Spain’s in Love With Electric Cars

It’s encouraging to read about the comeback of the electric car after it was nearly crushed by the oil industry in California.  I’m talking about the unfortunate case of the GM EV1 of the 1990s.

If you have been following my posts, you are aware of the promising cars that are now being manufactured by Tesla, Toyota and Aptera.  I’m very excited about this issue, since it will be a step in the right direction to lessen the emission of greenhouse gases.

According to Triplepundit, Spain aims to put 1 million electric cars on the road by 2014.  This great news was announced by Spain’s Minister of Industry, Business and Tourism, Miguel Sebastian, on Tuesday.    It clearly shows how serious the Zapatero government is regarding saving energy and boosting energy efficiency in Spain.

The Plan, which Spain’s Council of Ministers are expected to approve August 1, will be implemented this year and carry on through 2011. It’s estimated that Spain will save between 5.8 and 6.4 million tons of oil over the three-year period as a result of this energy reduction plan.

“The electric vehicle is the future and the engine of an industrial revolution,” Sebastian told members of the National Industry Commission. Higher oil prices and growing use and intensity of fossil fuel cost Spain some 17 billion euros last year, according to the Minister.

Spain’s legislators are currently studying legislation to provide incentives which will increase the use of public transportation, promote substitution of incandescent light bulbs with lower consumption bulbs, and provide mobile phone coverage in subways. Also among the measures being considered, are reducing fuel exports by 11 percent and reducing speed limits in cities.

If only our government officials would pay attention to the green provisions being taken by responsible legislators in other countries.  Panama is in dire need to adopt these energy conservation measures with a deep sense of urgency.

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Joke: The Lawyer’s Information Game

A blonde and a lawyer are seated next to each other on a flight from LA to NY. The lawyer asks if she would like to play a fun game. The blonde, very tired, just wants to take a nap, so she politely declines and rolls over towards the window to catch a few winks. The lawyer persists (as lawyers tend to do) and explains that the game is easy and a lot of fun. He says, “I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5.00 and vice versa.”

Again, she declines and tries to get some sleep.

The lawyer, now agitated, says, “Okay, if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5.00, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll pay you $500.00.”

This catches the blonde’s attention, and, realizing he won’t stop bothering her till she plays, she agrees to play the game.

The lawyer asks the first question, “What’s the distance from the earth to the moon?”

The blonde looks at him blankly, reaches into her purse, pulls out a $5 bill, and hands it to him.

“Okay,” he says with a twinkle in his eyes. “Now it’s your turn.”

She asks him, “What goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four legs?”

The lawyer looks puzzled, takes out his laptop computer, and searches all his references. No answer. He taps into his cellphone and searches the net and Library of Congress. Still no answer. Frustrated, he sends e-mails to all his friends and coworkers. But, none of them know the answer, either. After an hour, sweating he wakes the blonde and hands her $500.

The blonde says, “Thank you,” and rolls back toward the window.

The lawyer, now thoroughly agitated, demands, “Well, what’s the answer?”

Silently, she reaches into her purse, hands him another $5, and goes back to sleep.

That’s it folks. I’ll bet this lawyer didn’t enjoy his trip to the Big Apple. Good Day!

Source: 100 Best Lawyer Jokes

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Tags: Humor, Lawyer, Blonde

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Oil Prices Are Now Flying South to Mexico

It’s amazing what collective action will do. After the bizarre performance of oil prices last month, the American people decided it was time to take action and they did.

They started to drive less and kept their bottoms aways from their cars. That deteriorated gasoline and diesel demand to such a point, that the oil companies had no other choice but to drop their gasoline prices. “We’re seeing some worries about demand destruction in oil, so I think that’s creating some fear among investors and leading them to sell,” said Tom Pawlicki, commodities analyst with MF Global Research in Chicago.

The U.S. Transportation Department said Monday that U.S. drivers logged 9.6 billion fewer vehicle miles in May—or 3.7 percent—compared to the same period last year, the biggest drop ever for the historically busy summer driving month. And demand for oil in the U.S.—the world’s thirstiest consumer— continues to fall, dropping by 891,000 barrels per day in May compared the same month a year ago, the Energy Information Administration said Monday.

Oil prices tumbled more than $2 a barrel yesterday, finishing at their lowest level in seven weeks as a stronger dollar and beliefs that record prices are eroding the world’s thirst for energy sparked another dramatic sell-off. The drop—which surpassed $4 a barrel at one point during the day—was a throwback to oil’s nosedive over the past two weeks and outweighed supply concerns touched off by a militant attack Monday on two Nigerian crude oil pipelines. It was oil’s seventh decline in the last 10 sessions.

Prices at the pump are poised to dip even further, and could cost as much as 25 cents less by Labor Day, AAA spokesman Geoff Sundstrom said. “People say typically prices shoot up like a rocket, but fall like a feather. But this time … it looks like it’s different,” Sundstrom said. “The retail sector is interested in bringing these prices down as fast as they can to stimulate business in their convenience stores.”

In another sign that high prices are curbing Americans’ consumption for fuel, retail gas prices fell further below the $4-a-gallon mark. The average price of a regular gas fell 1.7 cents to $3.941, according to auto club AAA, the Oil Prices Information Service and Wright Express.

The declines accelerated after oil briefly dipped below $122, a key resistance level that triggered technical selling by computers programmed to dump oil contracts once prices fall under a certain threshold. “Once we break through $120, we could easily slide through to $100,” said Darin Newsom, senior analyst at DTN in Omaha.

In the trading pits, oil continued on a two-week sell-off. Light, sweet crude for September delivery fell $2.54 to settle at $122.19 a barrel in the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was the lowest settlement price for a front-month contract since June 10. Oil has now fallen $25.25 from its trading high of $147.27, reached July 11. According to Oil-Price.Net, the price for crude oil as of this morning,—Wednesday July 30, 2008 at 03:59 a.m.—was $122.02 per barrel.

Many oil analysts say the market’s momentum points to further declines. Is the energy bubble over? I don’t think so. Oil has bounced back from big drops more than once in the march to fresh records over the past year. Is the $4 per gallon nightmare almost over? Probably not, but we can hope while we keep our feet away from the pedal. Good Day.

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Tags: OilPrices, Gasoline, Diesel, Automobiles,

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Joke: Government Aid

A modern day cowboy has spent many days crossing the barren Texas plains without water. His horse has already died of thirst.

He’s crawling through the sand, certain that he has breathed his last breath, when all of a sudden he sees an object sticking out of the sand several yards ahead of him.

He crawls to the object, pulls it out of the sand, and discovers what looks to be an old briefcase.  He opens it and out pops a genie. But this is no ordinary genie. He is wearing a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) ID badge and a dark gray suit.  There’s a calculator in his pocketbook.  He has a pencil tucked behind one ear.

—”Well, cowboy,” says the genie. “You know how I work.  You have three wishes.”

—“I’m not falling for this.” said the cowboy.   “I’m not going to trust a FEMA genie.”

—“What do you have to lose?”  “You’ve got no transportation, and it looks like you’re a goner anyway!,” said the genie matter-of-factly.

The cowboy thinks about this for a minute, and decides that the genie is right.

—“O.K., I wish I were in a lush oasis with plenty of food and drink,” said the thirsty cattleman.

***POOF***

The buckaroo finds himself in the most beautiful oasis he has ever seen, and he’s surrounded with jugs of wine and platters of delicacies.

—“O.K., cowpoke, what’s your second wish,” said the Fema genie.

—“My second wish is that I was rich beyond my wildest dreams.”

***POOF***

The wrangler finds himself surrounded by treasure chests filled with rare gold coins and precious gems.

—“O.K. cowpuncher, you have just one more wish. Better make it a good one!”

After thinking for a few minutes, the cowboy says, “I wish that no matter where I go, beautiful women will want and need me.”

***POOF***

He was turned into a tampon.

The moral of the story:  If the government offers to help you, there’s going to be a string attached.  Good Day!

Source:  Bits & Pieces

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Tags: Humor, Cowboy, FEMA, Genie, Texas

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The Merger Between XM and Sirius is Now a Fact

Sirius and XM Radio announced today that they closed their long-awaited merger.

After a long wait of 17 months, the merger between the only two giants of satellite radio–Sirius and XM Radio–is finally over.   The combined company, with more than 18.5 million subscribers, is now called Sirius XM Radio. It is set to rank as the second-largest U.S. radio company, based on annual revenues.

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.’s $3.3 billion buyout of rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. will mean millions of subscribers will be able to receive programming from both services, while executives say it will create huge cost savings for the industry.

Sirius XM Radio will offer more than 300 programming channels spanning exclusive shows, such as those of Howard Stern and Oprah Winfrey, and à la carte programming.  Subscribers will be able to select certain programs from each of the two former companies under one package.

The new programs are expected to begin rolling out in early fall.  And as the companies previously stated, subscribers can continue to maintain their current service plan.  Subscribers will not have to buy new radios to receive a mix of programming from both services, according to the companies.  But if they want to pursue a special pay-per-channel à la carte option, they will need new sets.

The companies voluntarily agreed to a set of conditions, including a three-year price cap and an 8 percent set-aside of “full-time audio channels” for public interest and minority programming. They will also adopt an “open radio” standard that may lead to a greater variety of features in radios and greater competition among manufacturers.

XM investors will receive 4.6 shares of Sirius, and the ticker symbol will now trade under “SIRI.” Sirius XM Radio will be headquartered in New York, and its wholly owned subsidiary XM Satellite Radio will remain in Washington, D.C.

I used to work in Panama at a call center that provided customer service to XM Radio clients.  I’m happy that both companies are finally joining efforts to provide satellite radio service to the U.S. market.  The possibilities of upgrading the quality of sound and programming are enormous.  I only regret that satellite radio is not available in Panama.  Good Day!

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Joke: Some Things You Just Can’t Explain

Milking a cow is sometimes difficult to explain.

A farmer was in a bar drinking and looking very depressed. His friend asked him why he was looking so depressed and he sadly replied, “Some things you just can’t explain. This morning I was outside milking my cow. As soon as the bucket was filled, the cow kicked it down with her left foot, so I tied up her left to a pole.”

—“I began to fill up the bucket again, she kicked it down with her right foot, so I tied her right foot to a pole too.”

—“As soon as I finished milkin’ her again, she knocked down the bucket with her tail, so I took off my belt and tied up his tail with my belt.”

—”As I was tying up her tail, my pants dropped down, then my wife came out and well, trust me, some things you just can’t explain!”

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Auf wiedersehen!

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A New Search Engine Wants Google’s Place

Cuil claims to be the biggest search engine available today.

Today the Internet is very much alive and buzzing with news that there’s a new kid on the block.  It’s all about a new search engine called Cuil launched today.  Developed and run by the husband-and-wife team of Stanford professor Tom Costello and former Google search architect Anna Patterson, Cuil is pitched as being bigger, faster, and better than Google’s flagship search engine in pretty much every way.

Anna Patterson’s last Internet search engine was so impressive that industry leader Google Inc. bought the technology in 2004 to upgrade its own system.  She believes her latest invention is even more valuable—only this time it’s not for sale.  Patterson instead intends to upstage Google, which she quit in 2006 to develop a more comprehensive and efficient way to scour the Internet.

Patterson joined Google in 2004 after she built and sold Recall, a search index that probed old Web sites for the Internet Archive.  Patterson enjoyed her time at Google, but became disenchanted with the company’s approach to search. “Google has looked pretty much the same for 10 years now,” she said, “and I can guarantee it will look the same a year from now.”

Cuil is pronounced “cool.” Backed by $33 million in venture capital, the search engine started processing requests for the first time early this morning.  Tom Costello’s—Anna Patterson’s husband—Irish heritage inspired Cuil’s odd name. It was derived from a character named Finn McCuill in Celtic folklore.  Cuil is also an old Irish word for knowledge.

Rather than trying to mimic Google’s method of ranking the quantity and quality of links to Web sites, Patterson says Cuil’s technology drills into the actual content of a page. And Cuil’s results are presented in a more magazine-like format instead of just a vertical list of Web links. Cuil’s results are displayed with more photos spread horizontally across the page and include sidebars that can be clicked on to learn more about topics related to the original search request.

Cuil is just the latest in a long line of Google challengers. The list includes swaggering startups like Teoma (whose technology became the backbone of Ask.com), Vivisimo, Snap, Mahalo and, most recently, Powerset, which was acquired by Microsoft Corp. this month.  Even after investing hundreds of millions of dollars on search, both Microsoft and Yahoo Inc. have been losing ground to Google. Through May 2008, Google held a 62 percent share of the U.S. search market followed by Yahoo at 21 percent and Microsoft at 8.5 percent, according to comScore Inc.

Google welcomed Cuil to the fray with its usual mantra about its rivals. “Having great competitors is a huge benefit to us and everyone in the search space,” Watson said.  “It makes us all work harder, and at the end of the day our users benefit from that.”

As a business proposition, Cuil is obviously a big challenge. While search is a monetizable business, it’s hard to change the behavior of a generation of Web users who think “Google” is a verb. No other search engine has come close to entering the public consciousness like this. Of course, Cuil doesn’t have to trounce Google on day one. It took Google quite some time to surpass Alta Vista and Yahoo in the search wars.

“The taste is in the pudding”. People will love or hate Cuil  by the way it handles their information thirst.  Only time will tell if Cuil will be a killer application or just a flash in the pan.  Adieu!

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Joke: The Amazing Blind Man

Universal icon of a blind person.

A blind man walks into a restaurant and sits down. The waiter, who is also the owner, walks up to the blind man and hands him a menu.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I’m blind and can’t read the menu. Please, just bring me a dirty fork from a previous customer. I’ll smell it and order from there.”

A little confused, the owner walks over to the dirty dish pile and picks up a greasy fork. He returns to the blind man’s table and hands it to him. The blind man puts the fork to his nose and takes in a deep breath.

“Ah, yes, that’s what I’ll have—meatloaf and mashed potatoes.”

Unbelievable, the owner thinks as he walks towards the kitchen. The cook happens to be the owner’s wife. He tells her what had just happened.

The blind man eats his meal and leaves.

Several days later, the blind man returns and the owner mistakenly brings him a menu again.

—“Sir, remember me? I’m the same blind man who came here a few days ago.”

—“I’m sorry sir, I didn’t recognize you. I’ll go get you a dirty fork.”

The owner retrieves a dirty fork and brings it to the blind man.

After another deep breath, the blind man says, “That smells great. I’ll take the macaroni and cheese with broccoli.”

Walking away in disbelief, the owner thinks the blind man is screwing around with him and tells his wife that the next time the blind man comes in he’s going to test him.

The blind man eats and leaves.

He returns the following week, but this time the owner sees him coming and runs to the kitchen.

He tells his wife, “Mary, rub this fork on your panties before I take it to the blind man.”

Mary reluctantly complies and hands her husband the fork. As the blind man walks in and sits down, the owner is ready and waiting.

“Good afternoon, sir, this time I remembered you and I already have the fork ready for you.”

The blind man puts the fork to his nose, takes a deep whiff, and says, “Hey I didn’t know that Mary worked here.”

Yep, this guy has an unbelievable nose. Bye-bye!

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Electric Cars Are Making a Noisy Comeback

Photograph of the 100 percent electric 2008 Tesla Roadster vehicle.

The one good thing which seems to be coming out of the astronomic prices of gasoline and diesel, is the introduction of electric and solar cars. Companies like Tesla, Aptera, and Toyota are dead serious in making excellent electric cars which will give gasoline cars a good run for their money. If you have been following my recent postings here, you know what I’m talking about.

Tesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley automobile startup company focused on the production of high performance, consumer-oriented battery electric vehicles. The first Tesla store opened in Los Angeles, CA on April 2008. Before I forget, let me add that two of Tesla backers are Sergey Brin and Larry Page cofounders of Google Inc.

Despite Tesla Motors’ well deserved reputation as a high-end car manufacturer, it’s still very much a startup—the company’s $150 million in funding pales in comparison to coffers held by large automobile companies like Ferrari. As a result, Tesla has strived to create a atmosphere of style and sophistication at its showrooms without breaking the bank.

Tesla Motors’ first production vehicle, the Tesla Roadster, is an all-electric sports car. The company and reviewers state that the Tesla Roadster accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. It has a top speed of 125 mph (limited for safety) and can go 220 miles on a 3.5 hour charge. If you have a heavy wallet, you can add sweet extras like a painted carbon fiber top for $3,200 or a premium leather interior for $1,800. The cost of powering the vehicle is estimated at $0.02 per mile.

Prototypes were introduced to the public in July 2006 and featured on the cover of Time Magazine in December 2006 as the recipient of the magazine’s “Best Inventions 2006—Transportation Invention” award.

Demand has been high for the first “Signature One Hundred” set of fully equipped Roadsters, which sold out in less than three weeks, and the second hundred sold out by October, 2007. As of May 2 2008, more than 600 Tesla Roadsters have been reserved and 400 more are on the waiting list. The first production model was delivered to Elon Musk, Chairman of the Board, on February 2008 and were in general production by March 17, 2008.

A solar car is on the design table. Tesla plans to offer home roof mounted solar-photovoltaic systems that will offset power used by the home charger, allowing 50 miles (80 km) of travel per day without burdening the power grid.

Tesla is also currently working on a sedan, known as the Model S, which will be introduced as a 2010 model. It’s being designed as an alternative to cars such as the BMW Series and the Audi A6, with an estimated price of $60,000.

Future plans include a more affordable third model. The development and production of this future model, code-named “BlueStar”, will be funded by profits from the Model S sedan. According to Tesla, if everything goes according to plans, the BlueStar will be released in 2012 with a price tag of around $30,000.

Purchasing a Tesla Roadster is an involved and lengthy process. To reserve a car, first you’ll need to make a $5,000 deposit, which is mostly just to show you’re serious. To actually get a place on the 1,100 person long waiting list, you’ll need to cough up another $55,000—making a grand total of $60,000.

Of the 1,100 people on the waiting list, 600 are for the 2008 model, which has a base cost of $98,000. The remainder of the list is for the 2009 model, which has been upped to a $109,000 base value, mostly to account for the weakened dollar.

Tesla is currently telling customers that the waiting list is one year long, but production is only just ramping up so that time frame may change. By the end of July there will be around 12 cars on the road, most of which are owned by company board members and investors.

For the time being, cars are being assembled at a rate of about 4 a week, with expectations that the company will be able to finish 40 a week early next year.

Paying more than 100 “grands” for a car is a lot of money for mainstream customers; which means that for the time being, the Tesla Roadster will be a niche vehicle for opulent customers. However, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel with the introduction of the “BlueStar” which is expected be released in 2012 at around $30,000. If you’re interested in this baby, start fattening the piggy bank on your bed table.

For more information on the 2008 electric Tesla Roadster, kindly click here. The photo gallery will knock your socks off. Good Day!

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Soaring Gasoline Prices Makes Batman Switch Bikes

Batman switches bikes due to soaring energy prices.

I really enjoyed this witty picture which I found by accident while surfing the web.  Even though it’s hilarious, it does show the pinch many people are experiencing all over the world due to unprecedented gasoline prices.

At home we only use our car for essential tasks, like going to the supermarket or driving during heavy rainy days.  Bus and taxi service are very bad in Panama and sometimes you really need to use a car to do your things.  Other than those special cases, we prefer to take a bus which costs 25 cents a ride within the city.  There’s no way we can make ends meet paying $4.36 for a gallon of gasoline.

Yep, I understand your frustration Batman.  I wonder if you can capture your adversaries with your new fuel-efficient bike.  Good luck!

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Tags: Batman, Humor, Gasoline Prices, Transportation, Budgets

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