A Question of Fuel Tax For President Obama
Los Angeles • 10 Mar 2009 12:37 • MobLog
Will the Obama administration consider a European style federal fuel tax
to drive consumer demand for clean technologies and re-invigorate
private investment into that same area? The stimulus and new budget
money towards clean technology will help but it alone is not nearly
enough. The consumer has to be motivated to buy clean products. Without
the incentive, no amount of government money will be enough. Private
investment is essential and without consumer demand, it will not happen.
You can make a direct correlation between the price of fuel and the
amount of private money invested in green tech. As the price of fuel
plummeted from $4 to $2 in the past 9 months, so did the level of
private investment in renewable energy. Fuel prices may naturally climb
again as OPEC cuts back but that is simply more dollars going out of the
country. With a fuel tax, consumption will drop keeping global oil
prices down and provide much needed money to the govt.
The cap and trade system will address the corporate sector but the
consumer has to want to go green in order to draw in private investment
dollars in green tech R&D.
It will not be popular at first, but now is the time to implement a fuel
tax. Obama has prepared the American public for dealing with hard times
and belt tightening. They are more likely to accept this as a necessary
measure now than any other time. A progressive tax that grows over a
period of time would send the wake up call but not stymie growth at the
same time. It would give people time to change but send the signal that
change will have to happen soon.
Clean tech is our single best bet for rebuilding our economy, restoring
our political clout on the world stage, and leading the world into what
will be the single largest growth industry of the 21st century. The
administration must do more to make sure clean tech is not stifled by
the recession but instead pulls us out of the recession and drives us
into a new era of sustained growth.
BlackBerry Bold to Outsell iPhone in 2009
Los Angeles • 12 Sep 2008 18:06 • MobLog
That's right. I said it! It's only my prediction and based on nothing but opinion but I'd bet on it. The new device from Research In Motion will not
be completely as sexy as the iPhone but it will be better in many ways.
Full keyboard, excellent e-mail service, Wi-Fi, HDSPA and 3G, multiple
audio and video codecs, 1Gb of internal RAM, removable storage, good
battery life, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0, and one of the best looking screens
(480 x 340) I have seen in a long time. Priced at $299 on AT&T, it will
give the iPhone 3G a serious run for the money. Blackberry is typically
a no-nonsense utilitarian device but this one adds the sexy cool
entertainment capability. And unlike iPhone, I'd line up outside the
AT&T store on opening day to get one!
San Francisco • 11 Sep 2008 09:56 • MobLog
Again, the big topic is "open", the unfettered access that carriers dread but every consumer wants. Carriers defend their position with their need to maintain "control" and "stewardship" in order to guarantee quality of service. While there is some truth in this, the networks and the devices that run on them can be adapted to support open access. In the device area, this transformation is already happening. I would like to pose a a question to carrier executives about how often they use the Internet. Founded on the principal of unfettered access but with technology some 40 years old, the Internet actually works despite the lack of control and stewardship. Yes we have SPAM and the occassional denial of service attacks but it works most all the time. And if that's not a good enough example, look at WiFi. It's totally unregulated but yet it works. Mobile technology can and will survive the rigors of unfettered access. If it can't, we need to change the technology to adapt to it. LTE must embrace it.
San Francisco • 09 Sep 2008 11:16 • MobLog
41,000 attendees. Still nowhere near the size of the GSM World Congress in Barcelona but growing each year and equally as effective. Like last year, most of the action takes place away from the show floor. 12 meetings, 2 days and everyone wants to move their meetings around at last minute to accommodate more. I'll be camped out in the Westin lobby and the Starbucks down the road for the next 48 hours.
41% Feel Economy Is Eroding Job Security
Los Angeles • 04 Sep 2008 12:32 • MobLog
Not that I am one to say at this point, ehem! But I can't help but think there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Unfortunately, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I can't help but assume the businesses that failed during better economic conditions would use this excuse if they had failed now. Given the self-fulfilling nature of economics and markets, state of mind can change everything. Obviously this is more easily done individually than en masse. But let's start with not blaming the economy every chance we get.
Dealmaker Mobile Advertising Session
Los Angeles • 19 Aug 2008 11:15 • MobLog
Spent the evening with a group of mobile advertising executives at the
Dealmaker mobile advertising roundtable. The discussion focused on the
current state of the industry and where it's going. The themes weren't
surprising. Conformity of standards around advertising products was seen
as the most immediate need and the most likely to be addressed in the
near term. Working with the operators was also brought up as a key
requirement but in my opinion everything possible should be done to work
around them. Left on the table was the issue of usability. Browsers were
mentioned as being part of the issue but really the handset
manufacturers need to establish some conformity around device form
factors. Once we have some standard screen sizes and one or two dominant
browsers, we can eliminate the need to target specific devices which
will make it easier to address larger audiences in less effort.
Verizon, T-Mobile Follow In Disney's Footsteps
Los Angeles • 18 Aug 2008 12:28 • MobLog
Verizon today introduced "Usage Controls" targeted at their family
accounts. T-Mobile launched a similar product in July. Both allow
parents to set usage limits on text, MMS, content, etc. This
demonstrates that Disney's now defunct mobile service had the right
consumer proposition but was brought down by challenging industry
economics and limited distribution opportunities.
Los Angeles • 14 Aug 2008 23:36 • MobLog
Apple has confirmed the new iPhone software contains a hidden process to
disable unauthorized applications. While it could have genuine uses to
prevent malware from misbehaving, it is also quite likely a means to
protect Apple's walled garden. This is bad news. Apple needs to embrace
openness.
Los Angeles • 04 Jun 2008 14:52 • MobLog
A 3,000 mile road rally for petrol heads and nutters. Some friends are
driving it again this year and offered me to run a car with them. It's
the 20th to 27th of June starting in Calgary and ending in Phoenix. I've
got to find a co-driver this week if I am to do it. I'll be in an Audi
S4 unless my co-driver wants to volunteer something better. If you're
interested please contact me ASAP.
The Peasants Get A "Race" Horse
Los Angeles • 19 May 2008 12:29 • MobLog
I am the proud owner of a slightly less than new 1983 BMW 528e 5 speed with only 350,000 miles on it! All for the exorbidant cost of $300. It survived the trip from Long Beach back to LA and only stalled twice, a good sign. It now resides temporarily in the familiar environs of Mr. Perry's home in East LA where the real work will continue next weekend. The interior was uncerimoniously ripped out of the car as soon it turned up, the back seat now providing temporary seating on Manhattan's front lawn. The good news is that we now have a whopping $200 leftover to buy parts before we hit the $500 24 Hours of LeMons budget limit. Roll cage, wheels, and brakes (excluded from the $500 limit) will come soon after. We'll make a good little street racer out of this 25 year old gelopi.
P01
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11 Sep 2008 09:56 (GMT-8) • San Francisco
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