The Gifted And The Victimized.2

The Buddist Back Story

 

He was there just before my new birth with those slow confident steps. A long conversation leading to a simple question, “do you believe?”

A simple yes, then, quite the headache as blood flowed, to long unused parts of my brain, pain of rebirth I am told. I know I am smiling even as tears drip from my chin. A dwindling happiness as the effect and process completes. Finally peace… and now purpose.  Prophet looks on sympathetically, patiently waiting for me to compose myself. He is kneeling next to me with his hands resting on his thighs, this very large man that I now recognize as a brother. Wait…, I see, no… I know. I know how he is sitting, I know the blades of grass that we are both laying on. I know the color of his hair. Oh, I  haven’t seen color in over 20 years. It now seems to have a taste and warm flavors. I’ve missed so much. I have not moved. I realize that I haven’t even open my eyes or raised my head. Strange to know/see the ladybug on the tree behind me without turning my head. I raise my head to ask Prophet, “how?”.

“Its a Gift, likely different from mine, so you will have to tell me what you feel and I will help you to understand as much as I can”. 

“I…, I can see without looking, I think. I can see you and a little past you but then there’s nothing. I can see all around me but only for a little ways. How is this possible?”

Prophet smiles a smile I can now see and just says, “Ah, decernment or more likely, limited omnicience. Amazing! The potential applications for a martial artist like you…, This is incredible.”

 

To be continued…

Well…

Car

My car has been back on the road for awhile. I have not posted in a long time, sorry. I-Miev is semi repaired but fully functional.

 

Politics

 

 

Works in Progress

The Gifted And The Victimized

A  Continuing Novel by Horace Stainback

Introduction

Free will existing in a 100% predictable environment does not negate its value but it sure makes things boring. Well, what goes as planned anyway. We won. It might not seem like it, but then and again, the world never even knew the battle was happening anyway.

Chapter 1 The Setting

The current world has no separation, communication is functionally instantaneous. Privacy is never assumed and what few protestors there are, stand out even more because of their small numbers. The City is everywhere.

The Buddhist

They attack. Four armed men circling very fast out of sight range but I hear them like only a blind man can, scratchy steps on trash, water, pavement then that twisty scratch that signs a change in direction. The doppler effect tells me their speed, then two enter sight range and the world starts to crawl,  each having the small curved blade meant for crippling, not killing. They want me alive but helpless. The third enters sight range as I pivot and move toward the one I chose for the first strike, under his arm, straight under the nose and up, more of a push than a hit. The break, then wet slide. My left heel already in a hooking ark, strikes the rear assailant in the floating rib, slicing through the left kidney. I drive him down to bring my balance up as the third assassin get close enough for me to parry his hand toward his own carotid artery, the fourth lingers just out of sight range. I hear that scratchy turn as the first dead man finally hits the ground, then furious distancing footfalls, not a panicking run but a measured sprint of a flat runner, efficient. Three heart beats from beginning to end. It sacrificed three lives to get a small amount of data on me. It’s scared. It should be. I’m coming, and I’m never alone. 

To be continued…

I’ll Be Baack.

Sorry, I am just getting back to this page. I have my Miev back on the road since July. It is functional but still has some cosmetic  issues that I will take care of over time. The major problem with the car from the accident was the control arm. A 12 inch triangular metal bar that connects to the car frame at two points and to the wheel column at one point. Basically, it holds the wheel in place. Mine had bent and caused the wheel to turn at a weird angle and sometimes(frequently) rub the tire well. I had forgotten how nice it was not to worry about gas, charging at the parking deck for free, and that wonderful gear-less acceleration. Of course, no sooner than I get my car back to working, then my kids start driving it as the preferred vehicle. I can’t blame them. A car that is always gassed up and ready to go in the morning. I will post a pic soon of the semi repaired I-Miev and others as I get the cosmetic (DIY) repairs started.

Bwaaaaaaaah!

Bwaaaaaaaah!

My baby has a booboo but its more serious than that. The insurance(punks!) totaled the Miev due to cost of replacement parts. They valued my 2012 miev at only $5000 so I get less than $4000 if I retain possession and repair cost are on me. They refuse to recognize that the battery pack alone is worth over $10,000. Be warned, Kelly Blue book value does not properly price electric vehicles. No way am I giving up my car for a measly $4500.

Tesla😡

There seems to always be a little bad with any good thing. I have to wonder if anyone else is disappointed in Tesla, the flagship of the electric car industry, when finding out that the only difference in some of the models and range capabilities is a artificial software limitation. If I understand how it works, some Tesla models have less range only because the computer doesnt allow the owner to access the full capacity of the batteries. You own the car but aren’t allowed to fully use it because the computer says, oops! your’re out of charge, when you actually have more charge available.

Admittedly, what little I know is from a news article during the hurricane Irma event as it neared Florida. A Tesla owner petitioned Tesla to unlock his cars capacity to allow him to evacuate from the storm area. Tesla unlocked his car and went further by sending out a temporary software update that would unlock all the cars so that other Tesla owners could have a little extra range to get their cars out of Florida. To me, this is as scandalous as the VW diesel fiasco but no one else seems to be think its a big deal. When I make a major purchase, its mine. I own it and I will try to maximize its utility. Knowing I would have untapped potential denied me from a product I own would be enough for me not to purchase such an item. This is why I dont buy Apple products. The degree to which they have a closed operating system that denies independent product development or custimization is not something I can tolerate. I would not accept this from Apple nore will I accept it from Tesla. I cant afford a Tesla but I always wanted one till now. Maybe the new Nissan Leaf is starting to look better and better.

PS: I love Tesla so Tesla, fix this. Dont crush my hopes and dreams.

The Electric Vehicle’s Little Brother

You may ask what is the electric vehicles little brother? Well, consider the question from the perspective of why I or you own a totally electric vehicle.  I wanted to drastically reduce my weekly cost and operating expenses. I wanted to stop being so dependent gas and it’s constant algorithmically changing prices. I wanted to feel good that I am not wasting precious resources when I jump in my car to travel a mile down the road which happens all to often.  What then would fit closest to these traits that is not an electric vehicle. Not a gas and maintenance dependent hybrid. Not synergy drives or natural gas engines. I believe it would be … the scooter.

The scooter should be touted as the preferred mode of individual transportation for commutes less than 10 miles, which is about a 20 minute ride. My commute is less that half that. I still fill awkward charging less than a dollar on my card to fill up a tank that can’t even hold half a gallon but I feel great that I can run on it all week. Moped scooters can get about 80 mpg, for real! Instead of being actively promoted, most communities frown upon people who ride scooters. Other drivers look at me with distain as they pass me cruising about 20 mph because they had to mometarily slow down to go around me in their car built for 5 with only a single passenger. Their predjudice prevents them from knowing the joy of the “slow ride” and the satisfaction of handing the gas clerk 75 cents because you just filled your bike. I prefer the scooter to my motorcycle because no one expects me to keep up with traffic and I can cruise to work while enjoying the view.

Scooter riders however, share blame for some of the negative press. Lane splitting, ignoring traffic laws, being inconsiderate of the four wheelers. I try to drive predictably and always user my signal lights and of coures stop at stop signs and stop lights, just like I would if I were driving my car.

Lets all start thinking of better ways of transportation without the stain of status symbols preventing us from seeing the simple, inexpensive solutions.  Scoot scoot !

I have’nt written a blog in awhile but I am trying to get back on track

Update: The “raspberry” Miev was a lease and unfortunately we had to turn that one back in but we still have the white Miev that we purchased and I couldn’t be happier with its performance. Still no routine maintenance other than washer fluid and it is on its second set of rear tires and third set of front tires. By the way, the front tires are a different size than the rear tires. The front are the smallest allowed on a passenger vehicle and have to be ordered everytime because none of the tire shops carry this tire (145/65 72H).  I sometimes Uber with this car and it is the first thing clients ask about. Of course, I can only accept local trips but I havent really run into a problem with range since I only have time for a few runs between my other job and projects. I also own a comic book store both local and online at squareup.com/store/members-comics so if you are looking for comics or graphic novels, check me out.

I am still saving more money on gas than my car payment. This means I am saving a little money on gas but have the upside of saving time by not having to go to gas stations. The downside of the car is, as my kids get older and are starting to drive, it is the car of choice because it is always charged and ready to go in the morning and they dont have to pay for gas out of their pockets. Now if they would only always remember to plug it back in when they get home.

Here We Go…

Here I am getting a quick boost before heading to Charlotte at the friendly neighborhood Nissan dealership here in Concord. I took a couple of months off to have more things to write about when I do write. Lots of new things and happenings near Charlotte so stay tuned.., bookmarked…, or follow.

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Frequent use of ChadeMo Chargers

A question was asked, if frequent use of the ChadMo charger will damage the battery.

 

I think the key word is “frequent”. Heat damages the battery. Cold damages the battery. Charging the batter on level 1 or level 2 damages the battery. Driving the car damages the battery. Battery use and reduction in battery life go hand in hand and should be considered normal wear and tear.  How much battery life reduction? I dont know, but my car is not of much use sitting in the garage. I bought my electric car to drive it and thats what I am going to do. I have used a ChadeMo charger 3 times in a year and a half and I plan to use it again if the need or the opportunity arises. My hope is that a better, more powerful battery will be available long before my current battery reaches 50% capacity. Drive on!

Politics

We as electric  car owners, need to be aware and wary of government officials that unfairly blame us for the shrinking DOT coffers. Apparently, not having to buy gas is an abomination to tax collectors and the oil companies. In NC I/we pay an electric car tax of $100 at our annual registration so we are footing our share of the bill for road use. I would like to propose that instead of polititians looking for creative tax revenue sources, that they start looking within at their own outdated and inefficient systems and methods.  If the increasingly more efficient combustion engine is reducing gas tax collection, government agencies relying on those taxes need to increase their efficiency. I would start with the extravagant salaries and retirement benifits of elected officials and high ranking administrators that are bleeding those coffers dry. They usetheir right hand to point blame at ev users, healthcare, and welfare recipients, while picking your pocket with their left handed tax expansions that further shield their assets while reducing yours. Is there any wonder why common sense is unable to prevail. The worse part is that its our fault. We put them there.  Its time to reward people for making good choices and suport them and time to remind public servants what the words public and servant means.

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