really wasn't in to this today. I'm still in a funk. Don't say I never give you anything.












Friday, May 25, 2012

EN-V.



I have to admit - I kinda like these En-v's. Although I'm not sure were they fit in, on the road to electric heaven. They max out at 25 miles an hour. But even my town has changed all the speed limits in residential areas to be 30 miles an hour. I guess when they realised they didn't have money to pay the popo, they decided five miles an hour wasn't going to hurt anyone.

Having said all that - I'd never in a million years give any money to GM. They can rot in hell for all I care. I am happy to have seen one though.

Oh the drama.



"The first issue - if the "economic recovery is accelerating" why is California's revenue still decelerating on numbers that have been revised downward something like 5 times?

The second issue - It is becoming an extremely uncomfortable spot to be placing an IPO for anything right now. It doesn't matter that the entire finances of California apparently depends on you. The world doesn't care about your finances California. They have a few problems of their own.

A company that is suppose to have such a strong market position will certainly be embarrassed if the market takes a dive, and the IPO doesn't go well. It hurts your brand."


I wrote this about Facebook at the beginning of February in What if facebook withdrew its IPO.

The things is - there were many articles out last year (2011) saying that Facebooks revenues were slowing. Read: All the Cool Kids Are Quitting Facebook.

Then there was the crazy valuations. 5 times what Google commanded. Seriously? Google has done nothing but gobble up IP. Google has F-U space money. Facebook isn't going to space! And if it did - so what?

Then there is California with it's hands out. I'd read they already penciled in the 2 billion they expected to make in taxes based on a 35.00 stock price.

Look, Facebook likely waited too long to go IPO. You are suppose to do it while you are still growing. Their growth had obviously peaked.

And I want to feel bad for Mark Zuckerburg - I think this debacle mostly wasn't his fault. But he has the President on speed dial and I am just sick to death of crony capitalism. It's why no one trusts the market anymore. Instead of taking a company public to grow it - they take companies public to loot the individual investors.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Qu-bd



I have not seen this machine work. But, it's now moved up to be the most promising candidate I've seen.

It is a combination 3D printer/CNC machine. It roughly prices at 2200.00. Depending on which motor you want.

I am not a huge fan of combo machines. In my experience they don't do anything exceedingly well. Yet, they do everything marginally well.

Still, this was the smallest CNC machine I've ever seen. I'd buy it just for that because you can cut metal.


Metal heat sync.






Here is a link to their website. Which isn't live yet.

Maker Faire 2012 - part 3.



Shapeways and Cubify continue to be my 3D printing platform of choice. They have the best finished and professional looking product. However, there were a lot more companies this year. And at least one company might move up to the top spot. But I don't have room in this post.

There were so many new players this year, that I'm starting to believe this is going to be a real technology sector.

Shapeways also prints incredibly delicate stuff that moves and is multicolor.





The Cubify van was there. Which I think appeals to your pre-teen market. And girls. It's the best looking 3D printer.









Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Maker Faire 2012 - part 2.



There was enough new 3D printing stuff, I'm going to have to break these up into several posts.

I believe all this stuff was printed from a makerbot. They've reached the simple toy stage.



Maker Faire 2012 - Part 1.



When I first got to Maker Faire on Sunday, I immediately started to melt down. The first two buildings I went into - I wasn't sure if I was at Maker Faire, or a County Fair. And I'd already waded through a sea of Prius's with Obama stickers telling me to Coexist.

There were booths teaching kids how to make fire survivor style.



There were booths teaching you how to raise chickens. Despite numerous city codes telling you that this isn't allowed.



They had tiny houses. Which I don't understand the appeal of. It's like no one has ever seen the inside of a camper. I guess those are city dwellers for ya. Maybe the shed exterior confused them into thinking it was something else. It's just a camper that looks like a shed!



They were popping popcorn with the sun. Which takes a lot longer than you would expect.



Oh, and then they had the lock picking booth.

Now, what I know about lock picking is really stale at this point - but I used to have a very good locksmith friend until he found a girlfriend.. And there were tons of rules about this kind of behaviour.

Not to mention, if there is anything young boys come standard with - it's knowing how to set fire and break into things. And besides, who picks locks anymore? You just run down to the hardware store and buy a lock cutter. Problem solved.

Monday, May 21, 2012

First I have to tell you about the De Lorean.



To tell you the truth - I hate these cars. They are not rare. There is one at every car show.

I don't understand what men see in this whole boat car thing. Or the flying car thing. I am not even sure I've seen that movie all the way through. They aren't even a fast car! I've never seen one on the road. I hate em.

I was trying to get some shots of a bike. Getting a clean shot at these events can be challenging - so it can take a couple of minutes. Usually Mr S. will wander.

All of a sudden he walks up to me and says - they have a hovercraft De Lorean.

Me - Nooooo! Lets go see that.

There is suppose to be a youtube video, and as soon as I track it down I will add it to this post.