Important Presidential Election

A very important Presidential election is less than a month away. This week has subsequently seen the Stock Market head off on a continued downward spiral. Given these events I tuned into the Presidential Debate on Tuesday night hoping to possibly see the candidates spout off some new plan adjustments to work with recent changes. However, it seems, that all the words that get spoken these days come from the same rhetoric that was written months ago. Both candidates need to sit down and really reevaluate what their policies mean for the world economy. Sadly though, I don't think the general public would understand it if they did reinvent themselves and it would likely give their advisers heart attacks. I think the world will have to wait out for a real plan until next year.

Mainly my concern is that Barack Obama keeps spouting off his same tax plan. While I could write a book about what further damage Obama's policies could mean for the economy, I don't have to. My father, and more recently his business partner, already took care of that. My father's views can be found in his academic works. To sum it up though, I found a good article from the Wall Street Journal that went up yesterday. Creating big tax increases for the top earners in this country will stifle the very investment needed to turn around the economy. With the government shoving money at failing company after company big investors are needed to keep fueling the market. The government will then get returns on their investments to keep this country running. That will promote growth, new businesses, more job, etc. More jobs then means more tax income for states and the country. Taking more taxes from the top end will only dampen investments in American business, discourage upward movement, and send tax revenue decreasing due to increased job losses. Somehow though, I don't think Obama will let go of his socialist leaning. All the signs I see around LA for Obama say hope, but with him, I honestly don't see it.

Go karts, but I can't drive

My dad's business partner wrote a book

My father's business partner, David Smick, has written a book about a bit of their adventures in economic advising on an international front. The publishers had impeccable timing on the book's release. I am over halfway through now and my only complaint is that I wish Dave had elaborated a bit more on the economics he discussed, through supporting examples of bad policy decisions, etc. However, that would have made it a massive read that, most likely, would have put me to sleep.
Find it on Amazon.com here: The World is Curved

Just a couple little stitches

My right shoulder has three scars from surgical incisions. My left shoulder only got two. Hooray for improvements in technique! This time I didn't get a recording of the surgery either, not that I want to watch it... The Vicodin gave me terrible hiccups. I am not a big fan of pain killers, that just made me more apprehensive. Now I get to gradually start gaining back my range of motion. By the end of the week my arm should be able to reach over my head again.

I can't feel my arm

This morning Dr. Neal ElAttrache poked into my left shoulder and cut out the bursa. He stated that I had impressive bursitis and old damage had left my shoulder beyond the ability to fully heal without the surgical cleansing. Everything went well and, thus far, it looks like the future is bright for my left shoulder. Now it just need to get the feeling back in it...

Andy Worhol in Troy, AL

The first exhibit at the new Johnson Art Center in Troy, AL... Andy Worhol. I believe the new center will give many others to experience the inspiration I have felt through my many visits to Troy, AL. It deserves a distinction that proves it is a unique place unlike any other.

The only way to fly

The easiest why to get to Troy, AL is to fly into its tiny air strip. They are working on a new terminal at the airport. Surprisingly it has more character than the cheap mass production steal structures that get used for every other new building around.

Building Dedication

A new center for the arts just opened in my parent's hometown of Troy, AL. Thanks to a donation by my parent's foundation the center received its namesake after my grandparents, Holman and Ethel Johnson. Through my lifetime the downtown section of Troy, AL has seen the highway steal its thunder. With all the popular businesses like Wal-Mart building up along the main thoroughfare, there is no reason for passersby to visit downtown. With the old town post office, a spectacular Greek Revival building, sitting vacant, the mayor hopes to safe it and give it new life with the creation of a cultural draw. The idea for the Johnson art center is to bring new visitors into Troy. I really do hope it will be successful. The old downtown has so much potential to build a cafe and boutique filled downtown unique to rural Alabama.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Equinox

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Equinox

Recently I finally got the chance to drive the Chevrolet Hydrogen Fuel Cell Equinox (try saying that 5 times fast). Sitting still in the parking lot the vehicle emitted noises one did not expect to hear from an automobile, at least not yet. It produced a quiet whir and a bit of clicking from the power electronics. All it all it wasn't very audible over the sound of traffic driving by. Once inside though, with the doors closed, the exterior noise was blocked out. I took the passenger side initially, while a coworker took the wheel. I used the opportunity to poke around at buttons and listen to the vehicle. Mostly the interior followed that of a normal Equinox. Although in place of a tachometer sat a kilowatt gauge. As a reminder that this wasn't a typical vehicle, or even a mundane hybrid, the shift knob featured the GM water droplet badge and the navigation screen displayed the fuel cell power flow. When leaving the parking lot the Equinox accelerated up to the speed of traffic with no drama. The ride was also very smooth, no jarring shift points. After a few minutes of driving I swapped spots with my coworker and took over the helm.

Being an Equinox the vehicle was significantly larger than what I am used to. For just that reason I did not expect it to perform anything like my BMW 335i. Pulling out into traffic I got on the accelerator and, while by far not the fastest thing I have driven, it wasn't the slowest either. It weighed somewhere in the range of a decent mid-sized sedan in terms of get up and go, meaning I wouldn't fear for my life merging onto the 405. I stayed on the pedal for a little bit and it hit me that I had lost a connection to the vehicle. I am tuned to feel for speed through gear changes and audible rpm. However, a fuel cell vehicle does not have such feedback. The sound of the electric motor was somewhat audible, but with music playing and people talking it just wasn't enough of a factor. I had to glance at the speedometer to get my bearings back straight. The smooth, uninturrupted, acceleration was a great experience though. The one possibel downside was that when coming to a stop, the brakes required more input that I was used to. The system transitions from regenerative braking to mechanical braking depending on the amount of depal depression. I probably would have been more comfortable with the braking if I had not come from mainly driving a sporty vehicle with a stiff and sensitive pedal. The brakes were in line with those of a standard Equinox, not that that is necessarily a good thing.

In the end I wish I could have had more drive time. Maybe then I could have found some Priui (plural for Prius) to drag race.