Panos for Progress: Thoughts and Selections

A passive, thermoelectric generator that could decrease battery size by 25 % saving both cost and weight for vehicles, helicopters, etc. Possibly a big winner... "The researchers tested their prototype in a laboratory and found that with a change in temperature of 190 degrees, their thermoelectric generator produced 40 watts of power, enough to charge a phone or a few LED lights and act as a supplementary source of energy for a vehicle’s battery.... It converted about 15% of exhaust heat into electricity. Other commercial thermoelectric generators typically convert about 6% to 8% of heat into additional electricity."

  It is possible. It'll take over a decade, and in today's values, it'll likely cost about $3,500 for a basic model  or about three times the current iPhone -Made-in-China price, as explained below. 1. In a recent interview, Apple's CEO Tim Cook said that manufacturing in China has nothing to do with cheap labor. That ended ten years ago. He stressed the tooling engineering expertise needed for such a powerful and miniature device. If I called for a meeting of suitable tooling engineers in the US, he said, I'd fill up a room. If I did the same in China, I'd fill up a stadium. 2. WSJ's Nicole Nguyen explained more:  Let’s talk assembly first…putting together the different components of the iPhone. This is very complex. Electronics manufacturing at scale has been perfected in China over a generation. The U.S. would need hundreds of thousands of skilled workers it doesn’t have, not to mention the facilities. Analysts say it would take many billions of dollars...

My response to questions from Wallethub . Do you have any advice for someone searching for the best extended car warranty? Extended warranties can be a Godsend or pure “dealer gravy” as many refer to them in the social media. Their value depends on several circumstances. For example, a special warranty for tires covering road hazards for a car owner with low profile tires who uses his or her car a lot at a region with poor pavements and potholed roads can actually save a lot of money in tire replacement costs. The reliability of brands varies widely as reported by Consumer Reports, J.D. Power and other automotive testing/surveying outlets. An extended warranty on a less reliable brand or car model makes more sense than an extended warranty for the most reliable car in each class of vehicle. When does paying for an extended car warranty make the most/least sense? Extended warranties make less sense for EVs which are mechanically simple vehicles and their battery is covered for an extend...

Eight updates on tariffs.   "The Trumpers, in addition to not knowing what they’re doing, don’t even know what they want." -- P Krugman Trump's tariffs are "highly likely" to reignite inflation, Fed chair Powell said on April 16. Broad based 10% tariffs will boost manufacturing employment by 100,000 jobs and decrease employment overall by five times as much, roughly 500,000 jobs. This is a normal case forecast that does not include a possible recession. --Goldman Sachs report on Axios China’s government has suspended exports of rare earth minerals and magnets, both critical to many modern industries and the military. Chinese airlines had plans to buy 29 Boeing aircraft in 2025. China halted imports of American jets. Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s top trade official, reportedly has "struggled to determine America’s aims." The travel industry was worth $1.3 trillion in 2024, and supported 15 million U.S. jobs, per the U.S. Travel Association. Too soon to tell,...