TECHNOLOGY and MEDIA

Apple – iPhone 7 and wireless ear bud insanity

As anyone reading this blog knows, I have never been a big Apple fan as they have always taken credit for innovations by others though Steve Jobs more artistically packaged them, usually in Zen white boxes.

So here is the bottom line:

This super/over-valued company (which cuts tax corners and cheats on its taxes as the EU has now revealed) has not had a new successful ‘invention’ in years and is doing catch up all the time.

Apple TV has failed dismally and the Apple watch has gone through 2 or 3 upgrades and is still – like the Samsung and other predecessors – a niche product that most buyers soon leave in a drawer.

And as smart phones by all manufacturers have systematically and more and more widely replaced iPods and similar music only devices, cameras, desktop computers and even laptops and tablets, Apple, among others, now finds itself in a pickle.

Its smart phones account for 70% of revenue – and no new ‘break through’ device is on the horizon for Apple or any of the numerous, other competitors.

Apple Pay may help the bottom line, but it was a concept invented years ago in Africa to meet the needs of people without any nearby bank branches.  Barclay’s of Britain then copied the concept and it has spread around the world and even now to the mighty Apple.

So, for the moment, smart phone ‘upgrades’ is everyone’s focus and selling point.

And this brings us to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Will a faster processor and fancier cameras really get people to abandon last year’s purchase?

Are wireless/cordless ear buds superior?   Because that IS the only ‘new’ feature of the iPhone 7 lineup.

And please note that it is NOT an Apple creation; far from it.

I t is a descendent of the Bluetooth wireless technology invented by Ericson in 1994 – over 20 years ago!

And again, even for smart phone use, Apple is not the great innovator as wireless ear buds have been available for almost a year from Motorola and Bragi. (See https://9to5mac.com/2016/01/08/iphone-7-wireless-headphones-beats/)

The above website already has warned the wireless ear buds require separate chips and batteries that will run less than 4 hours.

And so far, feedback and reviews have been less than enthusiastic.

Individual ear buds are already being lost and the separation of the cord – the pseudo-umbilical cord – will not be an easy adjustment.

More importantly, the new ear buds, as a 3rd level of digital sampling and compression is simply BAD for sound quality which no extra speaker can overcome.

Digital sound is ‘sampling’ and there is always some ‘dropped’ notes and sounds in digitizing.  That was a secret Sony and other kept hidden for decades as quality analog and vinyl records were replaced by sampling CDs.

All sound on an iPod and iPhone or competitor devices which store sound as digitized files already have degraded the original analog sound, and further file compression to save storage space creates another layer of deteriorated sampling.

Compared to a live a concert or vinyl record, such digitized and compressed sound is noticeable ‘dulled’. 

Just ask Neil Young who has withdrawn his music from Spotify as streaming is even worse.

And replacing analog cords with another layer of digital compression causes further degradation and quality drop.

Put simply, the iPhone 7 and wireless ear buds add a 3 round of sound quality reduction.

Just check the test results comparing iPhone 6s corded system and iPod 7 wireless at http://bgr.com/2016/09/20/iphone-7-headphones-jack-sound-test/.

Such a tradeoff will not create the havoc that 8 track produced as adjoining songs slipped into each other, but quality will certainly decline.

So, because our ears are designed to hear continuous sound waves and are sensitive enough to discern the disparity between continuous, layered analogue sound as in a symphony concert or U2 vinyl record recording – people talking, instruments playing, by comparison digitized ‘sampling has a ‘tinny’ and ‘dull’ quality.

Adding a third digital and compression round on an iPhone 7 is, consequently, a very BAD idea.

If Apple needed more space to ‘squeeze in’ better camera technology and other features, the price of cutting the analog cord is too high.  And a conversion cord adaptor will not solve the problem. 

Garbage in … garbage out.

Better to make the device less anorexic and keep the sound quality higher.

Perfectionist Steve Jobs may well be rolling over in his grave.

TECHNOLOGY

Electric car mania and the laws of  Physics

Gwyn Morgan in his July 4, 2016 article (G&M, B2) points out some basic facts of the Laws of Physics: namely, that every time a form of energy is converted from one state to another there is a significant ‘loss’ at each step.

Energy Loss Chain

  1.  Building and running machinery to create electricity in power plants or wind turbines or solar panels. This involves converting mechanical ‘energy’ and usually electricity itself to operate and monitor the equipment.

      2.   Transmission and distribution Loss – i.e., leakage from electric overhead lines, transformers, etc. increases with distance, so the greater the distance from the power generation site to the end use, the more electricity leaks out.  According to the Electrical Engineering Portal (http://electrical-engineering-portal.com/total-losses-in-power-distribution-and-transmission-lines-1) line leakage is around 17% and another 50% is lost in the distribution network.

     3.  Conversion of electricity to battery storage chemistry in electric cars, etc..

     4. Conversion of battery chemistry back to electricity.

Such losses can easily amount to 75% according to Gywn Morgan, and therefore it would be better and simpler to simply put gasoline and diesel into our vehicles than have all these numerous and wasteful ‘intermediate steps’.

So keep it simple and stick to Gaia’s ready to-use-gifts: natural gas, petroleum and even coal.

TECHNOLOGY

Electric car mania – Ontario style

As reported on July14 (G&M, A8) the Ontario government has committed to building 500 electric recharge stations across 250 locations on the highways from Windsor to Ottawa and up from Toronto to North Bay -- as well as “workplaces and public spaces”.   Cost quoted at a mere $20,000,000.00.

So what does this really mean?    

·        * EACH electric recharge ‘pump’ will cost $40,000.00 to install ($20 M /500)

* 

·       *  On average, there will be just 2 rechargers per location.

·        *  Windsor to Ottawa = 405 km and Toronto to North Bay = 356.6 km. This totals 761.6 km !!!!

So, put simply, this is at best a very, very, very, very baby step and one which is not sufficient to really meet reality.

Unless you own a Tesla vehicle with a GPS system and built in list of nearby electric stations every 150 or so kms and you can line up for the two electric rechargers and spend 15-30 minutes for a medium to major recharge, the concept will not work!!!  20L or larger jerry can as does gasoline.

A car can on a full tank drive up to some 600 km;  an electric car less than 1/3 as far.

So in the real world you need much more frequent stations – 3 times more frequent – and with a lot more than just 3 electric rechargers each.

A proper network for Ontario cities, towns and all highways would require in all likelihood 5 times as many stations as our currently in the province, at an installation cost in the billions!!!

And don’t forget electricity does not drop from the sky.  Yes, solar powered panels and wind turbines exist but they will never generate enough electricity to replace Gaia’s gifts of: coal fired plants, or natural gas plants or nuclear power plants or hydro dams to create electricity – all so-called ‘enemies of the environment’.

So buy a Prius from Toyota if you must, but do not expect electric cars and mass recharging stations to even remotely replace the gasoline/diesel vehicles in the next 25 years.

Not unless, of course, gasoline rises to $25 a litre.

NOTE: In 2014 there were over 240,000,000 cars registered in the USA alone with just under 8 million new cars sold that year. (https://www.statista.com/statistics/183505/number-of-vehicles-in-the-united-states-since-1990/).

YOUR HEALTH

More teeth cleaning fallout

As mentioned a while back, it is no longer recommended that teeth be brushed more than twice a day as the friction weakens tooth enamel.  Hence the new enamel renewing toothpastes.

We have also been told to cut back on toothpaste.   Forget the TV ads showing a one inch strip of toothpaste covering the  entire brush tips. The advice for some time has been to only apply a pea-size amount as the chemicals -- and even fluoride -- can be harmful when used in 'excess'.

Now the third part of the healthy teeth triangle has been undermined.

Recently, an investigation of flossing has determined there are no scientific studies whatsoever proving flossing helps to remove decay causing bacteria.  

In fact, as noted by columnist Margaret Wente (G&M, Aug. 6, F7), British dentists do not advocate flossing whatsoever nor do they do so themselves; it is a U.S. and Canadian mania only.

So what do I do and suggest-- as I have a tendency to weak enamel and calculus/tartar/plaque build up? 

       1.  Brush just at wake up and before bed.

2. Use mouthwash at other times to fight bacteria -- or on a rare occasion swish the mouth and teeth and gums with a shot of whiskey or vodka. 

3. Use dental floss picks.  They can be used anytime and anywhere to rid food stuck between teeth and in the gaps = super toothpicks. 

4. Chew sugar free gum -- a lot 

5. Have a dentist check your teeth and do a professional tooth scaling at least once every 6 months. I go every 4 months.

7. AVOID whitening toothpastes unless the active ingredient is mild baking soda as with Arm and Hammer. 

So keep on smiling and follow the Golden Rule: EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.

YOUR HEALTH

How things have changed

For decades -- from the 60s onward -- we have been told to brush our teeth after every meal = 3 times) and after snacks such as chocolate and chips.  And of course people brushed when waking up -- to eliminate that great ad term "jungle mouth" --  and again before bed -- in case kissing and more might ensue.

So brushing 5 to 7 times a day was the goal.

Now, if you read the toothpaste boxes, 2 times a day is recommended.   Yes, just twice a day.

Why?  Because new research has found any brushing is the equivalent of sandpapering your teeth and weakens your tooth enamel.

So the new mantra is less brushing, soft or extra soft brush heads, and using enamel restoring toothpaste such as Pronamel.

Secondly, acidic drinks are now be also targeted as they weaken enamel: be it orange juice or apple juice or soft drinks¹ (remember how a penny dissolved in a glass of cola) or sport drinks ² or energy drinks ² or wine ³ or beer ⁴.

They all weaken enamel and therefore the new advice is to drink water or drink milk and eat dairy products such as cheese and yogurt -- because they neutralize the acid from the other drinks mentioned above.

So milk and dairy are 'good' again and the old adage of having a glass of warm milk (not chocolate) before bed may soon be the new mantra of the 21st century.

Yes, we need to brush somewhat to prevent food based cavities and gum damaging plaque, but less rubbing is better.  Frequent rinsing and dental floss are always good, and don't forget to include milk and dairy products in most of your meals.

And if you haven't asked yourself yet about whitening toothpastes and strips and dentist applications of hydrogen peroxide or bleach and how they affect enamel, the answer is simple: their bad, bad, bad!!!

And not only for your enamel but also your gums!!!

1.        

        See “Drinks That Eat Teeth” at http://www.21stcenturydental.com/ph_drinks.html.  Water has a neutral pH of 7.0 and drinks with pH lower than 5.5 are considered highly acidic.

“Because the pH scale is logarithmic, a one unit change in pH is associated with a 10 fold change in the acidity. For example, lemon juice has a pH of 2.0, while grapefruit juice has a pH of 3.0. Lemon juice would therefore be 10x as acidic as grapefruit juice. Even more enlightening, Coke Classic is roughly 100 times as acidic as Barq's root beer.”

2.     https://www.patientconnect365.com/dentalhealthtopics/article/energy_drinks_and_your_teeth_should_you_worry

3.     Most wines having a pH between 2.9 and 3.9.   (See Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acids_in_wine)

4.     According to http://allaboutbeer.com/article/wine-vs-beer-the-head-to-head-comparison/   beers usually have pH of 4.0 -4.5.

GAIA

How NOT to save elephants and rhinos -- part 3

Again, an African government --  in the name of "protecting" elephants and rhinos from ivory poaching -- has announced it will destroy tons of captured and collected elephant tusks and rhino horns.

As I have stated twice before over the years, this is utter stupidity and ensures the continuance of illegal and devastating ivory poaching and wealth of the criminal networks and their Lords who continue to be rich, rich, rich.

Its simply Economics 101: supply and demand.

Elephant tusk ivory has been used for millennia for fine miniature figurines and even huge, delicate carvings of great beauty,  and these are  still in high demand in the Far East and South East Asia.

Rhino horn powder is also a traditional Chinese medicine.  With over 1 .3 billion Chinese in China, and millions more around the world, there is a huge market and demand.

The Kenyan wildlife authorities planned mass destruction of its collected ivory is to co-inside with the April 28-30 summit in Kenya on the protection of elephants.

Some 106 tons of elephant and rhino ivory is to be destroyed in a giant pyre that will last for weeks if not months until all is reduced to ashes!

Yes, ivory trading was made illegal and banned worldwide in 1989 but this has not been effective. (Any supposed pre-1989 'stock' is still allowed to be sold.)

Africa's elephant population is some 500,000 --  1/3 of what it was in the early 1970s.

The organization, Save the Elephant, has stated that 100,000 elephants were killed between 2010 and 2012 alone.

However, Kenya's about-to-be-destroyed ivory is not only from captured poaching but also from animals that died naturally or had to be culled in some area or were endangering human life.

So there are many 'sources' in this upcoming bondfire and it will all be a total waste and ludicrous display of 'principle'.

A much better solution, as I have previously argued, is to make ivory legal, under local government or UN control.

Using such 'supplies' to fill market demand will instantly undermine if not fully wipe out the poaching networks and their lucrative, illegal trade.

Simultaneously, Kenya and other governments in Africa who are always strapped for cash, or the UN, could use the profits for environmental protection projects: to ensure the survival of  elephants and rhinos and even other endangered wildlife.

Unfortunately, such a proposal was made to the UN in 2012 by Tanzania  - which had stored 101 tons, but it was rejected.

Q: What is 106 tons of ivory worth in today's market?

Well, ivory in China  sold for $750 US per kilogram in 2010 and was going for $2,100 US in 2014. A TRIPLE increase!!!

As 1 kilogram is equal to 1/1000 of a ton, the Kenyan collection is worth, at least $2,100,000 US.
today.


In conclusion, the mindset of individuals, organizations and the UN who all wish  to protect and save elephants and rhinos needs to change.  They need to learn the the last two of the Rs (which we are all supposed to follow to save the environment from human wastage). 

They are trying to do the first = REDUCE, but have ignored the more practical steps of  environment  protection: REUSE and RECYCLE.

Yes, educate the public of the harm ivory 'hunting' does to animal populations and continue efforts to stop poachers = REDUCE.

But also follow up with a world-wide, legal market for ivory already collected and stored = REUSE and RECYCLE.





Sources:
 1. Globe and Mail, April 5, 2016 A1 and A9 "From tusk to gone: burning an ivory tower".
 2.  https://awionline.org/awi-quarterly/2013-winter/elephant-slaughter-escalates-illegal-ivory-  market-thrives
 3.  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/legal-loopholes-fuel-ivory-smuggling-in-hong-kong/

 4.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/03/price-ivory-china-triples-elephant

YOUR MONEY

Stock Markets – open capitalism or a rigged game?

If you are a small investor, picking your own stocks and bonds is probably your wisest choice.

If you rely on any, world-wide, Stock Exchange Index fund or on a diversified Mutual Fund with ‘expert’ analysts and managers, you should know the deck is stacked against you.

I have regularly bemoaned the fact sovereignty funds, derivative funds, banks and a few super rich control too much of the world’s stocks and bonds, that they in fact “control’ the world’s markets and distort Capitalism 101. In good times they can ratchet up valuations and reap billions of dollars of profit from even pennies of value changes, and if they get into trouble, all hell will follow.

David Rosenberg in his February 2, 2016 column for the Globe and Mail, “The story behind the equity-oil link”, reveals that just 7 oil- pumping countries control some US $4 trillion in market assets.

These sovereignty funds, of course, include the petrodollar states of the Arabian Peninsula as well as Kazakhstan and, surprisingly, Norway – which turns out to be the “largest sovereign wealth fund in the world”.

So, as Rosenberg points out, when the price of oil falls, these countries must withdraw money from their worldwide stock market holdings to cover their finances at home or risk huge deficits and internal social and political chaos.

Mr. Rosenberg could also have mentioned Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and a major oil producer, which is now asking for US $3.5 billion in low cost loans from the World Bank and others as it faces a currency crisis and possibly political collapse (G&M, Feb. 2, 2016 B1).

So, world stock markets, as Rosenberg stresses, no longer reflect the realities of daily economic activity of corporations, small business and  farming of most countries.

Put simply, a few super-powerful players control the stock markets, their ‘paper value’ rises and sudden falls.