It seems that the mysterious invention, codenamed "Ginger" may have been vastly
over-hyped in a way that only the Internet allows.
The inventor of the device is now trying to down-play all the speculation that
it might change the face of the world in which we live and has put a significantly
different spin on some of the statements made in the media.
Well Aardvark has been given a tip-off to a website which has uncovered the
real secret of "Ginger" and, once I've verified a few facts, I'll be publishing
the link here so everyone can see what's going on.
In the meantime, all I can say is that it is a transportation device.
Much of the speculation to date has surrounded the inventor's existing work
with the
Stirling engine
-- a device that is classified as an "external combustion" engine.
These engines have, since their invention, held a promise of improved efficiency,
lower emissions and near silent operation -- but there have been very few
commercial applications of this technology.
However, one Aardvark reader emailed me the URL of an
innovative Kiwi company
that appears to be in the final stages of developing an energy generation
system incorporating the Stirling engine.
Maybe we'll out-Ginger the Americans?
French Government Has Mad Cow Disease
Some time ago the German government decided to whack a small surcharge on
computer systems and some components in order to compensate recording
artists for what were perceived to be the losses they were suffering at the hands
of digital piracy.
Well now it seems that the French, in their inimitable way, have gone right
over the top and proposed that massive taxes be added to hard drives and other
items for the same reason. While the Germans are levying about NZ$50 per
hard drive, the French have gone right over the top and suggested a tax of
NZ$300 per unit. Sacre bleu!
It seems that France and Germany are happy to label all computer owners thieves
and pirates so are forcing them to pay for a crime that the vast majority of
them have never committed.
Will our government be the next?
Big Projects Still A Problem?
Once again a large government-funded IT project has fallen apart and it
seems that the taxpayer is the ultimate loser.
The Government SOE TerraLink is being placed in receivership and it looks
likely that it will be sold off to cover at least some of the debt it has
incurred as part of a project which was to see NZ's land title information
placed online.
Its collapse comes in the wake of the botched INCIS affair which saw a massive
blow-out on the costs associated with an ill-fated attempt to revamp computer
systems used by the Police force.
But fear not Kiwis -- we're not alone. As you'll see in the Australian News
links section (below), Australia's government have also got themselves in a
bucket-load of donkey-droppings over their own IT budget blow-out.
The Weekly Trickles Out
This week's edition of the Weekly has started trickling out. It will probably
take a day or so before they're all sent but they're on their way.
As always, your feedback is welcomed and...
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Did you tell someone else about Aardvark today? If not then do it
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