The news that Munchkin Coroner Meinhardt Raabe died April 9 had many fans of “The Wizard of Oz” taking a walk down Memory Lane once again.

Raabe, originally from Wisconsin, was just 23 years old when he appeared, uncredited, in the award-winning film. He died at age 94 in his home in Orange Park, FL.

The Munchkin Coroner, with his cape and curly-brimmed hat, appeared in all his royal blue splendor in one of the first color scenes of the 1939 movie. He sang the declaration that the Wicked Witch of the East was dead. He was one of the many memorable characters that young Dorothy Gale met in her search for a better world “Over the Rainbow.”

The film, based on a L. Frank Baum book, won two Oscars and is an indelible part of our childhoods. It’s hard to believe that the fantasy story first hit the screen seven decades ago.

Because it was one of the few Munchkin roles with a speaking part, Mr. Raabe’s character became a pop culture figure. The image is as memorable as Toto, the Flying Monkeys, The Emerald City and the Yellow Brick Road. (more…)

Conventional wisdom would tell us that, given a choice, most consumers would prefer a vehicle tracking device that instantly tells them where their car is located, rather than record the information for later retrieval.

What seems like a logical assumption is not necessarily the truth, according to sales figures at LandAirSea Systems, Woodstock, IL-based creator and innovator of vehicle tracking systems, software and accessories. LandAirSea Vice President of Sales Steven Moehling reports solid and consistent sales of the GPS Tracking Key, a passive vehicle tracking device, since it was introduced by the company in 2006.

Real-time or “live” GPS tracking systems capture satellite signals at regular increments (5 seconds to 15 minutes) and calculate the location of the GPS receiver. Because GPS devices are receivers and not transmitters, the information is sent over the cellular data network, providing the user remote access. The result is the ability to view the information immediately, but at a price. Fees for data services range from $20 to $60 or more a month. The more frequent the transmission of data, the higher the cost of the data plan.

Passive GPS tracking devices capture satellite signals in the same way, however, they log all the data in internal memory and hold it there until users choose to download at a time convenient to them. Since passive devices are not transmitting data, they can collect much more data with NO MONTHLY FEES. LandAirSea’s line of passive devices captures one position every second. When comparing this to a standard real-time unit, using one-minute updating as an example, the passive device will record 3,600 positions every driving hour, compared to 60 positions for the real-time device. This is critical for many users that demand detailed driving data.

“The GPS Tracking Key is LandAirSea’s best-selling vehicle tracking system to date, with more than 125,000 units sold since the launch of its May, 2007 marketing blitz.”

The differences between these two technologies create a targeted market space that many resellers and or retailers overlook, Moehling said. (more…)

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As GPS surveillance technology becomes more pervasive and less expensive, increased numbers of businesses, law enforcement groups and individual consumers are finding it a convenient way to track major objects and assets- namely vehicles.  And with the glitzy assortment of high-tech vehicle tracking devices adorning the shelves of electronic and automotive retailers, choosing the right system can be as complicated as choosing the vehicle itself.

GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking devices come in two different types, passive and active.  The latter is also known as “real time”.

Passive units monitor locations and movements of vehicles and store positioning data in their internal memory.  This data can then be downloaded to a computer for viewing at a later time.  Active devices combine two technologies in a single unit:  GPS for positioning and cellular data technology for the transmission of this data, which allows the user to watch the movements of a vehicle in “real time”.  It must be noted, however, that the passive GPS unit offers second-by-second accountability which generates more data, whereas typical active GPS systems log data in one minute to fifteen minute intervals of individual GPS samplings.  Active GPS trackers also come with a monthly fee/obligation, while the purchase of a passive GPS tracker is a one time cost.
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