gowestyoungman's recent activity
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Comment on Is Colorado's EV incentive worth it? in ~transport
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Comment on Canoo files bankruptcy, claiming funding shortfalls in ~transport
gowestyoungman They're not very secretive, they have active social media pages and website and they've been on a marketing campaign for ages. They just got major exposure at CES in Vegas and just had an article...They're not very secretive, they have active social media pages and website and they've been on a marketing campaign for ages. They just got major exposure at CES in Vegas and just had an article in Car And Driver, so thats about as exposed as it gets: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a63547148/aptera-three-wheeled-solar-powered-ev-first-ride/
But they have the same challenges as everyone else, the main one being that costs keep rising and what was first reported to be a 25k EV is now a 40k EV.
But on the positive side, they DO have their carbon molds made and pre production models were at CES, so they're not lacking exposure. Just money.
One negative, that really bummed out a lot of interested parties, including me, is that the original intent was to have in hub motors in all three wheels. That changed and now the EV has a much more traditional front central motor with driveshafts to the front wheels. Its a tried and true system, but definitely lacks some of the appeal of the in hub motors.
The one reason I still have faith in the two main founders is that they've already failed once, way back when Aptera was supposed to be a gas powered vehicle, so they know how hard of an uphill slog getting a car to market can be. AND the fact that they have planned for mass production from day one, instead of doing what many companies do, which is create a beautiful prototype and THEN try to figure out how to mass produce it, which is the hard part.
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Comment on What's a charity/organization that you donate to regularly? in ~talk
gowestyoungman A local youth at risk outreach non profit. Since 1992.A local youth at risk outreach non profit. Since 1992.
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Comment on Eighteen months after Maui wildfires destroyed over 2,000 homes, only three have been rebuilt in ~enviro
gowestyoungman (edited )LinkThis shocks me not one bit. We had a tiny house and land in Hawaii that was covered in lava in the 2018 flow from Kilauea. After things settled, the gov announced they would be paying out...This shocks me not one bit. We had a tiny house and land in Hawaii that was covered in lava in the 2018 flow from Kilauea. After things settled, the gov announced they would be paying out landowners for their loss, and in our case, for the value of the land alone because the tiny house was unpermitted.
Fine. We submitted all the documents and waited. And waited. And waited. Three years later, we had our first contact and it was only to ask us to resubmit some of the documentation since it was now two years old. We did so, but it was a pain because of all the red tape to submit from another country.
And waited and waited and waited. I contacted the dept in charge and found our contact person had been replaced. A few months later I contacted them again and found that person had also been replaced.
Its been over 6 years. After several more emails I finally got a reply and what did they want? They wanted us to resubmit the same documents AGAIN because they were now six years old and wanted us to update them but nothing has changed. It was just ridiculous.
This is how fast Hawaii works. Painfully slow bureaucracy and outright incompetence. Those poor people in Lahaina will be waiting years for permits and rebuilding projects to proceed.
Meanwhile, I told the gov agency that I was done with resubmissions. They already had all the info they needed. Twice. And we won't be getting paid out. Ridiculous.
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Comment on Canoo files bankruptcy, claiming funding shortfalls in ~transport
gowestyoungman Good video by Tailosive about why Canoo didnt make it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO611a8kzPk&ab_channel=TailosiveEV To summarize: Not having a clear portfolio: They didnt focus on a singular...Good video by Tailosive about why Canoo didnt make it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO611a8kzPk&ab_channel=TailosiveEV
To summarize:
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Not having a clear portfolio: They didnt focus on a singular product but tried to promote multiple bodies at the same time causing them to continuously pivot to try and secure more deposits.
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The products not having a competitive edge because they didnt stand out in any 'useful' way. Stylistically cool, but that's not enough.
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Poor leadership including the misuse of funds, particularly notable when the CEO bought a private jet for Canoo.
Im still holding out hope for the Aptera, although I must admit my expectations are pretty subdued by now. The main difference being that Aptera has the fundamental feature that it is able to recharge itself by sunshine alone, and they have been VERY cautiously moving forward trying to avoid the same mistakes of the many failures (including their own) before them.
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Comment on Walgreens replaced fridge doors with smart screens. It’s now a $200 million fiasco. in ~tech
gowestyoungman Im with the redditor who commented 'if only there were some kind of technology to allow us to see whats inside'. Yep. Screens to put more ads in front of people? What a pain. Ranks right up there...Im with the redditor who commented 'if only there were some kind of technology to allow us to see whats inside'. Yep. Screens to put more ads in front of people? What a pain. Ranks right up there with the ones on gas pumps that yap at you for the three minutes it takes to fill your tank.
There is more than one reason I love the Big Island of Hawaii. They dont allow advertising for the sake of advertising. No billboards beside the roads, no huge signs as you enter the towns, and any roadside advertising has to be on removable banners. Its refreshing to see how beautiful the world can be when you DON'T have to see a sign or screen on every square inch of available real estate.
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Comment on How do I cope with/recover from divorce? in ~health.mental
gowestyoungman Very sorry to hear that. I recall the shock of being handed an unexpected divorce quite clearly and that that was almost 20 years ago. I recommend finding a local DivorceCare group...Very sorry to hear that. I recall the shock of being handed an unexpected divorce quite clearly and that that was almost 20 years ago.
I recommend finding a local DivorceCare group (https://www.divorcecare.org/) in person or online. They are generally found in churches and meet in the evenings, but you dont have to be religious to attend and the group sharing and wisdom will be beneficial to anyone facing the challenges of a marriage breaking up.
You also dont have to be divorced yet, you can be in the beginning stages and there will be people from pre- to post divorce stages, as well as the facilitators who have been through divorce. In my experience, its a very open and welcoming group and the weekly sessions are very helpful in learning the stages of divorce, especially working through all of the feelings and emotions involved, and all of the challenges that will come up in the process.
I gained some valuable friends there at a time when I was very lonely and vulnerable and it's VERY helpful to hear from others who are going through the same thing and be able to share (or not share, depending on your comfort level) how you're feeling with some group wisdom in dealing with emotions and all of the difficult issues that come up with separating two lives.
You're not alone, that's for sure. Just take it very easy on yourself right now - you WILL get through it and life DOES get better again.
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Comment on Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau announces resignation in ~society
gowestyoungman Im going to make my prediction now, at least three months before another confidence vote in Parliament and a new election after that. I think the Liberals are facing extinction levels of disdain....Im going to make my prediction now, at least three months before another confidence vote in Parliament and a new election after that. I think the Liberals are facing extinction levels of disdain. In 1984 they were down to 40 seats when Mulroney won 211. In 2011 they were down to 34 seats when Harper won 166. I think this next election they will be down to 20 seats or less. Both the Liberals and the NDP are going to regret hanging on to power long after their Best Before date had expired.
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Comment on Tenant unions are coming. US landlords aren't ready. in ~life
gowestyoungman In theory, that sounds good. Practically speaking, its private landlords who do a much better job of running rentals than the gov ever has. Why? Because we care about our investment. I care if my...I want zero private landlords in the economy and I would very much prefer my taxes to buy me more suddenly cheap public housing.
In theory, that sounds good. Practically speaking, its private landlords who do a much better job of running rentals than the gov ever has. Why? Because we care about our investment. I care if my house is getting run down. I care if its maintained because at some point I hope to sell it and in the mean time I want it to be nice enough to keep attracting decent tenants.
And I know my tenants personally. When they have an issue they're dealing directly with me. I know their situations enough to know when to give them a break or when to lay down the rules, especially when it affects other tenants.
But when the gov takes over housing they hire a corporation to take care of applications and vetting, and then another corporation to do maintenance. Those people will NEVER care about the property like a private landlord will.
The end result, as it has happened in Canada over the years, is that the properties slowly degrade, become less desirable, then start attracting lower quality of tenants, and eventually, the buildings get sold off to private companies - so that everyone could be kicked out, renovated and the buildings were desirable again.
Housing coops can work, but gov owned public housing, not so much. -
Comment on What are your predictions for 2025? in ~talk
gowestyoungman (edited )Link ParentAgreed, although the January resignation is only because they are breaking for the holidays today, and Justin and Telford need to line up their next gig before announcing his departure, otherwise...Agreed, although the January resignation is only because they are breaking for the holidays today, and Justin and Telford need to line up their next gig before announcing his departure, otherwise it would be sooner.
More specifically, I predict the Conservatives will win a landslide majority victory relegating both the Liberals and the NDP to a tier similar to the Bloc and the Greens will chuckle. Pierre Poilievre will enjoy a tumultuous three day victory lap before the press and the bitter Liberals begins to slice and dice him for not instantly fixing the deficit, providing cheap homes and cutting immigration to a couple of families from the Philippines every year.
Trump's gonna bluster and moan about tariffs, but at the end of the day, we'll agree to spend a bit more on defense (read: give American arms makers money) and post a couple more cops at the border and the tariffs won't amount to much. But it doesnt help that we currently have a dishevelled government so hopefully nothing happens til we have a new gov installed.
2025 is going to be an interesting year in Canada.
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Comment on Chrysler only sells a minivan. The iconic brand’s days could be numbered. in ~transport
gowestyoungman Id have to agree that Chrysler has lost its way in regards to pricing everything including the 'cheap utilitarian minivan' market. Ive had an older Caravan and it was a good vehicle for the cost,...Id have to agree that Chrysler has lost its way in regards to pricing everything including the 'cheap utilitarian minivan' market. Ive had an older Caravan and it was a good vehicle for the cost, very capable hauler for my family and relatively reliable (with the 3.3L engine). But that was when you could buy a used one for a few grand and still get ten years use out of it. Now where I live in Canada a new Pacifica is 59k and the hybrid is 74k which is insane pricing to me - that was luxury car pricing just a few years ago and we're still talking about a minivan here, not a new Lexus.
If we could go back to the era when a base minivan was 24,999 they might have a hope, but I really doubt Chrysler's going to be selling a lot of 60 to 75k minivans. The name doesn't haven't enough cache to justify that. -
Comment on What have you spent "too much time" trying to fix or streamline? in ~talk
gowestyoungman (edited )LinkMine's not a tech problem. I tried to convert my old diesel one ton to run on used veggie oil. Spent WAY too much time and money on it. It involved putting plastic tanks in the bed of the truck...Mine's not a tech problem. I tried to convert my old diesel one ton to run on used veggie oil. Spent WAY too much time and money on it.
It involved putting plastic tanks in the bed of the truck and then running new fuel lines to the injector pump of the engine. Which wouldn't be such a huge deal except that I wanted to have a system where the truck starts on regular diesel fuel til it warms up and then switches over to veggie when its warmed, as you cant inject cold veggie or it'll stall your engine.
Which means everything has to be insulated and heated, including the tank, the lines, and the filter that is positioned just before the injector. And I thought Id be the rocket scientist and do that all with heating elements run off the alternator. By this time Id already spent weeks working on it in my driveway with a lot of trial and error. Experimented and found that an old Cummins 12 valve will run on new veggie oil, transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, diluted engine oil AND used veggie oil.
I actually got it working enough that I also decided to put extra tanks in the bed of the truck and then added a filtering system and a suction system - that allowed me to pull up behind a local convenience store where I had permission to suck the used veggie oil right out of their disposal tank, through my heavy duty sump pump and into my first tank. From there I filtered it into a second tank. And from there I mixed it with a bit of diesel to dilute it a bit (in winter) to a third tank.
The whole crazy project took me about 6 weeks of daily work to get it running half decently. But here's what no one who does this really mentions: Used veggie oil is a royal pain in the ass to handle. It not only drips on things, its sticky as hell. So pretty soon ALL my tools were covered and sticky, the truck bed was sticky, my driveway was sticky and the pump and lines were kept in a box that inevitably dripped and got sticky too. Its miserable stuff.
It did work. For awhile. The servos to switch over the lines from diesel to veggie were expensive, and the lines and pumps and other components probably cost about $2000 all tolled even though I scavenged a lot of components. In the end I ran it for a few months and then in the dead of a cold Canadian winter the heaters couldn't keep up and the lines gummed up and the engine stalled, leaving me with one very frustrated wife on the side of a barren highway. Cost savings vs expenses I think I ended up at about negative $1500.
I gave up, sold the truck for basically what I paid for it with all the veggie stuff still attached. I dont think the kid who bought cared that it could run on veggie oil and I no longer cared either.
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Comment on Is the Cybertruck really that bad? in ~transport
gowestyoungman That's fair. The only thing I can say definitively is that Ive finally seen one in person after seeing a hundred pics online and reading dozens of comments. I tried to view it as objectively as...That's fair. The only thing I can say definitively is that Ive finally seen one in person after seeing a hundred pics online and reading dozens of comments.
I tried to view it as objectively as possible, being a long time car enthusiast and having a passion for design. And after 20 minutes of walking around it and viewing it from all angles, and peering inside, I can say definitively... I dont love it nor hate it. It's just different than anything else but it didn't move me or repulse me.
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Comment on How has your industry changed in the past decade? in ~life
gowestyoungman (edited )Link ParentYou're assuming two things, both of which are big oversights. One is that if I didnt own a home that the person Im renting to would be able to buy it. Highly unlikely. Homes have high prices...You're assuming two things, both of which are big oversights.
One is that if I didnt own a home that the person Im renting to would be able to buy it. Highly unlikely. Homes have high prices because it costs a heck of a lot to build them. There are a ton of people who all want to be paid and that makes them expensive whether I own them or not. At least where I live that's true - you cant build a house here for under $350/sq ft. So whether I own it or not that house is still going to be 350/sq ft because land, taxes, lawyers, realtors, contractors, tradesmen, utility installation and especially building supplies are all expensive. Add another 100k for the lot. And we're considered a 'reasonably affordable' place to live in Canada.
But the second one, and its a huge one, is that you're assuming that everyone WANTS to buy a home. No, they dont. Just a few examples of my many renters:
a) Newly separated who dont have any cash and wont be seeing money from their divorce for another three years
b) University students
c) Professionals on temporary job assignments for one or two years
d) "Snowbirds" who only live here in summer
e) Couples who only met less than a year ago and have no idea if they are long term or not
f) Handicapped individuals with no desire to do home maintenance
g) Young people who like moving frequently and just want to 'try out the city'
h) Seniors who are done with home ownership and are quite happy to let someone else deal with it
i) Contractors in town for a specified job who would rather be in a house than hotel or AirBnB
j) Newly employed young professionals not sure where they want to live once they build up their savings
k) Extremely highly paid individuals who much prefer buying more 'man toys' or investing than buying a homeSure all those people COULD rent from a big corporation that owns an apartment building, but as a landlord who only rents out houses I can tell you that most people much prefer a house with a yard and a place their dog or cat or kids have a place to roam.
And unlike Big Rental Corp. my renters pay for things that promote the local economy like the tradesmen I hire to fix plumbing, electrical, roofing, painting, landscaping instead of paying Big Rental Corp's CEO, accounting, PR department and most of all, their shareholders.
I have plenty of happy renters and I intend to keep them that way. I celebrate the ones who save up enough to buy their own houses and I keep the rest happy with safe, comfortable housing thats just under market value. Which is why I like being a landlord and they like having me as one.
Cheers.
ps I started with a rental nearly 40 years ago when there was no 'scarcity' issue. Just because the press decided its NOW a problem doesnt make it my responsibility. Someone forgot to build more houses and lessen our massive over immigration issue (at least in Canada) Just because the gov dropped the ball and failed on planning, oversight and put up a ton of hurdles to new builds doesnt make it MY problem now,
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Comment on World’s oldest known man dies aged 112 in Merseyside in ~life
gowestyoungman There's a 'good age' to die. Too young and it's a tragedy and it leaves so many of your family with a heartbreak that never quite goes away. Too old and you grow so very lonely because much of...There's a 'good age' to die. Too young and it's a tragedy and it leaves so many of your family with a heartbreak that never quite goes away. Too old and you grow so very lonely because much of your family has passed on before you and you have no one left but professional medical personnel to keep you alive. But for what at that point?
Personally I think my mother and father got it right, both dying earlier this year in their mid 80s. That's my 'goal' if picking a good age to die can be considered a goal. -
Comment on How has your industry changed in the past decade? in ~life
gowestyoungman The social media presence is just a bonus, and usually confirms what's already been shown in the credit score, walkthrough interview and reference checks. But its definitely revealing when people...The social media presence is just a bonus, and usually confirms what's already been shown in the credit score, walkthrough interview and reference checks.
But its definitely revealing when people leave them open and dont restrict their privacy.
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Comment on How has your industry changed in the past decade? in ~life
gowestyoungman Im a landlord and there are a few notable changes, although the first one is location specific: I have houses in cities that experience boom and bust due to oil and gas money. So when the economy...Im a landlord and there are a few notable changes, although the first one is location specific: I have houses in cities that experience boom and bust due to oil and gas money. So when the economy is soft, rents are lowest and no one even mentions us or cares that we exist. But recently, in a boom time, rent prices have risen dramatically, along with house prices, taxes, insurance, maintenance and everything else related and suddenly we are being vilified in the press and online as if we created the boom and the massive influx of workers and immigrants who are flooding our province and crowding the market. That never used to happen in past boom cycles, probably because there was little social media and few places to vent.
Another good change is that there are far more resources available to landlords to vet potential tenants. This is a very good thing. It used to be that I could only go on a gut feeling which is difficult when you only have a few minutes conversation and a paper application to go by. I got conned more than once by a sweet talking but highly irresponsible or in some cases, downright criminal tenants. Now there's social media, which tells far more than most tenants imagine, and there are credit checks that search credit history and criminal history. And now, at least in Canada, there is an online database of court cases against delinquent tenants who have caused thousands in damages or are serial 'professional tenants' likely to move in and never pay rent again. Its getting easier to protect yourself from the grief of a malicious tenant.
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Comment on A lesson un-learned: two "influencers" drown after refusing to wear life jackets so not to ruin their tans in ~tech
gowestyoungman (edited )LinkAh, the vanity of mankind. I watch drone youtubes of boaters going in and out of Haulover Inlet in Florida, a channel that is notorious for wickedly high waves and strong currents. Its also the...Ah, the vanity of mankind. I watch drone youtubes of boaters going in and out of Haulover Inlet in Florida, a channel that is notorious for wickedly high waves and strong currents. Its also the epitome of people flashing their excess lifestyle by partying on the foredeck of their big or small yachts, or 'bros' in cigarette boats going out for a run with other bros to show off. The universal rule in every video is that its extremely uncool to be seen in a lifejacket. And the 'credit card captains' often dont have great boating skills (which is exactly what makes the videos entertaining).
So its not hard to see the danger coming. The most entertaining, but most injury inducing ones are people sitting in the open bow as the captain, disregarding speed limits and common sense, guns the throttle and powers over a big wave. Of course he's ignoring the fact that after every big wave there's a big trough and his unfortunate passengers find themselves weightless and scrambling for handholds as the boat drops out from underneath them. Then just as they figure this shock was over, the boat leaps up again and smashes them into the seat if they're lucky, or into the railing or floor if they're not, knocking the breath out of them at best, or causing spine fractures at worst.
The party isn't over and if Mr. Throttle hasn't been mindful of his damaged passengers he's still full steam ahead only to hit an even bigger wave to launch his poor friends either into the air, or in some cases, right over the side of the boat. You often seen people going down to the deck but not coming back up as Mr Throttle speeds out of the inlet, hoping like mad that he can outrun the drone and the embarrassment.
Its quite the spectacle. But again, the good part is that NONE of these people would be caught dead wearing a lifejacket. Its just not cool. Im positive vanity has sent more than one to the ER with injuries and some near drownings.
(Here's an excellent example of a captain with far more money than brains absolutely destroying his passengers: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nwNB0aKzJRw)
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Comment on Washington Post cancellations hit 250,000 – 10% of subscribers in ~society
gowestyoungman Im confused. I dont understand how NOT endorsing a candidate is a bad thing. The media was never supposed to be biased, at least back in the day, it reported the news as best it could, from all...Im confused. I dont understand how NOT endorsing a candidate is a bad thing. The media was never supposed to be biased, at least back in the day, it reported the news as best it could, from all viewpoints and left the decision making up to the reader. So why is it a big deal to not endorse a candidate. Seems like a step in the right direction back to proper journalism.
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Comment on What Facebook has done to us in ~tech
gowestyoungman Even in hours of utter boredom, does anyone have the patience to watch a youtube that's over 3 hours long? A high budget, spectacularly directed Hollywood blockbuster rarely achieves that feat.Even in hours of utter boredom, does anyone have the patience to watch a youtube that's over 3 hours long? A high budget, spectacularly directed Hollywood blockbuster rarely achieves that feat.
Id be a little choked if I went through that whole process to get a '$49' lease only to have it come out to an $118 lease. Still cheap, but what's with the false advertising?
Reminds me of a local dealer near me, which, 20 years ago advertised a certain base model of Nissan for $9999. A reporter with a hidden camera went in and asked to buy said car and after MUCH run around the dealership was forced to admit that not only did they not stock the car at that price, but it was actually impossible to even order one that was stripped down enough to come in that low.
Which is why, for 45 years I have always bought privately. Sure there's more risks involved, but when the seller and I shake hands on the price, that's the price. And I dont have to argue with the finance department about why I want to pay cash instead of getting a loan.