July 28, 2005 at 12:22 am
(Culture, Environment, Science/Technology)
So, the EPA delayed the release of it’s annual fuel efficiency report. Now with a toothless Energy Bill before Congress, why would they do that?
Of course, the Times is going to connect some dots for us, but they point out some interesting tidbits. I’d like to take on a particular tidbit: Nissan’s average fuel efficiency dropped by .5 mpg between 2003 and 2004 model years. Nissan’s spokesperson states that the drop is due to Nissan’s movement, with the Titan and Pathfinder Armada, into new markets and that they are “doing it responsibly.” The Armada, with a 5.6 liter (!) V8 gets 13 mpg and the Titan, also with a 5.6 liter V8 gets 14 mpg. The Hummer H2, the car environmentalists despise the most, gets 12 mpg. (All ratings are for city driving, as posted for 2005 models at intellichoice.com.) I’m singularly unimpressed. If you can’t do better that much better than an H2, it’s hardly responsible.
Nonetheless, I have some admiration for companies like Nissan, VW and Subaru for resisting the Massive SUV/distinctly effeminate pickup truck markets for as long as they did, seeing as how the rest of the auto world has made them their bread and butter. And why not since they have terrific margins?
One thing is going to make our cars more fuel efficient and that is people who care about fuel efficiency refusing to buy piggy cars with 5.6 liter engines. (I’m suggesting here that they instead by the competitor’s piggy car with a 4.0 liter engine. I’m not a fan of huge SUV’s but hey, perhaps some people really need to move that many people around all day.) Safety has been a big concern for a long time, and we now have great tests that are forcing car makers to improve safety constantly. What can we do to give fuel efficiency the same priority?
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July 25, 2005 at 4:52 pm
(Colorado, Political)
Reading the paper, how can you not be depressed?
Today, there is an article about Security screeners at DIA, a David Harsanyi column on “security” cameras on highways which are being fed to a counterintelligence center and an editorial criticizing the House version of a bill that extends the Patriot act.
There is discussion on prejudice against immigrants and Muslims (no word on anti-French sentiment, although that, too, is pervasive. Watch the recent Disney movie The Incredibles for a good example of that odd prejudice.)
Add on top of this analysis by Paul Krugman that suggests certain large employers may move jobs out of the country–because, among other things our employee pool is too poorly educated.
Current US policy covers up the symptoms of our problems rather than addressing the causes. For instance, we want to deal more harshly with immigrants and potential terrorists rather than working on measures (such as free trade and non-military encouragement of democratic ideals) that will equalize labor pressures and disarm militants. Rather than spending money on education, we subsidize entire industries that keep low-paying, low-skill jobs in the US–and then cry foul when skilled jobs leave the country. Ah well.
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July 23, 2005 at 9:34 pm
(Culture)
British Bluesman Long John Baldry has died at age 64.
So he’ll probably be joining the old dead guy’s wall at WRUW. It’s strange…sometimes (often) people die who seem part of a consciousness of a whole different time, and you forget that they’re probably still around until you hear that they’ve died. I always feel bad when that happens.
So I guess I’ll try to find some Long John Baldry on iTunes
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July 23, 2005 at 6:35 pm
(Colorado, Culture)
Hollywood has caused another Colorado Legislator to rear his ugly head. This time, it’s Democrat John Salazar (brother of Senator Ken Salazar) who is calling for stronger penalties for people who pretend to be war heroes, largely (according to the article) due to scenes from the new summer movie Wedding Crashers.
Purple Heart winner Hershel Gobel commented on the movie, saying “They are encouraging people to demean the medal and it’s just not right.” He goes on to say that the movie it isn’t a parody–it’s sacrilege.
In the case where they are talking about real people buying medals as part of a story, fine, I’m offended too (although I can’t say I’ve ever seen someone display a war medal that may have been obtained dishonorably so I’m inclined to believe it’s not as big a phenomenon as is being claimed.) But as far as the movie? Lighten up, y’all!
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July 21, 2005 at 5:10 pm
(Colorado, Urban Design)
Thanks to all those developers and realtors out there who are responsible for overbuilding in Denver’s housing market
Just supports my theory that the Denver of the late 00’s and early 10’s is going to resemble Detroit or Cleveland in the 60’s and 70’s.
Oh well, it’s nice to seem my gloom and doom has a basis in reality.
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July 20, 2005 at 3:21 pm
(Political)
Here is an interesting quote:
Progress for America President Brian McCabe vowed to defend Roberts “from the left’s predictable and premeditated character assassination attempts.”
Predictable character assassination attempts, huh? Hah. Maybe so.
I remember Clarence Thomas’ confirmation battle. At that time, I was just becoming conscious of this type of story. Remember Anita Hill’s accusations that Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her? I suppose that was a “predictable character assassination attempt.” My biggest source of news on those events was Rush Limbaugh. Boy, I wish I had some transcripts of those shows. But if I remember, the things that were said about Anita Hill on his show at the time were pretty potent–enough so that I remember them pretty well. And yet, 48 Senators voted against his confirmation. So I guess the character assassination attempt on Anita Hill almost failed.
I hope Roberts doesn’t have any skeletons, that the confirmation process is peaceful and that he does uphold the law and not his personal beliefs. Any bumps will just erode our confidence in our system further.
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July 20, 2005 at 11:48 am
(Colorado)
I’m having a difficult time dealing with this.
Ahh, that Tancredo, he’s a sharp one isn’t he?
Colorado’s Sixth Congressional District is comprised of most of Arapahoe County, outlying areas of Jefferson county, all of Douglas and Elbert counties and a tiny chunk of Park county. It contains a good-sized chunk of Denver’s southern suburbs/exurbs. I work in the Sixth but would never live there. But many, many of my co-workers do. I firmly believe that many, even most, of the people who live in the Sixth are more than latently racist, and they come out in droves to support this guy. Tancredo most certainly does a fine job representing his close-minded district. But he does a piss-poor job in representing the rest of the state which believe it or not still contains some reasonable, intelligent people.
Unfortunately for the rest of us, Tancredo is the guy who gets all the press. And when he’s not, the typically more politically-able Bob Beauprez is opening his mouth. Please do try to remember, when you think of Colorado, of places like Boulder and Durango as well as outposts of hatred like Colorado Springs and Highlands Ranch.
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