It's HOT today

04182006
Originally uploaded by Sub Commander.

It is sunny and going to break 70 degrees today! YAY! THe office is so warm, I had to take off my sweater. Oh great - I wore a t-shirt from my old job. No real worries there. In fact, my co-workers were much more impressed with my belt buckel. Which one did I wear today? Shoot.

Chris in space!

Click here to learn how to make your own opticle illusion.

Hybrids cost more energy than Hummers?

Autopia reports and interesting statistic regarding the energy it took to research and build a hybrid vs. that of today's SUVs. Though interesting the overall comparison is flawed. Of course it costs more to make a hybrid than it does to make a traditional automobile when looking at costs incurred during research.

An MP3 player costs more than a CD player which costs more than a tape player. The technology is new - it has not had time to spread the cost of development over the lifetime of the product. Commerically viable hybrids are less than 5 years old. The combustion engine automobile has had several decades to develop. Do hybrids benefit from this? Of course, and as time passes, SUVs will benefit from hybrid technology.

A study by CNW Marketing Research says that the total energy cost used in manufacturing and driving a Toyota Prius is higher than that of a Chevy Tahoe or Hummer H2.

CNWMR president Art Spinella told me the two-year study was independently funded, and the company did not disclose the focus of the study when surveying the auto industry.

Factors in the study include:

-- how many years it took to develop the vehicles, which hurt hybrids
-- how far auto workers traveled, and whether or not they used public transportation (Spellman says workers travel much further in Ohio than Mexico, for example)
-- the percentage of materials that can be effectively recycled
-- the percentage of labor produced by robots versus humans
-- variable estimated lifetime of components (the Prius' transmission lasts longer than others)
-- cost of fuel used (estimated to be $2.78 per gallon)
-- expected parts that would need to be repaired

The problem with any study of this nature is that the complicated set of assumptions can greatly influence the outcome (as will individual driving patterns) so no study can really be considered definitive.

Be David Hasselhoff

Nice jacket
Originally uploaded by rangi_robinson.

Hair - should take about 2-3 months.

Chest Hair - I need some black market Rogaine to rub on my chest.

Jacket - Some thrift store should have it.

The Car - Make your own!