Ford turns on the heat to combat COVID-19 in police vehicles

Now this is interesting. Ford, in conjunction with Ohio State University, has developed software to help sterilize the interiors of Ford's Police Interceptor Utilities. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has taken the World by the throat, your local police are put at risk every day during the course of their essential jobs. Whether transporting the sick to local hospitals or arresting asymptomatic lawbreakers, police officers can come in contact with the COVID-19 virus. Most departments use wipe-down sanitation but at times a wipe down may not be enough or surfaces may be missed. Ohio State determined that a constant interior temperature of 133 degrees is needed (for a period of at least 15 minutes) to neutralize 99 per cent of Coronavirus on interior surfaces. The new software heats the engine quickly and turns on the heat. Once the interior reaches the required temperature, the software maintains the heat for the required time period. The vehicles exterior lights flash when the software is activated and stop flashing when the cycle is completed. An interior cool-down cycle then completes the process. Clever. Anyone that has gotten into a vehicle that is parked in triple-digit heat can attest to this process. Your car even smells clean. Before you try this at home, remember that police vehicles have special interiors with protected electronics and heavy-duty upholstery. But if the pandemic continues for any length of time, automakers may develop similar software for your car. Until then, you can feel safe getting into a Ford Police Interceptor Utility AKA highly modified Ford Explorer. BTW: this new software has been tested by numerous police departments including New York and Los Angeles. For more info, check out the press release after the "read more" jump.

Source: Press release and pics courtesy of Ford

TA.b - Mask Talk 5.20 - Update

If you've been keeping up with the COVID-19 information that has been released of late, while there are some conflicting reports, most agree that we're going to have to keep wearing masks for some time. A recent report from the WHO (World Health Organizaion) said it is possible that COVID-19 might become endemic, meaning that like HIV, we will need to be vigilant and guarantee our own safety (see "The Last Word" from May 18 on MSNBC) for some time. While 45 and his folks want to believe the files prepared by an economist can foretell the COVID-19 pandemic outcomes (shouldn't a medical degree or license be required?), the rest of us must continue to be vigilant. While there is one company that is having early success with a vaccine, the recent information from the Navy is troubling. A few of those sailors that were exposed to and got COVID-19 and survived on that battleship recently re-acquired the disease. This makes the efficacy of a vaccine questionable. All things considered, this could be "the new normal."

As such, I came across an article from c/net Health and Wellness that provides info from a few mask makers that have sprung up online. Many sites have clothing roots and have diversified. For example, the mask above is from Rendall Company based here in LA. The washable mask is made from two layers of woven cotton and includes a pocket for you to add your own additional filtration stuff and a built-in copper strip to improve fit. Not cheap but good looks and features should garner orders for Rendall. The article highlights 10 different companies including Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Disney to name three, that can fulfill your mask needs. Remember to be safe out there, social distance (yes it's still needed), and wear your masks. If this flares up again, and it might, be prepared.

Check out the c/net article here.

Updare 2 - A recent article looks at how the Japanese are handling the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been less than 15,000 infections and few deaths since January. The Japanese haven't had to close things down in a major way and their economy is still open. Besides learning lessons from the Chinese numbers and the cruise ships parked offshore, they have implemented the three Cs (see article). Also the Japanese wear masks, a lot. Hay fever is a big problem there and the wearing of masks is very common and almost routine for citizens. Hmmm. Is there a lesson here?  Article

Photo above courtesy of MaskClub.com - Photo below from Rendall Company..

Update: Came across a good article from CNN Business about new face mask businesses. Many folks are using the mask business to save their regular business and to maintain jobs. Most brands will allow their logos, etc. to be used if there is a charitable component to these new mask businesses. One company started MaskClub.com where you receive a new mask monthly or how often you choose. Not to mention that labeled masks are free advertising when someone wears a mask one has their favorite teams (characters, etc.). You know, like Da Bulls. Plus some of them look really good.

Link to CNN Business article.  Photo  from Rendall Company.

TA.b - Mask Talk 5.20

While most of the posts I make here are auto-centric, I felt the need to talk about face masks in this age of pandemic. Since COVID-19 grabbed the World by the throat and refused to let go, people have been forced into new ways of living...and thinking for that matter. One of the big questions (besides "Will I survive this disease?") is when will things go back to "normal" (insert your normal here). The answer is possibly never. Some of the changes we make today may be around for a long while and one of those changes is the wearing of face masks.

Face masks for health professionals provide some protection from those with COVID-19 and generally include some space-age paper/fabric and possibly a plastic shield. They are disposable and must be changed frequently to be effective.

The face masks we wear (usually fabric) are washable (unless made of paper) and provide minimal protection from folks spewing their pestilence upon us. What they mostly provide is protection for others from anything you may have including colds, etc. That's the big benefit. As such, they're also effective at reducing the spread of the virus. I live in the Los Angeles area and our local governments are taking this very seriously. The suburb I live in has required face masks outside the home for a couple of weeks (we had a spike in cases). Since then, the city and county of Los Angeles has implemented a similar ordinance. What really gets me are the folks that think that these regulations don't apply to them. Especially the joggers. Joggers typically say (speak in a whiny voice), "it's too hard," or "I can't breathe." Thought you were the "healthy ones." You (the joggers) should have great lung function. And, to make matters worse, when we jog the germs we spew travel farther (12 to 20 feet) so six-feet distancing doesn't work. I'm not saying stop jogging. I'm saying wear a mask. Remember more than a third of folks with the virus are asymptomatic meaning they don't look or sound sick, but they are contagious. 

You may ask why I'm so concerned.

I have had compromised lungs since childhood for one thing. This makes me at greater risk than most and means COVID-19 might be fatal for me. Am I or anyone sure that COVID-19 would kill us?  No and that's one of the points. There is xoooo much we don't know about this disease which means it will probably be around for a while. The fact that it might come back even stronger at some point in the future is also worrisome. At the time that I wrote this, there were 1.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 leading to more than 85,000 deaths in the US alone. Since testing isn't widely available still, there may be many more cases (probably asymptomatic).

Many online retailers are selling washable daily-use masks. like Old Navy and I think Etsy. I'm sure Amazon can hook you up too. My masks are fabric made from various textiles based on articles explaining which fabrics are best. An acquaintance makes masks (see pic) for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to a fund that buys PPE for healthcare workers. The cool thing about getting masks made for you is that changes can be made like the inclusion of pipe cleaners to improve the fit/seal around the nose. Plus they look cooler than most. I have one mask that has some denim in it (which is shown to be a good filter fabric) but it stretches easily and needs washing more than others. So get used to it. You might save someones life. Maybe your own. Link below explains hot to properly wash your masks. Signs posted around a local jogging/walking trail said it all. "Doesn't matter (I paraphrase) if you're Mark, Kate, or Larry, if you don't wear a mask, you're Typhoid Mary." Good one. Photo courtesy of Jason Jenn, mask maker.

Link

TA.b - EV talk 4.20

Many want to deride the numerous EVs (electric vehicles) that are appearing in the marketplace today (hold on to your hats, there are lots and lots more coming). While many current EVs are little more than city cars (which would actually be sufficient for many), there are a quite a few, various Teslas, duplicate Kias and Hyundais, Jaguar i-Pace, Audi e-tron, and the Chevy Bolt for example, that make the newer EVs viable as a "daily drivers" for the masses. One thing is sure, this IS your future, so get used to it.

Why are they our future you ask? Many scientists and general smart folk agree that Climate Change is a major oil-related problem, but few talk about something called "Peak Oil Production. and Supply" Peak Oil Production is a theory that suggest that we will hit a point where oil production will generally decline and not rise again, so to speak, and Peak Oil Supply deals with the larger issue of just how much oil is left down there? In other words, have we taken more oil out of the ground then there are reserves left? (And yes Monica, someday we will run our of the gooey stuff). And let's not forget that petroleum oil is the basis for many plastics, fertilizers, and other stuff we depend on besides gasoline, so when supplies get scarce,...

If there is anything that Covid-19 has taught us is that cars do pollute. Since the stay-in-place orders went in to place, the air HAS gotten sweeter. There is much less air pollution. They have pictures and scans from space to prove it. Los Angeles has had the most clean air days since the 70s since we've stopped driving all over the place (of course the work stoppage has assisted as well in lowering emissions). Having lived most of my life in LA, I can tell you that the sky is definitely bluer. Oh, and air-pollution has been found to exacerbate the effects of Covid-19.

Pricing is another issue. Gasoline (where I live at least) is at a high (still lower then Europe and many parts of the world) but charging your EV at home or at a charging station, is much cheaper. If you have solar panels on your roof, you may be able to drive your EV for free (after purchase and installation costs are recovered). So unless you have a personal oil refinery in your backyard...

One way to look at it, is to see that an electric drivetrain is really just another option, like gas or diesel, four, six, eight, or more cylinder engines, etc. EVs require less maintenance currently (no semi-annual oil changes) and are generally more efficient. (Check out the EPA efficiency listings.) Many folks have singled out Tesla for the change in consciousness, but the change was already underway with numerous wind and solar farms popping up all over the globe (clean energy is now cost-effective). I get it. Change is hard. I have a friend that I talk cars with who really loved his gasoline and even diesel engines. We talked about Tesla vehicles and their general improvements of the automobile in structure, technology, and new drive trains (including all-wheel drive). As a result, he rented one when his truck needed service and came back a convert. Today's EVs are getting better and better. Range anxiety is diminishing with larger batteries and improved efficiency with more charging stations being added every day. I think gas stations and truck stops should add chargers for the numerous EVs that are coming like Tesla's Semi. It would become another source of income for them and we all know that "money talks."