It’s a Gas Gas Gas July 13, 2005 – Posted in: Aberrant Normalcy

Some of the most annoying commercials on television are car commercials. What I often see are SUVs traipsing through green wildernesses that true drivers will seldom see, or more often, a bleak, apocalyptic landscape of charchoal and gray, as if the auto manufacturers are readily promoting the destruction of the environment. Well, not so, says Ford Motor Company, who to much acclaim has recently released (shown at left) its Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV. And while the Mariner boasts 33 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway, it’s still not much compared to the Honda Insight which boasts 66 mpg with a manual transmission. Still, it’s a start. I particularly like this quote from the Sierra Club’s article: “The technology exists today to make all vehicles average 40 miles per gallon within ten years. Taking this step would save more oil than the United States currently imports from the entire Persian Gulf or could ever take out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, combined.” My belief: fuel economy before drilling. Imagine New York City, free from the ubiquitous pollution and soot that seems to cover all. That is possible, but only if consumers make wise choices.

Only three hours before the Return To Flight Space Shuttle Launch. What interested me most of all was the woman commander, Eileen Collins. It’s a wonderful thing to know that a woman is representing the US and the world on a mission that exemplifies what I believe true Americanism is: intelligence, spirit, adventure., & an inability to accept limitations. I haven’t done this in many years, but I’m going to be following this launch live from NASA’s webcast. As the Cape Canaveral folks like to say, “Good luck, and Godspeed!”