The Tesla and his followers

Since the Tesla has been presented to the public, all big car producers have announced to bring electric cars to the market. Surprisingly fast to the market – as if they already had the knowledge and techniques to construct them …
Despite this knowledge, the presented cars cannot compete with the models of Tesla motors.
Especially battery power and speed, influencing the range, are quite low.
Sure, the prices of the presented solutions are lower than the ones of Tesla, but this is due to the possibilities of the big factories of the big car producers.

The answer is that there was research on electric cars, to be prepared for the “day zero”, where the change from gas to electricity hast to be done, but kept on a low level to continue the old fashioned business.

What answer can be give to this gap between on clever start-up, dealing with lots of requests, and the old world of car production, trying to survive and adopt to the modern requirements?

Lotus, Think, and Mini.

Small companies, adopting fast to the new environment. They cooperate with various suppliers, they leave the traditional ways of business, and they increase their turnover bye getting into this new market. Still, there is room for more. If a company has experience in ONE of the important fields for build an e-car, and is able to buy the technology from other manufacturers, there is chance to overtake the old companies, and bring the new age of people transportation. The time is now – the people are missing …..

Professional education for the Austrian army's NCOs

The united states Navy "SeaBee" Naval Construction Battallion as model for the Austrian Bundesheer

Taking a naval unit as role model for a landlocked country's army may seem weird, but is in fact a new perspective to the incident-stroken forces.

The Battalion was established 1942 to fullfill the building needs of the Navy during the second world war. It focused on experience and skills of their members, so nearly all of them had a handicraft education before.

Having a soldier who is experienced in a handicraft job has many advantages:
- there is no need for extra engineer platoons or companies
- in case of natural disasters, accidents or even terrorist attacks the cooperation with civil aid organizations is easier
- people leaving the army due to budget reductions or other reasons have more chances of finding new jobs than people who were only trained as soldiers.

Due to the Austrian education system, everybody should have a chance to finish a on-the-job education, called "Lehre", and be a journeyman.
Nevertheless there are people who just finished the mandatory school and enter the army without further education.

Regarding the fact that the army already takes apprentices, it seems practical to extend this possibility to soldiers in activy duty. Like the already existing rule of having non-commisioned officers to be "Diplom Gesundheits- und KrankenpflegerIn" (licensed nurse or male nurse) to work in the combat medics company or battalion, there could be a rule for higher NCO's to have a second education other than military training.

Investment in in education is an investment in skills as much as in image.

Litauen ....

Zur Zeit bin ich in Kaunas, Litauen, und arbeite in einem internationalen Transportunternehmen.

Zu erreichen bin ich am einfachsten per facebook oder per mail an bernhard.mader@gmx.at