The New Wheels

Well, the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina finally gave up the ghost. Probably just a dead battery in the heat, but given all the other crap wrong with it, not even that was worth fixing. I do have to say Chevy does make a good, long-lasting car. But, it's time for Stevis to do his part to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve U.S. security by incrementally disentangling the nation from foreign oil supplies.

That's right. I'm now one of those jerks with a Prius passing you at the pump:






You have to look at me in the last photo, because Julie refused to pose seductively on the hood.

Just picked it up Saturday; signed the papers Thursday. Wanted the Barcelona Red Metallic but had to settle for the Magnetic Gray, since I didn't want to go two weeks without a car.

My softball buddies commented that it was a uniquely bumper-sticker free Prius. Many, of course, will be adorned with the pro-environment and liberal messages of their owners. I figure on not using my car to speak for me, though I may add some goofy ones. I say the same thing about that as I did to Julie in agreeing with her about not getting the "Clean Special Fuels" vanity plate that Virgina offers: It's a Prius. By its very shape, it announces "I am a self-righteous jackass who tuts and looks down his nose at your SUV."

Still figuring out all the bells and whistles, but of course the energy monitor on the touch screen is addictive, and not terribly conducive to maintaining situational awareness. Though I remain completely geeked about the regenerative breaking. I'd shudder to see the spike in accident rates for the first month of owning a Prius. Still have to figure out how to turn off the backup beep, too. (hint, hint).

Peak Helium

Hell with oil & gas, we're about to run out of balloon fuel! Helium shortages are here due to decreased U.S. reserves (helium is usually found in natural gas reserves, as a byproduct of underground radioactive decays) and problems getting plants online overseas. Liquid helium is used to cool things close to absolute zero, and with huge increases in demand from the medical industry (it's used to cool magnets needed for MRI scanners), NASA using a tremendous amount to purge lines in the Space Shuttle systems, and the needs of low-temperature research, quotas are being put on users and budgets are de facto shrinking because an increasing percentage must be used for the helium.

The irony is that helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, formed both during the early universe and in stars.We can't easily liquefy the helium in the sun, however.

So lay off the balloons. Science needs the light elements more!

Typhoon Gonu

It takes a hurricane to get me out of my posting doldrums...caused by wedding planning and a lot of Little League umpiring. Anyway, Tropical Cyclone Gonu is about to slam Oman, before veering into Iran. Neither of these places ever sees any hurricanes, let alone a Cat 5...althgouh it's weakened to a Cat 1 at the brush-by of, or landfall in, Oman. Oman in particular is a land built on dry riverbeds (perfect for conducting storm surges, one presumes) and could be in serious trouble.

Follow along, if you're a junkie like me, at Jeff Marsters' blog (guest-blogged while he's on vacation) and Margie Keiper's as well.