the end of oil dependence
September 23, 2009
This is very cool. It is an —
Electronic vehicle [EV] conceptualized by Better Place and built by Renault. The effort that went into setting this up is huge, the cars require a city-wide recharge infrastructure as well as a computer component on board the vehicle. [Also they did the first smart thing I have seen anyone do in an electronic vehicle, hello, change out batteries so no sitting by the side of the road waiting on the battery to tank up, cell phone companies figured out you could do this why didn't electronic car manufacturers?] But, Better Place has pulled this off, working with the Renault-Nissan Alliance as well as it appears Microsoft and unveiled the cars at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and is set to launch wide spread use of the vehicles [estimated 100,000 vehicles initially] in Israel and Denmark by 2016.
:::press release:::
:::wired on renault ev:::
*btw, i am not a complete idealist, there are still probs, like, um, convincing american automobile manufacturers and city infrastructures to work putting this together, like overruling the oil companies, long kings of finance, they are dinosaurs and must step aside and brand into new energy ventures, like the fact this isn’t going to power any planes trains or trucks yet — i get all that but it is still a damn good start so don’t rain on my parade
hello?
September 21, 2009
So —
Is anybody reading any of this or is this all just a collosal waste of my time?
:::sigh:::
this must stop
September 20, 2009
not here, not ever
September 3, 2009
Watching it, I thought, holy shit, I have never seen anything in my life like that. Well, not since I was driving through a burning rain forest, that got kind of out of hand and being in an open top jeep did not help but — no. Not here. Not ever. Then I asked my second father, Have you seen anything like this? He grew up here too, moreso than I did since we moved all the time when I was a kid. And also he is older than I am so you know, has seen more. And he said no. Not here. Not ever. And now newspapers say it. Which are probably run by people who were not even born here and did not grow up here. But they have charts and graphs. And they say, No. Not here. Not ever. Not like this.
:::more photos:::
:::la times fire map:::
:::mt. wilson observatory webcam:::
*as of 9 pm sept 2 shambala preserve is holding
*mt. wilson observatory webcam is down
*at this posting 150,000 acres burned
*my thanks to the firemen and firewomen holding the line, you are the reason the entire los angeles basin is not in flames
where those photos come from :
those are from los angeles times
fire
September 1, 2009
If you have missed it [I am not sure how you could these fires can be seen from space and Colorado is choking on our smoke] California is burning. But talking about it doesn’t really tell you what we are seeing here I am just going to post the photos they do.
[Also I am in Hollywood so not in harm's way --- unless the fire marches through Glendale and Burbank. It is trying. North Glendale is singed but holding.]
*at the time of this posting the fire has burned 121,000 acres and two firefighters have lost their lives — my thoughts are with the families and friends of the lost firemen and with their fellow firemen still on the line
*wildlife waystation 14831 lil tujunga canyon road sylmar needs help evacuating animals especially flatbed trucks call 818.899.5021*update, 8 pm sept 1, word is wildlife waystation has enough trucks but still needs crates
:::la times fire map:::
:::mt. wilson observatory webcam:::*update, sept 2, the observatory webcam is down, fires burned out its internet connections, the observatory is still standing
max’s green & thrifty household hints
May 11, 2009
1. Save those dabs of toothepaste —
From the bathroom sink. Roll them into little mint balls. This saves water and hello all good hostesses offer their guests nice mints after dinner.
2. After meals, put plates on the floor. Put them back in the cupboard after the dog licks them clean. This saves water AND energy and hello no troublesome dishwasher loading and unloading. Yay!
3. Blot your lipstick on your wine glasses. You know you were going to get lipstick all over those glasses anyway and this saves tissue — hello people saved tissue equals saved trees!
4. Why water a lawn when you can spray paint it? With a few covert cans of Krylon your lawn will be green all year long — no pesky mowing or watering required. Yay!
5. Why expend artistic energy carrying trash to a dumpster when that 9 to 5 drone next door has nothing better to do? Just leave trash bags in front of your neighbor’s door. Only one person carrying trash spells less carbon dioxide yay!
wolf howl
April 21, 2009
The wolves of the —
Northern Rockies have been knocked off the endangered species list. NRDC is going to court over this and needs back up. Please ::: JOIN WRITE & PROTEST ::: before May 3rd to stop the wolf slaughter.
woof!
December 5, 2008
Big earthquake. Quick. But that one made the building jump. Woof!
why we are falling into the sea
July 31, 2008
My favorite theory —
For why California is going to fall into the ocean is the National Geographic Theory. It goes like this :
Everyone in California gets National Geographic. No one throws away National Geographic. Garages are filling with National Geographic up and down the fault line and one day, poof, they will be just too heavy and into the ocean we will go.
I so love that.
