Bernanke’s dangerous optimism

By James Saft – “Both humanity’s capacity to innovate and the incentives to innovate are greater today than at any other time in history,” Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said.

The depressing thing about the technological revolution is that it has coincided with a period in which both income growth and meaningful employment have been increasingly difficult for the average U.S. household to obtain. Technology seems to have become rather better at efficiency than job creation, at least for those with modest skills. At the same time, in helping to drive down prices it has set the stage for overly loose monetary policy leading to destructive booms and busts. more> http://tinyurl.com/lj9dm93

Embedded education

By Colin Walls – How do you acquire the specialist skills needed to develop software for embedded systems?

Learning at college may be difficult, so many engineers pick up the skills on the job, starting with an electronics or computer science background. An intelligent engineer can learn a lot from more experienced colleagues. Indeed this is largely how my own career started and I have mentored quite a few younger guys who had come out of college with few clues. more> http://tinyurl.com/amyc6ft

Related>

• Renesas Electronics America, Micrium and IAR Systems Bring Expanded RTOS and Middleware Bundle to Embedded Developers on IAR Systems Tools Platform, BusinessWire/Yahoo! News

Vodafone $100 Billion Stirs Payout, Deal Dreams: Real M&A

By Amy Thomson – Vodafone Group Plc (VOD)’s investors have ideas for the $100 billion or more that the company stands to pocket for its stake in Verizon Wireless: first, a fat dividend — then, deals.

After Vodafone lost more than half its value since Verizon Wireless began offering mobile services in 2000, shareholders such as Ignis Asset Management say Vodafone’s priority should be to return a large amount to investors. Even if Vodafone gave stockowners half of the at least $100 billion in proceeds, the carrier still will be left with $62 billion, including current cash. That would be enough firepower to buy Germany’s largest cable operator Kabel Deutschland Holding AG (KD8) and John Malone’s Liberty Global Inc. (LBTYA), KBC Asset Management said. more> http://tinyurl.com/q3ty8bz

Related>

• Vodafone’s decision time over US partner Verizon, Christopher Williams, telegraph.co.uk
• Vodafone keeps Verizon payout to make up for European slump, Kate Holton and Paul Sandle, Reuters

NASA technology (49)

←

Supersonic Noise

NASA – The Twin Rectangular Jet model, installed on the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig in the Aeroacoustic Propulsion Laboratory at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, is being tested to determine the acoustic impact of engine configurations on low sonic boom aircraft for the High Speed Project of the Fundamental Aeronautics Program.

The High Speed Project is a multi-center effort to develop and test the technologies of a new generation of aircraft that can fly at supersonic speeds. Glenn’s research involves predicting the airport noise of these novel aircraft by examining innovative airframes and propulsion integration that are different from the conventional tube-and-wing aircraft observed at commercial airports.

Inside the aeroacoustic dome, this generic, low-fidelity aircraft engine exhaust model features twin rectangular nozzles. Researchers are investigating the impact of having the propulsive exhaust come from the slot nozzles atop the aircraft. Testing the proposed components of these high- speed aircraft will help manufacturers meet the noise standards required around the nation’s airports.

Image Credit: NASA/Bridget R. Caswell

6 Questions Everyone Should Ask The IRS

By Robert W. Wood – The lackluster IRS testimony so far suggests we may never know what happened, who did what, who knew, when they knew and worse. Confusion and Staff Troubles Rife at I.R.S. Office in Ohio.

Amid all the noise, many Americans should ask simpler questions:

• Why is the tax law so horribly complex?
• Can I feel secure that I will be dealt with fairly by the IRS?
• Doesn’t the IRS police its employees?
• Why does it seem that there’s always someone getting away with something in the tax world?
• Can I feel secure that my private taxpayer information will remain private?
• Why is staying off the IRS radar so important?

more> http://tinyurl.com/bc4q3rc