2008-01-31

iPrediction from 2007 [B, T]

I wrote this for an iPhone contest that Gizmodo was having in July 2007. I decided to post it as apparently it is going to be a viable product some day.

Entry Name: iEyes; visual communication and augmented reality device.

Description: A set of contact lenses that sends and receives wireless data from various sources via a separate miniature “basestation” that one would carry with them. The basestation is not shown in these examples but it could be pen-sized or wristwatch-shaped. There is also an optional control pad, either a FingerPad (about the size and shape of a poker chip) or a TonguePad that one wears clipped behind the upper incisors.

Function: The iEyes essentially conveys data from the wearer’s cell phone, Blackberry, media player, GPS device, etc. Visual data is presented to the user similar to the goggles one can buy today to watch movies on a virtual widescreen.

Power Source: The iEyes have built in solar cells to power themselves off of ambient light; with capacitive electricity storage when in a dark room.

Feasibility: With emerging technologies like flexible electronic circuits, conductive plastics, nanotechnology-based super capacitors, multi-element lenses and the like, iEyes could be manufactured as early as 2009 for government use; with less expensive consumer-priced versions by 2012.

The iEye would appear to the casual observer to be nothing more than a contact lens. If one looked closer you could see that there is something a bit different about it. The lenses would be worn in pairs, built-in sensors would keep the screen aligned with the vertical and horizontal so it does not matter how the lenses are put in the eye. A preferences setting could override this, say if you were lying on your side and watching a movie; the virtual screen orientation would be rotated 90 degrees so the movie appears correct from your point of view.

This is the optional TonguePad worn behind the front teeth that lets you control basic functions such as answering a phone, scrolling e-mail text or playing a movie. As mentioned earlier, the basestation is not shown, but it could be pen-sized or wristwatch-shaped. The basestation would have connections to various devices, probably by high-speed wireless modules; somewhat akin to Bluetooth without the limitations of battery life and data transmission rates.

When a phone call is received, the phone number and person calling is seen by the iEyes wearer. The yellow arrow pointing towards the phone means a call is coming in from that person; pointing away from the phone means the call is going out to that person from the iEyes wearer. The iEyes – using data from the built-in cameras – continually adjusts text colors to be in contrast with the ambient environment. Calls can be answered by either touching the phone keypad, a button on the basestation, or blinking both eyes in rapid succession. If using the optional TonguePad – as this user is – one can either click the green circle (which means “yes” or “accept”) or the red stopsign (which means “no” or “ignore”). The cursor is by default indicative of what is being used to control it, such as a tongue if using the TonguePad.

When reading e-mail received on a Blackberry or iPhone, the message is scrolled up and down by using the blue arrows; the envelope means “reply” and the “go back” arrow means to go back to the list of e-mails. The yellow triangle at the end of the message text means there is more text to scroll down to read, when scrolling down a similar triangle appears at the top. To reply with the FingerPad or TonguePad there are user-defined phrases like “I will call you” or “Please forward to Ms. Lyons at my office.” To actually type a message one could use the virtual keyboard text entry function but this could be laborious. Ideally one would use a small optional keyboard or the keyboard on their phone or Blackberry. In this example the cursor is a finger, which indicates the FingerPad is being used.

Playing movies is one of the most basic yet amazing features of the iEyes. You see movies – depending on source of course – as equivalent in quality up to a 1080p high definition video. In this example the green triangle is less transparent meaning the movie is playing. Some of the features include the ability to have the movie very transparent so as not to obscure one’s view, or to have the background almost opaque. If wearing the TonguePad this is accomplished by clicking the contrast control and sliding the tongue to the left or right. In a darkened room the movies need no backlighting as the images are formed by OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) which generate light themselves.

When using the GPS function for directions, the directions are overlaid on top of what you are seeing. Spoken directions can be also sent to either your phone’s speaker or headset. One can also switch to the metric and real system of measurement.

Embedded in the lens are millions of tiny light-detecting elements, each with their own lens. The concept has been demonstrated in making lenses that function similar to an insect’s compound eye. In this case the (at least in the first version) there would be no zoom feature. A 5 megapixel picture is taken by either clicking a button on the basestation, using the optional FingerPad or TonguePad (in this case) to click the onscreen “shutter release” button, or winking twice in rapid succession with one eye. When the picture is taken software in the basestation decides which eye is seeing the better image and uses that data. An optional feature snaps a photo using both images; since this is a 3-dimensional photo the image can be viewed on a computer screen or TV with special polarized accessory glasses preserving the 3D view.

One of the most amazing features of the iEyes works in conjunction with an Internet connection through the phone as well as the yet-to-be-announced GoogleEyes service from Google. With GoogleEyes turned on, when you look at an object and request data, GoogleEyes attempts to identify the object (giving a confidence for the identification) as well as providing a definition from a user-defined source, in this case Wikipedia.

2008-01-23

Mercury [G. P]

Someone sent me a link from the New York Times about deadly levels of mercury in tuna, and how we are all going to die agonizing, pain-wracked deaths from mercury poisoning. Now as I an involved with environmental issues as a real, educated, trained professional - unlike some others - I would like to calm your fears.

Let's start with researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health who reported in the February 2002 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine that they could not find mercury-related health effects among a group of regular swordfish consumers.

In 2006, Phil Davidson from the University of Rochester Medical School, presented results of a unique 10-year study of more than 700 children living in the Seychelles Islands. The children's mothers averaged 12 meals of fish a week – about 10 times the average fish consumption of individuals in the United States – and those fish contained high levels of methylmercury. Yet cognitive tests on the children, taken multiple times over the years, found no cognitive defects or other maladies normally attributed to mercury absorption.

Our own EPA has said "Human-caused U.S. mercury emissions are estimated to account for roughly 3 percent of the global total, and U.S. coal-fired power plants are estimated to account for only about 1 percent." The main sources of mercury in the environment are erosion into rivers of naturally-occurring mercury and volcanoes.

We do know that exposure to extremely high levels of mercury can be harmful. There were mass poisonings in Japan's Minamata Bay in the 1950s and in Iraq in the 1970s. However, the former was due to direct methylmercury discharge to the bay, and the latter was due to people eating seed corn that was supposed to be planted that had been fumigated with methylmercury.

Now there are people who try to link an illness to mercury in the environment; but they ignore the more important potential root cause. What licit and illicit drugs were the parents ingesting prior to and - in the mother's case - post conception?

My favorite in the mercury discussions is people like Carol Browner, who was a vocal critic of president Bush's administration's plans to reduce mercury emissions. She doesn't like to mention that she was the EPA Chief under President Clinton, and she did nothing to reduce mercury emissions.

My favorite mercury-related quote comes from Steven Milloy, the editor of a website devoted to battling "junk science" and author of several books on the subject. Speaking about Ms. Browner (and Ms. Clinton and Ms. Boxer, who were at the same rally) he asked plainly: "Show me the person in the U.S. who has gotten sick from eating fish because of mercury. Where are the bodies? Where are the illnesses?"

I do not know of any.

2008-01-21

Mark orders HD from Charter [B, H, PI, T)

It's funny how the last thing we all need in our lives is more stress, yet the Fates seem to always conspire against us. As a way of helping to alleviate the slightly-increased (like the moon is 'slightly' larger than my thumbnail) stress at work, I had finally made the splurge to get a DVR with High Definition cable service from Charter for the big-screen HDTV I earned from a book I illustrated.

Anyway, my older son and I went to get haircuts, and while we were gone the Charter Worker Bee installed the HD/DVR. Now I can't blame my wife or other son, but all that was installed was a DVR. That's great, so I can save episodes of "24" (and dump them to my computer to make a DVD, but that's another story) but no High Definition signal.

In calling Charter, the first person I spoke to offered the hillbilly-like explanation that "all our DVR's got HD"; I kindly did not try to correct their grammar, but did ask them (to gauge their approximate E.I.Q. [Electronics Intelligence Quotient, very important if working for an electronics-related company]) if they realize that either a "Component-" or "HDMI-output" is needed to get the High Definition signal to the TV?

They confirmed they did know that, then inexplicably proceeded to tell me that connecting the yellow, red and white 'plugs' (i.e. analog TV, Left & Right audio RCA-connectors) to the TV would give me HD. Gritting my teeth so hard I could feel flecks of enamel delaminating, I explained that no, "that is an analog signal" as the barely-legible 4th generation copy of a FAXed manual left for me confirmed - the abbreviation SDTV meaning "Standard Definition TV". The operant word being "Standard" which means "not-HD".

She offered to transfer me to their Service line; I was at least fairly hopeful, as you figure, well Service must have a higher EIQ. Right? I was at least optimistic as I could audibly detect a lack of alcohol on their breath.

I was feeling really in the groove when Service said that Charter had made a mistake (hooray!) and that even though it was in the call notes (yaaay!!) from my phone order last month, the High Def order hadn't been put on the work order (hallelujah!!) and that (warning: aneurysm-inducing quote follows) once they turned on the HD at their end, the DVR would be outputting an HD signal to the TV (what-the-F***?!).

I explained that this model DVR wouldn't output High Definition if Charter sent 50,000 volts through it (with apologies to Monty Python and their Parrot Sketch); and plain-and-simple that I need a different model of DVR. My hopes quickly sank, as the Service person said they would check on that.

As I knew 100% I was right, I repeatedly tried to convince the Charter lady that she needed to provide another model DVR. As that wasn't helping, I asked what other models do they carry, and I could check for her. She suggested the Motorola BMC9012; a quick Google for the model did confirm Component output.

(Parenthetically I should add that one of my dreams is to found a Web search engine, using an obscure obscene reference, such as www.felching.com or www.frotteur.com; so some day when Wolf Blitzer says "We did a quick Felching to look that up" several million people will spray milk out of their noses at once.)

I could sense my blood pressure dropping to near 3:00 PM-at-work levels. I hopefully asked if this was something she could call the Installer Bromide and see if they could swing back by. I was told perhaps either one of the biggest lies or one of the stupidest things I heard in 2007. She said they take only the equipment to complete that one day's work orders.

Now think about how banal that statement is. Some electronics are dead out of the box, or some people getting one DVR might decide to have another installed that day. Or even (like me) Charter might occasionally once a decade make a mistake in the work order. I gave the Charter lady these scenarios, and asked her to check to be sure. She did, and said if I wanted to reschedule it would be the earliest next Saturday or we could exchange the DVR today a few towns over at a Charter office.

I did some quick thinking, weighing the minor inconvenience of driving to get the proper DVR, against the intense personal satisfaction of next weekend having the Service Slug do the install while kneeling on a large plastic sheet I had laid out previous to their arrival, as I donned a Tyvek coverall while standing near the new Ronco/Showtime knife set in our kitchen ("Look at that folks, how much would you pay for a knife that goes through bone, meat, gristle and sinew, yet is still sharp enough to cut this tomato paper thin?"), with a spray bottle of bleach-solution nearby, all the while ruminating about the deep, freshly-dug hole in the woods way, way in back of our house, across a stream where no one ever ventures… (Insert Giorgio Moroder's music from Hitchcock's Psycho shower scene here)

I decided I want to see the new House episode this Tuesday in glorious High Definition. I'll write up sometime the rest of the conversation; wherein I innocently asked if she could check to see if the Charter store ACTUALLY HAD the model DVR in stock, wherein I was told "they don't have a phone there".

Homeland (in)Security [AN, G. P]

As one can see, the good ol' boys at the TSA don't catch everything. In the case of a utility knife, here's is what happened. An older gentleman in front of me had a Swiss Army Knife about 1-1/2 inches long. He did not know that this was a danger and forbidden. In the excitement and zeal to stop this potential terrorist, the person behind him (me) was essentially ignored. 

Now it is true, that is a "safety knife" sort of utility knife, but one could still do some serious damage with it. Sort of makes me wonder if airport security lines are really worth it.

In a related note, on a different flight the TSA did confiscate a friend's IKEA horseradish. Now to be fair to the TSA if she had somehow been able to use her 115-pound frame to disable the Air Marshall and break open the door to the cockpit, she could have certainly blinded the pilots, leading to disaster.

2008-01-19

Shaving the GPS [FE, T]

GPS (Global Positions Systems) receivers are wonderful devices. In a true example of the "swords to plowshares" concept, here we have a technology designed to let us rain glorious nuclear death upon Ivan (lately of the USSR) courtesy of SAC's B52-G and B52-H 'buff' fleet, instead being used by yuppies enjoying geocaching

With a proliferation of GPS units, I have noticed something that I would like to go on record as quoting a 'catch phrase' that should enter the lexicon probably mid-2008. That term is "shaving the GPS" or it can also be stated as "GPS shaving". What I mean by this is that once you enter the destination, and the GPS unit churns a bit, it tells you where to go and - in most units - has the estimated arrival time. This is obviously calculated via a complex algorithm that is beyond most of our comprehension, but it is every male reader's duty to Shave that GPS

If the estimated arrival time says 5:35, I want at least 2 minutes cut off; I do not care if it is a 4 mile drive to the CVS.

2008-01-17

Short Global Warming Lesson [AN, PI, T]

A lot of people point to US climate data maintained by NASA, and how 1998 is the hottest year on record, which "proves" global warming. A lot of people do not know that NASA made a small error - essentially a 'Y2K' calculation error

The actual NASA data is available here, but the main summary is this:
1934 is now the hottest year on record, not 1998.
5 of the top 10 hottest years are before WWII.

Intel's CEO's Dirty Secret [A T]

Intel's CEO Paul Otellini has a secret. Until recently, his company's chips did not power Apple's products. In fact, it was sort of an IBM/Motorola VS Intel stance. 

In a Businessweek article, he admits that not only do he and his wife have iPhones, but his personal computer of choice is a MacBook.

10 Ways to Say You Have an iPhone [A, S]

I really like my iPhone, and plan to write a much more detailed article about what it can and cannot do; and what several Websites say it can't do. However, for now I present:

The Top 10 Ways to tell People You Have an iPhone
10) Get a number like (area code) x-474663, so you can say something like "call me at 860 4-iPhone".
9) Have a bumper sticker made that says "iPhone - iGot".
8) When answering a call, be sure to say something like "hello, this is me speaking on my new iPhone."
7) Do not wear a watch; when someone asks the time, pull out your iPhone, and say "the iPhone says it is 10:45."
6) Also wear the matching iHat, iSocks, iBelt and iScarf.
5) Change the ringtone to the sound of Gilbert Gottfried screeching loudly "HELLO, HELLO, there's a call on your new iPhone!"
4) Do not speak about any topic without working the phrase "iPhone" into at least every third sentence.
3) Change your voicemail to say, "I am not available, but be sure to leave a voicemail on my new iPhone, which has the unique feature that shows me a list of voicemails and I can listen to them in any order".
2) Purchase the optional forehead- or chin-mounted iPhone holster.
1) At least 4 times per hour at random intervals wave the iPhone over your head while running in circles yelling "look at me, look at me - I have a frickin' iPhone!!!"

Not Everyone Likes the iPhone... [AN, PI, R]

Of course, not everyone likes the iPhone. Maddox, popular author and publisher of The Best Page in the Universe, apparently dislikes the iPhone.

Shirt Color [G]

I had an odd thing happen yesterday at work. On three separate occasions a woman commented that they really, really liked the color of the shirt I was wearing. Now - as I retain literally billions of pieces of useless information - I realized that these women might be tertachromats. And now you dear reader know a new word: tetrachromacy.

2008-01-15

2008 Predictions Update [AN, PI]

Now, I am not one to sound zenophobic. After all, my camera and car are from Japan, my beer from Belgium and England, clothing from Pakistan, and my gasoline from the Middle East. If you recall, one of my predictions was that China would release a tainted product that would result in a "serious loss of life".

That has thankfully not happened, but the latest craze from China is to use asbestos in child's toys!  And not just once! For those that don't understand why, all industrialized nations and most developing countries understand about quality and purity. Although not as stringent as the German 'Reinheitsgebot', usually you can be assured if you buy something it is not tainted with dangerous or toxic ingredients. In China, as the economy is growing exponentially, competition is of biblical proportions. Subcontractors undercut subcontractors, manufacturers change the type of plastic used if it will save them $2 per thousand. And they do not quite yet grasp the concept of 'critical component' in an item.

I mean could it be any worse? What is next from China, perhaps something akin to Maimway Industries as seen on Saturday Night Live. Here Dan Ackroyd played toy magnate Irwin Maimway, who hawked such gems as Bag o' Glass and Johnny Human Torch Set (oily rags and a lighter). 

My guess is uranium-tainted pacifiers.

2008-01-14

New Photos and YouTube Videos [G]

I have posted more photos on my Flickr account.  I have also taken the plunge to start putting things onto YouTube as well. 
I have also posted a photo of the equipment I use to edit blogs and capture photos and videos - some secretly - all the equipment fits in your pockets!

2008-01-11

Adventures of Captain Literal [H, S]

Everyone has their nemesis, their Lex Luthor, their Newman, their Sheriff of Nottingham. One of my alter-egos is Captain Literal who ceaselessly battles against those who bother him. Be it those who abuse and destroy the English language. The "Literal" comes from a combination of accepting something literally, to literature, which ties in the grammar, etc.  (You could also throw in the Liter from the metric system, but we all hate the metric system).

Anyway, Captain Literal  had his latest adventure when Dr. Douche  asked him about what the conditions would be in a parking garage. In Boston. On a Tuesday. At 1:30 PM. Their question was thus - "What are the odds of me getting a parking spot there this afternoon?" Pausing, Captain Literal  weighs the options; should I pretend to understand and give the 'correct' answer, or just swing into action. Seventeen milliseconds later, Captain Literal  replies, "The odds of you getting a space are 50-50."

Later that day, Dr. Douche  reappeared, and said something to the effect that there were no parking spots anywhere. "Of course" Captain Literal  replied " the odds of your getting a space were 50-50, the probability of your finding a space was less than 1 percent."

2008-01-08

Origin of Drinking? [FE, PI, RR, S]

We visited a couple who bought a new house, but due to an odd chain of events it was their 2nd house/move in the same year. I was sympathizing with my friend - while drinking a beer - and asked how did you cope (as the 2nd move was right before Christmas) with the "move the couch here, no here; wait HERE" sort of thing. He looked at the beer, and chuckled. It then hit me. 

As long ago as 200,000 years, a Neanderthal couple with kids in tow, found a new cave to move into. (Note if you do not believe in evolution this never happened; if you are fanatically religious it happened about 3,000 years ago)  Anyway, said couple has moved in, and the female is having her mate move the rocks into different spots, clear out dead animals, rearrange the moss, etc.  He spots a rainwater-filled depression in some rocks outside, that has collected a bunch of overripe fruit from nearby trees. 

Drawn by the sickly-sweet smell, he tastes the fermented liquid, and is intrigued by the new, unusual taste and not-unpleasant burning in his throat. He then notices something - his mate's voice now does not sound so shrill; the throbbing in his head is diminished. A few more drinks and he does not care what she is having him move around in the cave. A few more sips and she looks more and more like what she did when he met behind the tar pits, lo those many, many moons ago.

So here is to that unknown ancestor who first discovered one of the beneficial uses of alcohol - I lift my glass to you.

2008-01-05

Great Bar Trivia [G, F]

A great bit of trivia for a bar bet; the Skipper's name on Gilligan's Island? It was only mentioned once in the episode where they hear a radio announcement of his indictment for being a bad captain (which he was later exonerated in absentia). His name - Jonas Grumby.

Note for our female reader, guys often like to make up mindless bets, wagers or challenges (like "I bet I can eat 10 pickled eggs") while under the influence of alcohol. Don't make fun of us, as alcohol has a lot to do with how we met you.

What is it with Head Shaving? [AN, PG, PI]

Lately at work and elsewhere I have noticed a phenomenon that I find vaguely upsetting. What is it with 35 and under - usually white - men shaving their heads, ostensibly to hide their baldness? 

I mean, are they fooling us into thinking they are "cool" in a Yul Brenner or Isaac Hayes sort of way? I don't think so. And when their 2:00 shadow appears and we see the pattern of their remaining hair growth they look even more retarded. Shaved heads on a group of white males reminds me of Hitler' Jungsturm. At least they don't wear neckerchiefs and armbands. Not yet anyway.

Everyone has some sort of shortcoming, some are short, some are overweight, some are even cursed with unusually large genitalia; if you are balding, just go with it. There is nothing wrong with going bald, and some of my best friends are losing their hair. True I am sometimes reminded of my uncles on either side of the family and think "momsgenesmomsgenesmomegenes please" but if baldness comes to it I will accept; possibly doing a comb-over as long as I can.

I suggest following George Carlin's advice, leave your hair alone and it will all fall out eventually.

DVD Format Wars Almost Over? [AN, PG, T]

I love technology. Not in a sick sort of Michael Jackson sort of love, but a clean, wholesome manly John-Wayne-holding-his-best-girl's-hand-in-the-sunset sort of love for all things that have blinking lights, backlight screens and that go "bing". So why do I not have either an HD-DVD or a Blu-Ray DVD player to go with my 50" plasma? Well, precisely because there is the choice of either an HD-DVD or a Blu-Ray player!!

I mean I could buy a combo player, which on my bonus I doubt, or just make the plunge and choose, but that would be making the metaphorical "Sophie's Choice" between Harry Potter and the Matrix. You also have to marvel at the pig-headedness of the company executives; does no one recall the great format war of last millennium; the great Beta vs VHS debacle? I won't mention the AM-stereo format war, as I was until now only one of 17 people aware there actually is AM stereo available, much less a war (perhaps skirmish is more accurate?).

Manufacturer's usually try to agree on a format so that their equipment is interoperable. Look at electrical wall plugs (true they differ for each country, but that's a future rant); CDs, pencils and pencil sharpeners for heaven's sake. For major companies in this day and age to have two competing formats is irresponsible and reprehensible. 

Which brings me to this - the HD-DVD Group has cancelled a press conference at this year's CES, as Warner has chosen to go Blu-Ray exclusively. Looks like it's Blu-Ray, which although the spelling is puerile it is easier to pronounce.

2008-01-03

Oh the humanity... [A, FE]

Once again Tom Dickson at WillItBlend.com has done his test, with of all things a precious iPhone!

2008-01-02

Resolutions [AN, PG]

My resolutions were very short this year:
1) Absolutely no "F-bombs" at home.
2) Diet (yeah right).
3) Totally ignore ignorant people. who just torque me off to no end.
4) Work on that novel more frequently.
5) Try to have no more than 5 entries in blogs.

New Photo Blog [G]

I was going to put a link to an older photoblog I had at Textamerica, when I read this disturbing message:

Notice of Termination,
Upon our dismay, despite our best efforts to provide the most comprehensive and versatile moblogging platform in the world, maintenance costs have far exceeded budgeted expenses to such an extremity, the financial burden of continuing service is too high for us to bear in 2008.

In result, effective December 1, 2007, Textamerica will cease to provide moblog services to both individual and commercial users. Textamerica users have until November 30, 2007 to access existing moblogs and remove and/or archive moblog images. Textamerica domains will no longer be accessible After December 1, 2007.


Thanks for the e-mail notice guys! I tried to use the WayBack Machine to get the older photos but no-go. I do have them all but it will take some time to get them all replaced.

Anyway my pictures will be on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/opusmark/

2008-01-01

Hunting without drinking... [PG, S]

Remember: hunting without drinking is like, well, fishing.
(yes that is someone having a cigarette shot out of their mouth while on a hunting trip)

Predictions for 2008 [G]

Mark's Predictions for 2008

1) Gasoline prices will top $4.50 by mid-year, then will fall precipitiously and by year’s end will drop to around $2.50 or less.

2) The proliferation of benevolent GPS technology will lead to a lack of arguments while driving; resulting in the US divorce rate dropping to a post-WWII low.

3) A China export – whether it is tainted foodstuff, a deadly toy, or counterfeit drug – will result in a serious loss of life. It may be a stressed population like the elderly or children, but there will be victims numbering in the hundreds or thousands.

4) When the writer’s strike is finally settled, it will turn out viewers did not care there was a strike. They were content to watch re-runs, their DVD collection, and video downloads.

5) J. K. Rowling will be unable to resist the lure and officially announce an 8th book in the Harry Potter mythos.

6) Apple's  iPhone will outsell BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices, and become the most popular mobile Web browsing device of 2008 (oh wait, this happened already!)

7) DNA analysis of hair and scat samples from the creature known colloquially as Bigfoot or Sasquatch will confirm that the creature is a real,  separate species possibly a Gigantopithecus or Neanderthal.

8) The XM/Sirius satellite radio merger will finally be allowed to take place. However, a family’s use of satellite radio will result in fighting over Comedy vs. Stern vs. Broadway vs. Oprah vs. NPR vs. NASCAR. This will increase divorce rates, resulting in a zero sum gain offsetting GPS user's reduced divorce rates.

9) The beleaguered Tesla Motors in California will not ship their electric sports car in 2008; due to well publicized problems with transmissions and senior management, they will not ship until 2009.

10) Several of 2008's notable returns – such as the Indiana Jones movie and Gladiators on TV – will tank due to lack of viewer interest.