Tag: Technology

From the guy whose company would go to the ends of the earth for its people to hire them for 10% the cost of Michigan workers, now does so as your elected Governerd.  Also, as Republican Michigander notes, Mexico, too.

In Mid-December, Senator Carl Levin posted a position piece supporting further battery technology spending by taxpayers in Michigan.  He states:

That's why an announcement in November by the Department of Energy was so important to Michigan. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, a consortium of government, university and private-sector research labs aimed at revolutionizing battery technology.

Fittingly, Michigan is playing a key role in the effort. The consortium, headquartered at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, will include research hubs at Johnson Controls in Holland, and on the University of Michigan campus. Dow Chemical in Midland is also a key corporate partner.

The JCESR is nothing short of a Manhattan Project-styled effort to blow through the technical and economic limitations imposed by existing battery technology. Despite enormous progress that has allowed impressive accomplishments in hybrid vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles such as the Chevy Volt, today's batteries are still bigger, heavier, more expensive and lower capacity than we'd like. With technical improvements, we can bring down costs, reduce our dependence on imported oil and protect our environment.

The answer to this challenge is an effort that, as my colleague Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois put it, "brings together, under a single organizational roof, the world's leading scientists, engineers and manufacturers in energy storage and provides them with the tools, resources and market reach necessary to produce major breakthroughs."

Between the sale of battery technology to China, and a dismal failure of LG Chem to realize the investment made:

"But now you're getting it. Reporters who visited the Michigan factory of the South Korean company LG Chem, which got $151 million in stimulus money to manufacture lithium-ion batteries, discovered workers sitting around playing Monopoly and poker. The employees said it wasn't their fault: "What do you do when there's no work?"  "

As far as going all-in with these schemes, one might better be served with the proverbial 'fool me once .." advice.  Frankly, Senator Levin should take the advice given to Harry Reid by the weeper last night.  

For that reason, and the NPV issue, I have decided I do not care much for Mr. Anuzis all that much.  The NPV thing, I have known about and did not consider it too awful until realizing how close it is to screwing over our country, (ever-vigilant, check) and leaving the decision of who our commander in chief will be to NY, and California voters pretty much by themselves.  The "Dele-Gate" thing was/is far worse in my view, and demonstrated the worst level of politics, and frankly makes the Mi GOP look simply corrupt going into the most important election of our lifetime.

"Just a few bad apples," as they say.

Yeah, we (this forum for the most part) supported Saul for the NRC top spot. And at the time for all we knew, we were right.  He is a likeable guy, understands the use of technology better than most, and knows the players.  After looking at Priebus and the NRC position on NPV, we should be thanking God for a solid denial of that goal.

Elections matter as they say.  Even those inter party ones.

"Recently, I wrote a blog about concerns expressed by former Professor of aerospace engineering, William Kauffman. He has asserted, and has been saying for several years now, that the University of Michigan, and other universities in the United States are transferring sensitive military technologies to Chinese Nationals who are enrolled as students.

...

According to a report just issued by the U.S.-CHINA ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION, "Chinese military writings advocate attacks on space-to ground communications links and ground-based satellite control facilities in the event of a conflict. The report noted that in [two] instances, "The responsible party achieved all steps required to command the satellite but did not issue commands."  "

Of course if all they want to do is pirate the NBC broadcast of 'Parks and Rec'  then "so what?"