iPad hands on

I went to the Apple store today and played with the iPad.  I came away more impressed than before, but still have some reservations.

The screen is great and the device is extremely fast.  I noticed very little lag in loading apps (other than a 3D game) and the interface was very snappy.  But as many have said, it is just a big iPhone.

Using it as a book reader doesn't seem practical to me, the screen is just way too bright.

Typing on the device is truly awful.  I generally can type at over 140 WPM but with this device I'd be lucky to get 30 accurate words out.  It is that bad.  And I don't think it is the lack of tactile response, it just doesn't recognize fast typing.  It does its best to autocorrect, but I found this did not solve the problem.

I would not buy an iPad now, but version 2 will hopefully improve on some of the above issues.  The biggest problem for me is the lack of good input device.  I don't care if they offer office type apps for this, they are unusable with the current interface.

But if all you want to do is go online, then the iPad could be a good choice, but the price will likely come down soon.

Do not buy a house in the next 30 days

If you are in the market for a house, you might want to take a break for the next 30 days or so.  Why?  The first time homebuyer credit, which will give most people $8,000 for buying a house, is due to expire on April 30.  There is also a smaller credit of $6,500 for those who are repeat buyers.

Technically you don't have to own the house by April 30, you just need to be under contract.  The contact will still need to be closed by June 30 though.  While there has likely been a run-up in prices over the last several months due to this credit, with 30 days to go you can bet people are feeling antsy.  Many homebuyers are counting on this $8,000 to buy new furniture, pay back relatives loaning them a down payment, etc.

So you can expect a flood of buyers this month, especially since you can bet the National Association of Realtors will blitz the airwaves.  With the pressure on, people are more likely to get into bidding wars, just to make sure that that contract is signed by the end of the month.  But with average home prices close to 200k, even paying as little as 4% extra (or allowing a deal to go through without a 4% seller subsidy) will wipe out that $8,000.

For those of you who are able to wait a few extra days, and forgo the cash, you will likely find a decent buyer's market.  $8,000 is equivalent to $40,000 of house value, if you figure a 20% down payment.  I'm not saying prices are going down by $40,000, but the average will likely be north of $8,000; representing significant savings.  Additionally, with many buyers likely dropping out within the next 30 days, supply will probably continue to outpace demand.

iPad reviews trickling in

The two big names in tech reviews, Walt Mossberg and David Pogue have reviews up here and here for the iPad.  The verdict seems to be lukewarm acceptance.  Neither of them are going to go Steve Jobs on us and call it "magical" but they both seem to see more positives than negatives for this polarizing device.

And maybe that's what Apple wants.  If public perception is indeed very polarizing, it could be a home run.  Better to have 50% of your audience love it, and 50% hate it, than for 90% to say "so what."

The official launch is April 3, but good luck getting one.  It is likely going to be like the iPhone, with people paying hundreds more than list price to be the first dork on the street seen with the device.  The only thing I can see that will hold back wider acceptance is that most people won't see one in the wild.  With an iPhone, people would have them on their belts, in their hands, out in public.  I don't see many people toting around the iPad conspicuously outside of a coffee house.

High Fructose Corn Syrup Confirmed to be more unhealthy than sugar

High fructose corn syrup has finally been confirmed by evidence to cause more weight gain that sugar.

The US government, by propping up sugar costs, encourages food companies (like Coke or Pepsi) to use HFCS instead of sugar.  With this new research emerging there are a few story lines I'll be following:

1. How will policy makers resolve the conflict between the health of their constituents with the corn lobby?
2. How will the corn lobby respond?  I've seen ads on TV touting that HFCS has never been proven to behave differently from sugar.  Now it has.  If those ads are displayed anymore, I can see lawsuits.
3. How long until a major company switches back to sugar?  Pepsi has already experimented with "throwback" versions of its products and Mexican coke is very popular.  So is Dublin Dr Pepper.  

Why nutrition labels are a damned good idea

Stepping away from the current healthcare debate, there is one area of the healthcare bill that will make a very visible presence in all of our lives: mandated nutrition information on menus. 

There are some libertarians who aren't happy about this, but count me as one who goes against the grain.  Most restaurants will already provide diners with nutrition information upon request.  Not all will.  

This bill does not force people to make certain menu choices, and the inconveniences to restaurants are minimal.  We are talking about maybe a few days of analyzing the ingredients in your meals, and then printing some new menus.  Consumers are not inconvenienced at all; they will simply be given information up front that usually takes some digging (think about Google vs going to a library).

This is actually a bit of libertarian paternalism, which you can read more about in Nudge.

The bottom line is this: if consumers are shown that their favorite pasta dish at Macaroni Grille contains 2,500 calories (this is just a guess, not picking on Macaroni Grille) and the customer sees this when ordering, there is probably a good chance that most consumers will opt for a lower calorie dish, or at least split this with another person.  The truth is, that restaurant dishes contain a HUGE amount of calories, sometimes orders of magnitude higher than a home cooked meal.  Look at the "Plain Jane Potato" at supposed "healthy" eatery Jason's Deli.

It contains a whopping 2300 calories, 147 grams of fat, and 2500 mg of sodium.  In other words, it contains all of the calories and sodium you require in a DAY, and enough fat to last you for 2.5 days.  I think if people saw this on the menu when ordering, they would probably opt for something healthier.  Or maybe not.  In any case, having this information easily available to the consumer will likely lead to healthier choices, fewer deaths, and possibly lower calorie options on the menu.

In summary, nutrition labels have done a lot to help you buy food at the grocery store, and now will serve a similar purpose when you dine out.

Historic Healthcare Legislation Passes

Decades in the making, the healthcare reform bill that many have been waiting for has passed.  The bill is not perfect, but it is still the right thing to do.

I, myself am not happy about one aspect, which will prohibit the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSA's) to spend on non-prescription drugs.  What this means, is that legally I cannot use my tax free account to pay for aspirin, contact lens solution, and things like that.  However, this is merely a change to the Internal Revenue law, meaning that the only way someone would get hit for using their HSA this way, is if their taxes were audited and it was found they used the money for this purpose.  It will be a nightmare both to enforce and to educate the public on, since FSA's are seemingly unchanged.  Now there will be some expenses that are HSA and FSA eligible and some that are just HSA eligible.

But I digress; there are definitely some positives to this bill.  Largely speaking, it will make the loss of a job less likely to lead to a loss in healthcare.  While not all changes take effect for several years, there will be high risk pools, and options available to people with pre-existing conditions.  Soon enough, our system will probably be closer to the Swiss system, than any other.  And it is probably one of the better systems, a mix of public and private.

Time will tell if this is a success or a failure, but what is certain is that some type of change is definitely on its way.

Cars no longer have the right of way

In a huge change of policy for the DOT, it was announced today that new federally funded transportation projects will be required to consider the needs of bicycles and pedestrians.  This is a very smart policy, since having more pedestrian friendly roads encourages no-emissions, physical activity that is good on many levels.

Stride really does matter

Last November, I took up jogging.  Since then I've worked up from zero to being able to run a 5k in about 29-30 minutes.  I've been afraid to go beyond a sustained effort of 30 minutes, mostly because I've gotten really winded after about 3.5 miles.

But I read this book.  It discuses "barefoot" running.  No. I did not ditch my shoes, but I did try something mentioned in the book, which is to make sure you are landing on the balls of your feet, not your heels.  Also make sure your back is straight and your knees are bent.  I'm not a pro at this, but I tried these simple techniques and was able to go effortlessly for 5.9 miles today.  That is over a 60% increase.  And my legs don't really hurt, except I can tell some new muscles were used.

Now I am really wanting to get some Nike Free shoes...

No matter the era, people look to the past for food

Interesting article on the "persistence of primitive food".  I just recently read The Omnivore's Dilemma.  Obviously, overly processed food is not good for you.  But what food is good for you?  That's a question that's tough to answer, and simply look at the past is not always going to help you.

A land where schools go out of business

I grew up smack in the middle of the rust belt, the wealthy suburbs of Detroit, Michigan.  Sixteen years after "graduating" from elementary school I learn that that school, Wooddale, is closing its doors permanently.  Its strange thinking that a place where I spent countless hours as a child is going to be no more.

Apparently Farmington Public School is in some dire straits.  They are closing 4 elementary schools, which will mean that kids will have to transition from elementary school, to upper elementary school, to junior high, to high school.  So a total of 4 schools over 12 years, which I think is a bit excessive.

On a larger note, you can bet that property values will tank in these areas.  Nobody wants to live next door to an abandoned school (brings to mind Nightmare on Elm Street).  Schools are very much the foundation of a community.  Farmington Hills, Michigan.  Formerly the home of one the best school districts in the country.  Now a land where schools go out of business.

2010 Olympics Redux

I very much enjoyed these Olympics.  I probably watched at least 25 hours of coverage, at least as much as I watched the 2008 Beijing games.  

Overall I'm very happy that the US won the total medal count, which I think surprised everyone.  We even won some medals in Nordic Combined for I think the first time ever.  The snowboarding halfpipe was great too.  

Who rips off patients without insurance? Doctors.

Many people blame the health insurance companies for our high medical costs.  While this is definitely true to some extent, due to the high overhead, it is not the full story.  Who else rips off people?  Doctors.  Especially people without insurance.

Case in point:

I went to a podiatrist a few days ago because I thought I may have fractured my foot.  They took x-rays, examined my foot, determined it was just tendinitis, and gave me a cortisone shot.  Took a total of 30 minutes.

They sent a bill to my insurance company for $450.  My insurance company negotiates rates with them, so the final bill was reduced to about $110, which I think is very reasonable considering the services provided.

So the point of this is not to exonerate the insurance companies, but to show that if you don't have health insurance, you are at the mercy of doctor's exorbitant rates.

Review: Zeitoun

Zeitoun is simply one of the best books I have read in a long time.  The story of a man (Zeitoun) who stays in New Orleans as Katrina descends on the town, it is as much a story about what good things individuals can do as what bad things the collective government can do.  What happened to Zeitoun, a Syrian-American who obviously has much to love about his new country, should never happen to anyone in America.

While reading this book, the reader has trouble fathoming it is true.  I recommend this highly to any reader.

Packing in some national parks OK on Monday

On Monday it will be legal to carry a concealed weapon in many national parks and sites, provided that the person carrying is authorized under state law.

I think this is a very good move, because currently someone driving within their state must take care to not transport a firearm through a national park, monument, battlefield, etc.

Some are afraid that this will lead to increased violence in the parks, but I don't see this happening.  Time and time again, when concealed carry laws are expanded there have not been increased shootings.

Obama Pro-Gun President so far

Some on the left are not happy with Obama's seemingly pro- or neutral-gun stance during his first year in office.

I think that the president doesn't have a very strong personal preference on the issue, and would rather not wade into this political trap, as Bill Clinton did.