Travis's lame ol' blog

I had thought they were coming in 2007, but I just got an email newsletter that says they're coming in 2008. I guess the deal with Zap fell through and now they're getting imported by United Auto (based in Michigan). So far they don't list any dealers in the US yet, but hopefully there will be one near Rochester.

I saw this on gizmodo. Even though it sounds gruesome, I was wondering what was at fault for the accident: the cellphone, the SUV, or the woman driver? If The Tipping Point has taught me anything, it's that it was probably a combination of all 3.

Autoblog says that the X Prize Foundation is considering a contest for the improvement of gas mileage and manufacturing processes of automobiles. How sweet would that be? I think it's genius.

Hybrids.Autoblog.com has an extensive write-up including pictures and a press release from the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. The gas half of the engine produces 256 hp and 253 ft-lbs of torque, and while the turbo is spooling up the electric motor kicks in an additional instant 111 ft-lbs. Plus they're using some crazy "Miller cycle" which will allegedly increase the gas engine's efficiency by 30%. It sounds like it's going to shorten engine life, but I'm no engineer. Somehow it manages to get 40mpg. So you get an ugly AWD wagon that has over 250hp, 250+110 ft-lbs(!), AND gets 40mpg(!!!). Now let's see if they can do it for less than $30K USD. I love the BS graph below with no numbers.

I've been busy at work and at home so I haven't had much of a chance to write about anything interesting, so here's a 2 minute round up of everything that I had flagged in my RSS reader for the past few months...

2005-11-21

THG's TwitchGuru: The Suicide Girls Tell Us What Gets Them Going

"OK open mic. What do you want game developers to know when they make the next blockbuster game?

Al Suicide : MAKE. A F******G. SIDESCROLLER."

Gizmodo: Apple's monopolistic flash memory practices

2005-11-15

Gizmodo: TiVo's Video-On-Demand debut: Red Trousers

2005-11-11

Lifehacker: Help2Go: linux live CD for hard-core windows repairs

2005-11-08

Lifehacker: Firefox extension: Download Embedded content

2005-11-04

Lifehacker: finding lost stuff

2005-10-20

Hybrids.Autoblog: Subaru's Turbo Hybrid Wagon concept: B5-TPH (AWD of course)

2005-10-19

Treehugger: Honda's sweet fuel-cell concept: FCX

2005-10-02

CodingHorror: BootSkin: Change Windows XP's boot screen

2005-09-30

Scott Hanselman: Boo [.Net]: C# + Python + Ruby + CLR = interesting language

...that's all for now. Should be enough to keep busy until I find something cool enough to write about (and have the time to write about it).

This article on Wired just kicked my blood pressure up a notch:

[...] The table shows that on average SUVs receive a higher tax incentive than the most fuel-efficient cars on the market.

People who buy the 33-mpg Toyota Highlander Hybrid, for example, get a $2,600 write-off -- nearly twice the $1,450 tax credit for the 57-mpg Honda Insight. On average, the four most fuel-efficient hybrids, averaging 53.5 mpg, receive a smaller incentive ($2,100) than the five SUVs ($2,310) that get 32.8 mpg. [...]

I had high hopes about the Subaru/GM partnership. I was hoping to see an AWD Hywire, or maybe a hydrogen-powered WRX. At least I was hoping for cheaper Subaru parts (which I haven't seen). Instead all it resulted in was a crappy looking Saabaru. Ah well, I guess some things weren't meant to last.

Now Toyota is buying the stake in Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru's parent company). So I'll get my hopes up for an AWD Prius or maybe a hybrid Outback. I'm guessing the Subaru US plants will stay open and keep making cars since it has to save all kinds of money in shipping them over here, but who knows.

No, I'm not talking about the store (although they have been great to order from for all my extract homebrewing goodness), I'm talking about three recent articles that caught my eye that I haven't really had time to blog about until my lunch hour today.

The first is about beer powered cars. Well, it's close, it's about making ethanol from barley. (from AutoBlog)

The next is about beer with nicotene added. Since smoking is now about as uncool as it gets, and it's illegal in NY bars, people need their nicotene via other methods. I have vague recollections of 7th grade health when they told us nicotene + alcohol was bad for some reason, but I don't remember why or care very much. (from Gizmodo)

The last is about this sweet beer nozzle that can pour a Guiness in record time. If I had a bar, or a keg system of some sort, I'd definitely look into it. (from Gizmodo)

It looks like Nissan has joined the race for my next car. Assuming they're working on a car and not some POS SUV. If it really does look like this prototype, it doesn't look very attractive, appearance-wise, but assuming it's about the size of an xB, then that's good enough for me.

Why does California always get the cool stuff first? And why couldn't Mercedes find a better car company than Zap to import their Smart cars? And why will we have to wait until 2007? I guess that'll give me some time to save for one after my car's paid off, but it seems a little late if they're trying to milk the "small car fad" that the article mentions (and I don't think exists). If Zap does become successful it would be nice to have another American car company. Especially considering Dodge and Ford won't make hybrid/alternative-fuel (and/or AWD) versions of the Neon or Focus and GM won't come out with their skateboard fuel-cell line until at least 2010 (what a miserable failure that deadline extension was).

Autoblog has a post on a fuel cell powered motorcycle. Here's some notable data from the RubberMag article:

Performance Data

Acceleration - 0 ­ 20 mph in 4.3s (32kph), 0 ­ 30 mph in 7.3s (48 kph), 0 ­ 50 mph in 12.1s (80kph) Top speed - 50 mph (80kph) (note: ENV has been tested to 50mph ­ however, with further refinements and redevelopments, this top speed is expected to be exceeded) Range - At least 100 miles (160km)

Physical

Bike mass - 80 kg (Total mass including CORE) note: about 176 lbs

So it's no rocket hitting it's top speed of 50mph in 12.1 seconds, but it's a start. It is silent and emissions free, which are probably the biggest problems with current gasoline-powered motorcycles. There is no mention of price, or the price of whatever device you'll need to produce the Hydrogen at home, so don't get your hopes up just yet. For it to succeed I think it'll need to hit 80mph (in 12 seconds), have at least double the range, cost less than $10K USD, and be manufactured by a reputable company like Honda. The first two should be easy because of the bike's light weight, the other two will probably be very difficult though.

Intelligent Energy has a PDF on their site with more info

The WRC is over and the winner is Sébastien Loeb with 118 points. His team, Citroën, also won the manufacturers championship for the second year in a row with 194 points. Here are some nice action shots from the WRC site:

More pics here, and some hi-res ones here.

I can't wait, $13K brand new, and it gets 70mpg. Not to mention the other sweet features. Wired and Gizmodo have write-ups, and Smart's site is pretty decent, but their fluffy US site could use some work. Of course in order to import their cars into the US, they had to make an SUV version (according to unwritten law).

I got a call from my mom at 5:30 saying someone called her from my cellphone. She checked the caller ID and it was from my cellphone, so she called my apartment. The night before I had gotten in around 11:15pm or so, and my car had been full of Sherry's stuff (the first carload of many). The car was parked a few houses down from mine and I could see some stuffed animals on the ground from my apartment. I got closer to see that all four doors weren't closed all the way and I looked inside to have the pleasure of seeing my dash ripped open and my stereo missing. I'm too mad to check to see if any of Sherry's stuff is missing now and I don't wanna mess up the crime scene any before the cops get here. I really hope none of her stuff is missing, that would just send me over the edge. Some of her stuff was from her now deceased grand parents so it isn't exactly replaceable. So far it looks like just the stereo and cellphone. My 12 disc changer laid happily in plain sight on the driver's side floor. I guess some dude allegedly found my cell phone near Dewey & Birr st. I have his pager, prolly call the dude later after I talk to the police again (if I talk to the police again). Anyways, pics and prolly more updates to follow.
:-(

08:44 - Well, I checked out my car a little better. It appears that just my cellphone and stereo were stolen. I still have to call the kid who has my cell phone. The thieves were nice enough to leave me a craftsman flathead screwdriver, so at least I got something out of the deal.

18:25 - Apparently city cops only investigate these types of crime scenes if there were a chain of cars broken into so I guess I'm on my own. Now if I could just get the dude to answer my phone or call me back.

19:09 - Meeting "Mike" at Coliseum Pizza (on Dewey near Ridgeway) at 9 tonight to get my phone back. Unless it's an Ackbar and I get gangbustered, hehe. Ah well, here's some pics:
Before:

After:

21:36 - Yay cell phone. I'd also like to plug Coliseum Pizza, they deliver anywhere in Monroe County 11am until 4AM. If you ever get "Mike" the delivery dude, give 'em a phatty tip. And thanx to Ern for folowing my ass out there, and being Johnny-on-the-spot with the "9" and the "1", just in case.

Ford unveiled a new Focus concept in China yesterday. It looks pretty cool, it has 19" rims and LED lighting. I wonder how close it will be to the actual production Focus though. There's a couple more pics in this article:

Yes it is. If you haven't been inspired by the recent Wired article, your local newspaper, or any other article, now's the time to switch. Whether your converting a car, a bus, or even a train, I can guarantee you'll be happy with the mileage. There's tons of info out there (and tons of opinions too). Aside from the enormous environmental benefits (better mileage than gasoline, produced from renewable materials, contains practically no sulfur, decreases soot emissions, etc.), it also benefits farmers, which we've got plenty of in this state. It's something to think about while you're saving for that Prius, or waiting for HyWire to get here.

[Edit]: somehow I managed to miss a recent /. article on this very subject. It only costs the dude $0.41/gallon!

Wired has a brief article on GM's new Hy-Wire fuel-cell platform for its future vehicles. It sounds really futurustic. Has tons of sweet features and looks similar to the new Prius:

Too bad we won't see them till around 2015 or so. Which should give GM enough time to fix the glitches mentioned in the article. "'It's for the PlayStation generation, when they grow up,' the rep told [the author]. [She] asked if they made an Atari version. Quite seriously, [she] was told that, yes, they could make one." Hopefully by then they'll also make an AWD version for rugged folks like me. (videos)

Danny Hopkins was finally arrested for murdering a friend of a friend last October. 106mph in a 30mph zone ?!?! - all thanks to the black box in his Caddy. Of course this murderer's attorney is arguing that his client's right to privacy should eliminate the black box evidence. Aside from the eyewitnesses, fibers from his coat were found on the airbag. How can this asshole (and his asshole attorney) live with himself? (video)

Bad Bear & Nice Park Job. Good ol' Ananova Quirkies.

A recent Wired article talks briefly about outsourcing and "American" goods. During a 5 hour oil change I got last week I had time to read every magazine and newspaper in Van Bortel's customer service area. One of the articles talked about the new Chevy Aveo. It's basically a cheap little Korean-made econo-box sold under Chevy's name. What bugs me is that Chevy's new ad campaign is "An American Revolution", America [this], American [that]. The Ford Focus is considered "American" by most. I guess you could say that is true, Mexico is in North America. The entire car used to be assembled in Mexico, but now just the engines are. Calling VW's Jetta "German" would just be a lie IMHO since it is also made in Mexico. Saturns are "American", right? Well assuming that you count their Canadian parts as American, and you don't buy one with an automatic, since their automatic transmissions are made in Japan. (I got most of my facts from usstuff.com)

I think that as more and more communication barriers are broken, more and more trade barriers will be broken, we will see more and more companies using parts from all kinds of different countries. Financially it makes sense. If you can find a better price on a comparable product elsewhere, why not buy it? I just find it irritating when companies advertise themselves as being "American Made", "Made in the USA", or even "German" or "Japanese" when they aren't 100%. They could at least include a disclaimer that says that they're mostly [insert nationality here], and list the parts, processes, or ownerships that aren't. If businesses continue to mislead the public, it will only lead to their miserable failure.

Personally I don't shop for things that are "Made in the USA", I just try to find a reliable product that performs well for the price. My Subaru Outback is probably considered "Japanese" by most, even though it was put together by US workers in Indiana, and even though GM owns 20% of Subaru's parent company Fuji Heavy Industries. I consider myself American because I was born and raised here, even though my roots are Irish, German, Polish, French-Canadian, English, and more - of course before all of these I am first human.

I was so happy to see NPR switch from Real to Microsoft. Now the jerks have switched back. I wonder if the files play with the Real Alternative?

This Subaru is heavenly. Only 500 will be made, and they'll only be sold in Europe (of course). If that weren't enough, it still costs 30 000 GBP ($54,219.86USD). 320 HP, ¼ mile: 12.8 seconds, 0-60 mph: 4.25 seconds, 0-100 mph: 10.67 seconds, 4WD w/Driver Controlled Center Differential, SureTrac Front LSD, ok I'll stop.

[Update]: I've noticed this gets a lot of hits, so here's a link to Subaru's site with more info.

Click & Clack say real player sux (check out that boss button too!)

AWD moto, i wonder much it will cost though.

New $900 Cambodian car.

Suck it SUVs!

48 cylinder moto. It's real, here's a video of it running.

Santa? Aspen white with the Silver BBS rims please. How about some insurance too Santa?

Hummer Tactical Mountain Bike

http://www.wheelbarrowfreestyle.com

rice rant

no tax on biodiesel?

Sign up here to be a part of the BioDiesel movement. It is painless, spam-free, and takes less than a minute. Most diesel vehicles can run on BioDiesel with little or no modifications. Not only does the exhaust smell like french fries, but its good for the environment.

the miraculous Volvo has been sold.

travis.servebeer.com/volvo

pix

here is the carfax on my volvo... it checked out ok.

buy my volvo. its cheap.

the Volvo is running again. i heard it over the phone. it has a nice blue hood now.

i hit a deer with the volvo wagon the other night going about 70mph. my two passengers (Kevin and Ray) and i are fine. the deer is not (bambi went flying into the air), and my wallet will soon be hurting. my car needs a new radiator/grille/hood, and many hoses (glad i just spent $60 on a coolant flush). my dad seems to think that the wagon is fixable, so in the meantime i'll be 2-wheeling. i'll have to take some pictures. the funniest part: immediately after i hit the deer, the hood flipped up across the windsheild, the engine stalled, and my buddy Kevin turns to me and asks if i can make it to the next exit (because he didn't want to have to push my car up the ramp).

GM's Billion Dollar Bet

fun fun fun

Filling the Need for Speed

What's your Outlaw Biker name?