Self-driving vehicles

Do you think this timeline is possible? From ABC News:

Quote:

General Motors Co. expects to carry passengers and deliver goods with self-driving vehicles in big cities sometime in 2019, telling investors it's moving quickly and plans to be ahead of other automakers and tech companies.

Quote:

....it expects "commercial launch at scale" of the autonomous vehicles within the next year or so. The vehicles would not have a human backup driver, the company said.

When I think of the many problems faced by car manufacturers (exploding air bags, ignition problems, etc), I just don't see how they can expect to have a driver-less car on the road within a couple of years that is reliable in safety.

To me, this is a timeline full of :eek::eek::eek: !

Self-driving vehicles

Pesticide use in Hawaii

In today's online Garden Island newspaper, there was an article about pesticides in Hawaii. One of the reader's comments said, "termite and pest control companies use far more than all ag combined". That peaked my interest, so I did some internet searches to see if I could find out if that was true or not.

I found this article in The Economist.

Quote:

In Hawaii 1.3m pounds of active ingredients contained within RUPs [Restricted Use Pesticides] were sold in 2013. Hungry termites meant 36% of the stuff was used for urban and structural purposes; 32% went on agricultural ones.

So, indeed, it seems that pest control does outdo or equal ag in the usage of RUPs. That must mean a really high dosage per tented house!! :eek:
Plus whatever is applied to the ground and spot treatments. Who'd have thought, not me.

Pesticide use in Hawaii

Surcharge for shipping to Hawaii

I'm doing almost all my Christmas shopping online this year. My usual "go to" is Amazon Prime due to the free shipping.

Anyway, I just worked up my first online order with Macy's. They were offering "free shipping" for orders over a certain amount. I met the minimum order to qualify. The shipping discount is not revealed until the last page, the "order it" button. So yes, it did adjust off the shipping, but there was still a $10 surcharge that showed up. (Looking up their shipping rules elsewhere on their site, it does state that Hawaii could have an extra charge.)

I went ahead and place the order, since I'd already spent about an hour of time in picking out the items. But, I'll think twice about using Macy's again for online shopping.

Anyone else have online shipping surprises that you've run across?

Surcharge for shipping to Hawaii

Missing persons hints and database

Did you know that there is an online database for missing people in Hawaii? The site gives hints on what steps to take if someone goes missing, and the database of those who have disappeared. I was surprised by the number of people in Hawaii that have gone missing and never turned up again. :(

Missing
http://ift.tt/2BiBWPP

What to do hints
http://ift.tt/2BiBWPP

Missing persons hints and database

Dog Chapman's quote to doctors

Sadly, Beth Chapman is ill with cancer.

Weird is Dog's statement about the situation, given during an interview shown on Inside Edition:

Quote:

"“To me she's my little girl — she's my honey,” he said, trying to hold back his emotion. “I told the doctors, ‘[If] she dies, you die. I don't mean to threaten you. I am a nice person, but if she dies, you die.'"

What's up with that? Threatening the very doctors that are trying to save your wife's life? :confused:

Dog Chapman's quote to doctors

Justice League

Attended a late light showing of the movie Justice League on Wednesday night (11/22/17) at the Ward Theater. This is their Titan Luxe, which is a big theater, with the reclining seats. While there were a good amount attending the movie the row I was seating in had only me there.

This movie is a sequel to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and is about Batman gathering other metahumans to help fight an invader from another world from destroying Earth on his second try.

If you do see this movie stick around during the ending credits because there are two scenes.

Justice League

Happy thanksgiving 2017

For those of you who check in on Thanksgiving, here's wishing you a good one in 2017. I am joining family, some of whom plan on enjoying our noon-time meal so they can attack the Black Friday sales that start on .... Thursday. The meal should be delicious thanks to the many people who will be bringing goodies. While noon is a bit early for me, I'll look at it as an opportunity to have a nice 6 pm snack later on.

I did a but of pre-black-friday online research, checking out the ads for Walmart, Kmart and Macys. I was considering doing online shopping with them. As it turned out, I found what I wanted with Amazon (Prime), and bought myself a gift as well as book as a gift.

What are your plans? The last time I did actual Black Friday "in store" shopping was over 5 years ago, when we did a family-tag-team approach to getting a good price on a TV. But the days of me fighting the crowds definitely are over!!

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving for anyone who checks in here.

Happy thanksgiving 2017

Aol dinosaur

Well it has finally happened. I have become a confirmed email-dinosaur. The revelation came today when I needed to give my email address to a secretary at a large mainland company during a phone conversation.

"DahDah@aol.com", I said.
The secretary replied, "Ok, that is DahDah at ..... what?"
Me: Aol.com
Her: A....
Me: Aol
Her: Aol??
Me: Yes, Aol.com. Just ask someone who was born before 1980.
Her: Hum, I've never heard of that.

I almost feel old. :(

Aol dinosaur

Hawai‘i State Hospital Escape

7 State Hospital employees suspended in wake of killer’s escape

By Dan Nakaso and Nanea Kalani •
November 16, 2017

Quote:

The California capture of an escaped killer from the Hawaii State Hospital resulted in seven hospital employees being suspended without pay on Wednesday as Gov. David Ige ordered an investigation of how Randall Saito was able to get the money and means to escape after 38 years in confinement. The hospital employees are being relieved of their duties for 30 days as the state Attorney General’s office investigates how Saito — who was acquitted by reason of insanity in a 1979 murder at Ala Moana Center — was able to escape from the hospital on Sunday, use a cell phone to call a cab, charter a plane to Maui and then catch a commercial flight to California.

So let’s get this straight: this guy murdered a woman by shooting her with a pellet gun and stabbing her to death. Randall Saito is acquitted by reason of insanity — and sent to the Hawaii State Hospital. How does a guy like Saito walk out — unescorted — and not reported missing until 10½ hours later?! Could it be because according to his own pyschiatrist, “Randy” has had three separate relationships with female hospital employees?! SMH. :rolleyes:

Hawai‘i State Hospital Escape

Vanity plates disposition

I've got vanity plates on my car, and I'm wondering how I transfer them to the new one when I buy it. Has anyone been in this situation before?

Vanity plates disposition

Thor: Ragnarok

Watched Thor: Ragnarok with a friend at one of the small theaters in the Ward Theaters. Due to our last minute arrival we managed to get 2 seats on the first row of that small but crowded theater. This is the one with the reclining seats so we was able to watch the movie with no problems (neither of us mentioned the seat situation over dinner after the movie).

The movie is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe so it would help to have watched the first two Thor movies and the first two Avenger movies or be in company with someone who did.

The movie is a mix of action, adventure, space opera and some elements of comedy thrown in either of in the form of humorous sayings or things not working to plan.

In this movie Thor has to deal with saving his home planet of Asgard but other situations sort of delays him.

Thor: Ragnarok

Blade Runner 2049

Last week Saturday (10/28/17) my two movie going friends and I attended an afternoon showing of Blade Runner 2049 at the Ward Theater.

If you do go please sit close to the screen because the captions displayed through out the movie used a very small point size.

On the other hand at least this movie did a better job explaining what is a Replicant.

Hard to say if one needs to see the original Blade Runner before seeing this movie. One of the movie going friends said it had been years since she saw the original. And it's been years for me as well even though I got the DVDs for all of the versions that has been released.

Blade Runner 2049

Not all great ideas always work out.

I enjoyed being a member here since I first discovered it. It had the potential to be a Hawai`i-based Facebook.
I thank Ryan, Helen, and Mel for giving us a great experience.

Looks like the ride is over. :(

Not all great ideas always work out.