As if the shrinking amount of parking on the UA campus isn't enough to think about, the City of Tucson is talking change in the realm of parking meters.
Not in getting rid of them and creating more free public parking, but rather replacing the parking meters we have now with newer meters that take credit cards and cash, control 10 meters at a time and call the parking authority when it's time to give you a ticket.
There's going to be a pilot program this fall for three months to see if the new meters work in Tucson. There will be a few on University Avenue, but the majority will be downtown.
Apparently other cities have tried them. In New York, the worked well. But in other places, people found them too confusing and hard to use. I can only guess how they'll be received in Tucson...
22.5.08
Way of the future
If you've looked at the New York Times lately, you might have seen an article by Paul Krugman about the future.
"Stranded in Suburbia" basically said the rest of the Western world needs to pay attention to Berlin, Germany, to figure out how to progress.
Although there are a lot of problems in Berlin, Krugman's got a point. Basically, more public transportation + densely populated areas close to public transportation, shopping and jobs = efficient and better than what we have now.
As I've always said, we really need (better) public transportation in Arizona.
I encourage you to read the article.
21.5.08
Community bike ride
I went out on a limb and tried something new last night.
I went on the Tucson community bike ride with a group of friends...and about 150 other people. Some of my friends were intimidated by the crowd when we got to the meeting place, the turn-around out front of UA's Old Main.
I was not at all intimidated by the eclectic-hippy-grunge crowd before us. I just wanted to ride, damnit.
The ride is supposed to start at 8 p.m., and we finally started to snake down University Ave. around 8:30. The ride, which I guess takes a new route every Tuesday, snaked through Southwestern Tucson and took us through back alleys and creepy neighborhoods with lots of dogs barking at us.
Had I been alone or with a small group of people, I would have been scared shitless. But it wasn't so bad with all those other people.
When we started out, it was also friggin' hot outside. But the breeze crept up, the night cooled the air a bit, and the ride was pretty nice by the end--before it started to get just plain windy.
Cons: the going was too slow and there was a lot of bottle-necking
Pros: opportunity to see parts of Tucson you never imagined seeing and getting to go on a leisurely ride with friends
It was an overall good experience. I'd recommend you try it at least once.
I went on the Tucson community bike ride with a group of friends...and about 150 other people. Some of my friends were intimidated by the crowd when we got to the meeting place, the turn-around out front of UA's Old Main.
I was not at all intimidated by the eclectic-hippy-grunge crowd before us. I just wanted to ride, damnit.
The ride is supposed to start at 8 p.m., and we finally started to snake down University Ave. around 8:30. The ride, which I guess takes a new route every Tuesday, snaked through Southwestern Tucson and took us through back alleys and creepy neighborhoods with lots of dogs barking at us.
Had I been alone or with a small group of people, I would have been scared shitless. But it wasn't so bad with all those other people.
When we started out, it was also friggin' hot outside. But the breeze crept up, the night cooled the air a bit, and the ride was pretty nice by the end--before it started to get just plain windy.
Cons: the going was too slow and there was a lot of bottle-necking
Pros: opportunity to see parts of Tucson you never imagined seeing and getting to go on a leisurely ride with friends
It was an overall good experience. I'd recommend you try it at least once.
20.5.08
Economy down, salaries up?
Seeing as I (and a whole bunch of other people I know) just graduated from college, it's always interesting to know what we'd be making in the real world, should we choose to go out into the real world rather than going straight to graduate school, as I am doing.
My Mom sent me yet another MSN article (I think we're at two-three a day, mostly about finances...I take it as a hint). I found this one super interesting.
Apparently, if I were to go out into the world with my liberal arts degree and try to make a living, my starting salary would be around $33,258.
If I decided to use my journalism degree, my salary would be a little less, at $32,250.
If had decided at the beginning of my college career that I hated words and wanted to work in the medium of computers, my salary would be somewhere near $56,921.
The moral of the story? If you like words, you're destined to stay right around the Arizona poverty line in your post-graduation years. Yay, right? Eh, nothing new.
The main point of the article, however, was that salaries for new college grads are higher this year than last year. That's a good thing.
It's just pretty weird because the economy is tanking like crazy. Wild.
My Mom sent me yet another MSN article (I think we're at two-three a day, mostly about finances...I take it as a hint). I found this one super interesting.
Apparently, if I were to go out into the world with my liberal arts degree and try to make a living, my starting salary would be around $33,258.
If I decided to use my journalism degree, my salary would be a little less, at $32,250.
If had decided at the beginning of my college career that I hated words and wanted to work in the medium of computers, my salary would be somewhere near $56,921.
The moral of the story? If you like words, you're destined to stay right around the Arizona poverty line in your post-graduation years. Yay, right? Eh, nothing new.
The main point of the article, however, was that salaries for new college grads are higher this year than last year. That's a good thing.
It's just pretty weird because the economy is tanking like crazy. Wild.
19.5.08
Pricey, but quality
On a vein similar to yesterday's post, I want to talk fashion and combine it with cost (hehe).
I've discovered a couple of lines that are really quite fantastic, as are the prices. But as I've said again and again since the dawn of time, if you buy a few pricey items, it beats buying a shit-ton of cheap, trendy ones you have to keep replacing.
Here are a few things to remember when you're shopping in the most fantastic realms of fashion--which you really should be doing (it just means you have to *gasp* save your money first!).
1. Don't buy obviously trendy clothing.
2. Classic pieces will last you forever.
3. Think functionality: will I wear this once, or can I adapt it over and over? Can I wear it for work and play?
4. Is it dry clean only? And if yes, do I want to go to the dry cleaners often?
5. Read up on the types of pieces that will flatter your figure, and get a second opinion in the store. At some stores, the person helping you will give an honest opinion if you just ask.
6. Purchase versatile pieces to be the building blocks of numerous outfits.
7. Think undergarments. If you love this dress that you can't wear a bra with and you NEED to wear a bra, chances are you'll never be able to pull it off.
8. And going with 7, if it doesn't fit now, don't buy it under the presumption you'll fit into it later.
And now, a few places to start trying these tips at.
Ralph Lauren
Anthropologie
Ann Taylor Loft
Searle
Mango
DKNY
If you can think of any other high-quality stores, let me know. I'm always open to new experiences.
I've discovered a couple of lines that are really quite fantastic, as are the prices. But as I've said again and again since the dawn of time, if you buy a few pricey items, it beats buying a shit-ton of cheap, trendy ones you have to keep replacing.
Here are a few things to remember when you're shopping in the most fantastic realms of fashion--which you really should be doing (it just means you have to *gasp* save your money first!).
1. Don't buy obviously trendy clothing.
2. Classic pieces will last you forever.
3. Think functionality: will I wear this once, or can I adapt it over and over? Can I wear it for work and play?
4. Is it dry clean only? And if yes, do I want to go to the dry cleaners often?
5. Read up on the types of pieces that will flatter your figure, and get a second opinion in the store. At some stores, the person helping you will give an honest opinion if you just ask.
6. Purchase versatile pieces to be the building blocks of numerous outfits.
7. Think undergarments. If you love this dress that you can't wear a bra with and you NEED to wear a bra, chances are you'll never be able to pull it off.
8. And going with 7, if it doesn't fit now, don't buy it under the presumption you'll fit into it later.
And now, a few places to start trying these tips at.
Ralph Lauren
Anthropologie
Ann Taylor Loft
Searle
Mango
DKNY
If you can think of any other high-quality stores, let me know. I'm always open to new experiences.
18.5.08
Long time no clothes
I've noticed lately, especially with the influx of financial information I've been publishing so far, that this blog has really strayed from its original function. Way back in the day (like six months ago), this was a fashion blog. Can you believe it?
So, I thought I'd take a trip back in time and deal with a bit o' fashion. So here goes.
Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is dresses. Not because I'm shallow and I think about clothes all the time, but because it's graduation season, getting into wedding season.
I've been to six graduation events in the last week that I had to dress variously for, and although I'm not invited to any weddings, it's good to think about how I would clothe myself to attend one.
This Anthropologie style would work best on someone with a smaller frame, especially with a smaller bust. Wear with heels--even if you're tall, go with a short heel.
This Ann Taylor Loft dress is a bit longer than the others, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's elegant and grown-up. Would work well on most frames, even the bustier ones (as long as it fits well!) 
and can go with heels or flats.
This Ralph Lauren dress would work best with heels, and can go with a medium frame or a smaller one.
This Searle dress is a good night-time look and, in the right size, would fit most shapes well. Wear with heels--either a tall one (if you're short) or a short heel (if you're tall).
This Searle dress would definitely work best on a smaller physique, and in white, definitely on someone with darker coloring. Wear with shorter heels or flats.
Be careful with yellow, blondes. For everyone else, this Searle dress will be great on you unless you're really small on top. Wear with medium heels or flats.
And, last but not least, this Searle dress will go best with lighter complexion, smaller figures and flats or short heels. Darker complected people will also look OK in this dress. Bigger busts and overall figures will not look OK in it. And if you try pairing this with really high heels, you will look like a hooker.
So, I thought I'd take a trip back in time and deal with a bit o' fashion. So here goes.
Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is dresses. Not because I'm shallow and I think about clothes all the time, but because it's graduation season, getting into wedding season.
I've been to six graduation events in the last week that I had to dress variously for, and although I'm not invited to any weddings, it's good to think about how I would clothe myself to attend one.
This Anthropologie style would work best on someone with a smaller frame, especially with a smaller bust. Wear with heels--even if you're tall, go with a short heel.
This Ann Taylor Loft dress is a bit longer than the others, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's elegant and grown-up. Would work well on most frames, even the bustier ones (as long as it fits well!) 
and can go with heels or flats.This Ralph Lauren dress would work best with heels, and can go with a medium frame or a smaller one.
This Searle dress is a good night-time look and, in the right size, would fit most shapes well. Wear with heels--either a tall one (if you're short) or a short heel (if you're tall).
This Searle dress would definitely work best on a smaller physique, and in white, definitely on someone with darker coloring. Wear with shorter heels or flats.
Be careful with yellow, blondes. For everyone else, this Searle dress will be great on you unless you're really small on top. Wear with medium heels or flats.
And, last but not least, this Searle dress will go best with lighter complexion, smaller figures and flats or short heels. Darker complected people will also look OK in this dress. Bigger busts and overall figures will not look OK in it. And if you try pairing this with really high heels, you will look like a hooker.
14.5.08
Iceless Ice Bears
It's a good day for the polar bears, but it's been a bad year .
The New York Times reported today that the U.S. Interior Department declared polar bears an endangered species because of melting sea ice.
The more the ice melts, the more the bears' habitat and hunting ground disappears. You may have heard about the bears drowning or starving to death because of melting sea ice. It's really quite sad.
SO, it's great that our government is finally acknowledging a problem and adding the bears to the endangered list. I'm wondering what steps they're going to take to actually put a stop on global warming, though.
My guess is nothing will happen until the Bush administration is gone, provided another Republican administration doesn't take its place.
The New York Times reported today that the U.S. Interior Department declared polar bears an endangered species because of melting sea ice.
The more the ice melts, the more the bears' habitat and hunting ground disappears. You may have heard about the bears drowning or starving to death because of melting sea ice. It's really quite sad.
SO, it's great that our government is finally acknowledging a problem and adding the bears to the endangered list. I'm wondering what steps they're going to take to actually put a stop on global warming, though.
My guess is nothing will happen until the Bush administration is gone, provided another Republican administration doesn't take its place.
This is a car state
Growing up in little Willcox, Ariz., the idea of not having a car seemed beyond absurd to me.
Not to mention to the fact that Willcox could fit onto the UA campus. Or that you wouldn't have to worry about getting obliterated in traffic there as a pedestrian.
Everyone in Willcox had a car except for poor people, and it definitely wasn't cool to be poor. No, you need to have a car. And so does your spouse, each of your children, and you need to have a backup and a truck for hauling. For example, there is a family of three in my neighborhood with six cars lining their lawn, driveway and sidewalk. And these cars aren't the old, rusty ones you see heaped up to rot in the fields outside of city limits--all of these cars still function.
So it was completely natural that I got a car when I was 15. My parents didn't want me walking anywhere, after all. They were convinced it wasn't safe to do so, especially in the morning or evening. When I was 16, I got a new car (because the old one was on its way out, really). And when I was 17, my dad traded in his old car to get me a new, safe one for college. Today my parents have two trucks (one of which they're trying to sell), an Explorer, a motorcycle and the car I drive. That's five vehicles we've accumulated for a three-person family in which only two people know how to drive.
Thus I have always been perplexed when someone's parents refuse to buy them a car, or someone doesn't have a car waiting at home for them--even if they don't drive it regularly. The way I was raised, a car is a necessity for everyone. And I'm definitely not the only person who was raised that way.
I just read an article about the possibility of living with *gasp* just one car per family. One of the lede paragraphs stated, "According to a 2004 Department of Energy report, the average household with two drivers owns 2.1 vehicles. Those with one driver have 1.2 vehicles." And therefore, there are more cars than people in this country. That's actually kind of mindboggling.
In light of the rising cost of fuel and impending effects of global warming, the article discusses how the concept of the single-car family is on the rise, as is public transportation use. At the same time, the number of SUVs on the road is also increasing.
Since I've gotten out of Willcox and educated myself a bit, I think it's smart to stick with the single-car solution. After all, if more people rode public transportation in Tucson (like they do in big cities and all over Europe), it wouldn't seem so scary.
Not to mention to the fact that Willcox could fit onto the UA campus. Or that you wouldn't have to worry about getting obliterated in traffic there as a pedestrian.
Everyone in Willcox had a car except for poor people, and it definitely wasn't cool to be poor. No, you need to have a car. And so does your spouse, each of your children, and you need to have a backup and a truck for hauling. For example, there is a family of three in my neighborhood with six cars lining their lawn, driveway and sidewalk. And these cars aren't the old, rusty ones you see heaped up to rot in the fields outside of city limits--all of these cars still function.
So it was completely natural that I got a car when I was 15. My parents didn't want me walking anywhere, after all. They were convinced it wasn't safe to do so, especially in the morning or evening. When I was 16, I got a new car (because the old one was on its way out, really). And when I was 17, my dad traded in his old car to get me a new, safe one for college. Today my parents have two trucks (one of which they're trying to sell), an Explorer, a motorcycle and the car I drive. That's five vehicles we've accumulated for a three-person family in which only two people know how to drive.
Thus I have always been perplexed when someone's parents refuse to buy them a car, or someone doesn't have a car waiting at home for them--even if they don't drive it regularly. The way I was raised, a car is a necessity for everyone. And I'm definitely not the only person who was raised that way.
I just read an article about the possibility of living with *gasp* just one car per family. One of the lede paragraphs stated, "According to a 2004 Department of Energy report, the average household with two drivers owns 2.1 vehicles. Those with one driver have 1.2 vehicles." And therefore, there are more cars than people in this country. That's actually kind of mindboggling.
In light of the rising cost of fuel and impending effects of global warming, the article discusses how the concept of the single-car family is on the rise, as is public transportation use. At the same time, the number of SUVs on the road is also increasing.
Since I've gotten out of Willcox and educated myself a bit, I think it's smart to stick with the single-car solution. After all, if more people rode public transportation in Tucson (like they do in big cities and all over Europe), it wouldn't seem so scary.
13.5.08
More Scary News
Did you know lip gloss could contribute to cancerous lips?
Yes, that's as gross as it sounds.
Apparently some dermatologists think lip gloss makes your lips more prone to UV ray penetration and deadly cancers.
Another something to worry about, right ladies?
The suggested solution: wearing lip products with SPF in them, just like sunscreen.
It sounds plausible. I'm just wondering if the dermatologists who say lip gloss is bad for you aren't the ones whose names grace those SPF lip products. Has the notorious Patricia Wexler got one in her line?
Yes, that's as gross as it sounds.
Apparently some dermatologists think lip gloss makes your lips more prone to UV ray penetration and deadly cancers.
Another something to worry about, right ladies?
The suggested solution: wearing lip products with SPF in them, just like sunscreen.
It sounds plausible. I'm just wondering if the dermatologists who say lip gloss is bad for you aren't the ones whose names grace those SPF lip products. Has the notorious Patricia Wexler got one in her line?
12.5.08
Living cheaply
It seems my theme lately has been money. Oh well.
So I read this article (yes, yet another article from Mom) that gave tips for living on $7 a day. I scoffed at the title. Bwah, I can barely get by on $40 a week for groceries and gas, and that doesn't include putting away $5 or $10 a week to save for retirement. What's a poor college student to do when the week's allowance slips away like dandelion fluff in a hurricane?
Now, I'm not anti-money saving and frugality. Americans are notoriously the worst of all Western countries at saving, so I definitely support change.
I'm just not sure how plausible it is to save money when you're in college, with stores targeting you as a consumer, yellow being all the rage this season, gas prices rising, summer heat waves approaching and the economy flushing itself down the toilet. But it's worth a try, right?
The $7 a day tips aren't too terrifying. They range from buying food in bulk (Costco, anyone) to comparison shopping. It's all common sense, and it comes down to planning (another tip mentioned, which I have known about all along).
With planning in mind, I thought it apt to list some of my own tips for living cheaply, which I think are much less painful than giving up food for a month so you can afford textbooks.
1. Plan a weekly menu and don't deviate
2. Try to eat meals over the course of the week that share ingredients
3. Plan trips out in the car so you're not driving back and forth and wasting gas--plan a route that is most effective in hitting all the stops in a loop or straight line.
4. If you have a TV at home or the Internet, you don't need to go out every weekend to be entertained. Hell, why not stay home and read? Books don't even need to cost money--ever heard of a library?
5. Coffee is not a necessity for life. Cut it out of your daily budget (you know how you are, Starbucks regulars) and you will have more money and a smaller waistline. The same goes for fast food.
6. Try public transportation. While I haven't grown enough balls to do this in Tucson yet, I'm working towards it. The bus is way cheaper than spending $40 a week on gas--especially if you get the U-Pass and university discount.
7. AC at night, blinds closed during the day.
8. Don't turn on all the lights in the house. Use only those you need, which is usually one at a time.
These are just suggestions. They work. You can try them if you like (and you should).
Also, the person from the $7 a day article reads the Simple Dollar financial blog, which is worth a look-see.
So I read this article (yes, yet another article from Mom) that gave tips for living on $7 a day. I scoffed at the title. Bwah, I can barely get by on $40 a week for groceries and gas, and that doesn't include putting away $5 or $10 a week to save for retirement. What's a poor college student to do when the week's allowance slips away like dandelion fluff in a hurricane?
Now, I'm not anti-money saving and frugality. Americans are notoriously the worst of all Western countries at saving, so I definitely support change.
I'm just not sure how plausible it is to save money when you're in college, with stores targeting you as a consumer, yellow being all the rage this season, gas prices rising, summer heat waves approaching and the economy flushing itself down the toilet. But it's worth a try, right?
The $7 a day tips aren't too terrifying. They range from buying food in bulk (Costco, anyone) to comparison shopping. It's all common sense, and it comes down to planning (another tip mentioned, which I have known about all along).
With planning in mind, I thought it apt to list some of my own tips for living cheaply, which I think are much less painful than giving up food for a month so you can afford textbooks.
1. Plan a weekly menu and don't deviate
2. Try to eat meals over the course of the week that share ingredients
3. Plan trips out in the car so you're not driving back and forth and wasting gas--plan a route that is most effective in hitting all the stops in a loop or straight line.
4. If you have a TV at home or the Internet, you don't need to go out every weekend to be entertained. Hell, why not stay home and read? Books don't even need to cost money--ever heard of a library?
5. Coffee is not a necessity for life. Cut it out of your daily budget (you know how you are, Starbucks regulars) and you will have more money and a smaller waistline. The same goes for fast food.
6. Try public transportation. While I haven't grown enough balls to do this in Tucson yet, I'm working towards it. The bus is way cheaper than spending $40 a week on gas--especially if you get the U-Pass and university discount.
7. AC at night, blinds closed during the day.
8. Don't turn on all the lights in the house. Use only those you need, which is usually one at a time.
These are just suggestions. They work. You can try them if you like (and you should).
Also, the person from the $7 a day article reads the Simple Dollar financial blog, which is worth a look-see.
11.5.08
Pet bills...ugh
Everyone should know at this point that pet ownership is expensive. If you didn't know, now you do: owning a pet is expensive.
While I've been lucky to have a mixed-breed dog free of the infirmity that often comes from inbreeding (i.e. purebreds), I have had to shell out some dough for my doggie.
The biggest thing about owning a pet is saving up for vet bills. There is great technology to help pets so we don't have to put them down when they get hurt. But that technology costs.
For example, when my dog had a prolonged cough and regular vomiting, I took her in and had to pay $50 for the visit plus $90-something for a blood test to see if she had valley fever. Then we got antibiotics for $30-something. Right there, you've got almost $200 in vet bills, plus the gas it took to get to the vet and the mental distress your dog would sue you for afterwards if she could.
I read an article today about the costs of pet ownership. As with most articles I've read lately, the information was common sense.
I did learn a few interesting things that could save you an expensive pet-related bill in the future:
-The following foods are poisonous to dogs: grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts and onions. (Whoops.)
-Animals do not need massive toy collections. (Whoops.)
-Taking your dog to a nearby veterinary school is a good way to get cheaper pet care.
So if you're a starving college student like me and you want a cute little puppy or kitty or piggy or ___, think about the money before you give in to that precious face. At this stage in life, you shouldn't be getting a baby animal anyway, because you don't have the time to train it and give it adequate care.
You need to think about the time factor, and you also need to think about how much you have (or will be able to have) saved up for visits to the vet, groomer, store (for food and treats), park (for exercise, hopefully) and any other emergencies that come up along the way. And what about pet insurance? Designed to help you out in case of emergency, it's yet another monthly cost to consider. And guess what. The costs of everything pet-related have been rising.
While I've been lucky to have a mixed-breed dog free of the infirmity that often comes from inbreeding (i.e. purebreds), I have had to shell out some dough for my doggie.
The biggest thing about owning a pet is saving up for vet bills. There is great technology to help pets so we don't have to put them down when they get hurt. But that technology costs.
For example, when my dog had a prolonged cough and regular vomiting, I took her in and had to pay $50 for the visit plus $90-something for a blood test to see if she had valley fever. Then we got antibiotics for $30-something. Right there, you've got almost $200 in vet bills, plus the gas it took to get to the vet and the mental distress your dog would sue you for afterwards if she could.
I read an article today about the costs of pet ownership. As with most articles I've read lately, the information was common sense.
I did learn a few interesting things that could save you an expensive pet-related bill in the future:
-The following foods are poisonous to dogs: grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts and onions. (Whoops.)
-Animals do not need massive toy collections. (Whoops.)
-Taking your dog to a nearby veterinary school is a good way to get cheaper pet care.
So if you're a starving college student like me and you want a cute little puppy or kitty or piggy or ___, think about the money before you give in to that precious face. At this stage in life, you shouldn't be getting a baby animal anyway, because you don't have the time to train it and give it adequate care.
You need to think about the time factor, and you also need to think about how much you have (or will be able to have) saved up for visits to the vet, groomer, store (for food and treats), park (for exercise, hopefully) and any other emergencies that come up along the way. And what about pet insurance? Designed to help you out in case of emergency, it's yet another monthly cost to consider. And guess what. The costs of everything pet-related have been rising.
10.5.08
Hypermile much?
Going through the backlog of articles my Mom's sent me this semester, I discovered one called, "Get 50 mpg--in your own car" that introduced me to an interesting concept.
Have you ever heard of hypermiling? I hadn't until I read this MSN Money article, which was actually published last year.
Apparently, there is a group of people who use outrageous means to drastically improve the gas mileage their cars get. The main hypermiler cited in the article, Wayne Gerdes, got 165 mpg in a car the EPA gave a 60 city/66 highway rating.
While people like Gerdes do some illegal things (like super-tailgating on the Interstate, obscuring the proper flow of engine emissions and speeding around curves and turns), the article gave rudimentary hypermiling tips that are supposedly translatable to everyone else.
The tips are pretty much common sense, though I don't know anyone (except the elderly) who would willingly follow most of them.
1. Brake sparingly. As in, time your travel through red lights so you don't have to stop. I do attempt this at times, but the lights are usually longer than the road before me, and I'm forced to stop. I guess this also includes staying far enough behind people so that you don't have to slam on the brakes when they suddenly stop in front of you.
2. No idling for more than 10 seconds. Apparently, if you're going to sit in the car for more than 10 seconds, you need to turn it off. Now in Arizona, I can't see many people doing this in the summer. I'd rather waste gas than melt for three minutes--heck, I even sit in the car for half an hour before class sometimes and listen to the radio with the engine running. But I guess that exemplifies how disciplined we want to be if saving money on gas is important to us.
3. Don't speed. Yes, we all know this, but who actually does it? I don't even pay attention to the speed limit half the time--I stay somewhere between 35 and 45 at all times in Tucson, and between 70 and 90 on the Interstate. But the faster we go, the faster we burn gas. The hypermilers suggest driving at around 50, 55 mph on the Interstate, and staying close to the far right line so the 90-mile-an-hour people don't destroy you.
4. Warm up. In our busy world, I don't know many people who take the time to allow the engine to properly heat up before driving. I used to do this in high school, but can't bring myself to do it now. I tried over the winter, as a means of trying to warm the car so I didn't freeze to death in the mornings, but I could never allow myself to let the car warm up for more than 30 seconds. The hypermilers say it's important to let the engine warm up, because your gas mileage will be more efficient when the engine is warmest.
5. Loose thy appendages. If you've got things hanging off your car, like flags, spoilers, bells and whistles, they're slowing you down and wasting gas. The hypermilers suggest streamlining your car as much as possible so it glides along with out any gas-wasting resistance.
6. Slim down. Take heavy things out of your car, and it will get better gas mileage. While this makes perfect sense, I just hadn't thought of it before. What a concept.
7. Steady incline. When going uphill, accelerate and then lock your foot so the speed stays consistent. The hypermilers say this will get you the best uphill gas mileage.
8. No tire squealing. According to the hypermilers, easing into a start is more efficient than slamming on the gas so you can race all the other cars to the next light (which is impossible in Tucson, anyway, because the first person at the light usually sits and ponders the meaning of green for 15 minutes before pressing on the gas). This tactic is supposed to go in hand with rule No. 1, because if you haven't stopped yet, you don't need to waste gas by accelerating from zero to 20--you can just keep on driving.
9. Pressure and lube. Make sure your tires are filled to maximum capacity and use synthetic oil. Not sure how I feel about the synthetic oil, but the tires part sounds valid. Which reminds me that one of my tires is a bit low...
So yes, a lot of these rules are common sense. But in combination, they're supposed to raise your gas mileage at least 50 percent and save you a ton of money on gas. Not sure if I'd want to become a professional hypermiler, though...
Have you ever heard of hypermiling? I hadn't until I read this MSN Money article, which was actually published last year.
Apparently, there is a group of people who use outrageous means to drastically improve the gas mileage their cars get. The main hypermiler cited in the article, Wayne Gerdes, got 165 mpg in a car the EPA gave a 60 city/66 highway rating.
While people like Gerdes do some illegal things (like super-tailgating on the Interstate, obscuring the proper flow of engine emissions and speeding around curves and turns), the article gave rudimentary hypermiling tips that are supposedly translatable to everyone else.
The tips are pretty much common sense, though I don't know anyone (except the elderly) who would willingly follow most of them.
1. Brake sparingly. As in, time your travel through red lights so you don't have to stop. I do attempt this at times, but the lights are usually longer than the road before me, and I'm forced to stop. I guess this also includes staying far enough behind people so that you don't have to slam on the brakes when they suddenly stop in front of you.
2. No idling for more than 10 seconds. Apparently, if you're going to sit in the car for more than 10 seconds, you need to turn it off. Now in Arizona, I can't see many people doing this in the summer. I'd rather waste gas than melt for three minutes--heck, I even sit in the car for half an hour before class sometimes and listen to the radio with the engine running. But I guess that exemplifies how disciplined we want to be if saving money on gas is important to us.
3. Don't speed. Yes, we all know this, but who actually does it? I don't even pay attention to the speed limit half the time--I stay somewhere between 35 and 45 at all times in Tucson, and between 70 and 90 on the Interstate. But the faster we go, the faster we burn gas. The hypermilers suggest driving at around 50, 55 mph on the Interstate, and staying close to the far right line so the 90-mile-an-hour people don't destroy you.
4. Warm up. In our busy world, I don't know many people who take the time to allow the engine to properly heat up before driving. I used to do this in high school, but can't bring myself to do it now. I tried over the winter, as a means of trying to warm the car so I didn't freeze to death in the mornings, but I could never allow myself to let the car warm up for more than 30 seconds. The hypermilers say it's important to let the engine warm up, because your gas mileage will be more efficient when the engine is warmest.
5. Loose thy appendages. If you've got things hanging off your car, like flags, spoilers, bells and whistles, they're slowing you down and wasting gas. The hypermilers suggest streamlining your car as much as possible so it glides along with out any gas-wasting resistance.
6. Slim down. Take heavy things out of your car, and it will get better gas mileage. While this makes perfect sense, I just hadn't thought of it before. What a concept.
7. Steady incline. When going uphill, accelerate and then lock your foot so the speed stays consistent. The hypermilers say this will get you the best uphill gas mileage.
8. No tire squealing. According to the hypermilers, easing into a start is more efficient than slamming on the gas so you can race all the other cars to the next light (which is impossible in Tucson, anyway, because the first person at the light usually sits and ponders the meaning of green for 15 minutes before pressing on the gas). This tactic is supposed to go in hand with rule No. 1, because if you haven't stopped yet, you don't need to waste gas by accelerating from zero to 20--you can just keep on driving.
9. Pressure and lube. Make sure your tires are filled to maximum capacity and use synthetic oil. Not sure how I feel about the synthetic oil, but the tires part sounds valid. Which reminds me that one of my tires is a bit low...
So yes, a lot of these rules are common sense. But in combination, they're supposed to raise your gas mileage at least 50 percent and save you a ton of money on gas. Not sure if I'd want to become a professional hypermiler, though...
3.5.08
Our generation sucks at money
It was no surprise to me the other day when I read yet another article about Generation Y being "broke." We spend like crazy. We need the latest gadgets, the trendiest clothing, the newest car. If you're an only child like me, you were probably raised getting whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted it.
According to the article, 52 percent of high school seniors tested passed a financial literacy test. The other 48 percent? Surely looking forward to bankruptcy.
Money isn't the only thing we seem to flail around with, though. What about grammar, punctuation and spelling? The number of books we read in a year? The amount of sleep we get on average? Our ability to perform basic tasks like building a dog house or assembling old school legos? (No, not the prefab legos they sell today--two pieces, stick them together, and you have a house!)
So we must be the doomed generation, right?
Just something to think about.
According to the article, 52 percent of high school seniors tested passed a financial literacy test. The other 48 percent? Surely looking forward to bankruptcy.
Money isn't the only thing we seem to flail around with, though. What about grammar, punctuation and spelling? The number of books we read in a year? The amount of sleep we get on average? Our ability to perform basic tasks like building a dog house or assembling old school legos? (No, not the prefab legos they sell today--two pieces, stick them together, and you have a house!)
So we must be the doomed generation, right?
Just something to think about.
2.5.08
More memorial, less fun
During the summer of 2006 I visited the Auschwitz I site in Oswiecim, Poland--the one where the Final Solution was invented and pioneered. The experience was terribly disturbing for me--not because of the camp itself (although it was quite depressing), but rather with the behavior of the other tourists.
There were people posing, full of smiles and laughter, with the ovens in the crematoria. People were joking around about the wall where firing squads killed inmates. There was laughter and smiling everywhere we went.
Now, I'm all for making light of a bad situation. But the Shoah? Come on.
I'm not saying everyone who visits a death camp must be dreary and depressive for the entirety of the experience. But people should be more contemplative while they are there. The point of keeping these camps intact and showing them in the public is so that people will remember what happened and learn from past mistakes so we never repeat them.
That in mind, my mom sent me an article about a group of young Jews and survivors who marched at Auschwitz II, the massive camp next door to Auschwitz I (the facade of which we always see in the movies), to remember the Shoah and terrible things that happened in camps like Auschwitz I and II.
I'm not saying we need to have marches and memorial processions in these camps every day. The concept of memory needs to be on people's minds as they visit the camps.
I mean, it's totally insulting that anyone would go to the camps and joke around, practically getting inside the ovens to take a picture. It's sickening, and I hope that next time I tour a camp, I never see any such spectacle.
There were people posing, full of smiles and laughter, with the ovens in the crematoria. People were joking around about the wall where firing squads killed inmates. There was laughter and smiling everywhere we went.
Now, I'm all for making light of a bad situation. But the Shoah? Come on.
I'm not saying everyone who visits a death camp must be dreary and depressive for the entirety of the experience. But people should be more contemplative while they are there. The point of keeping these camps intact and showing them in the public is so that people will remember what happened and learn from past mistakes so we never repeat them.
That in mind, my mom sent me an article about a group of young Jews and survivors who marched at Auschwitz II, the massive camp next door to Auschwitz I (the facade of which we always see in the movies), to remember the Shoah and terrible things that happened in camps like Auschwitz I and II.
I'm not saying we need to have marches and memorial processions in these camps every day. The concept of memory needs to be on people's minds as they visit the camps.
I mean, it's totally insulting that anyone would go to the camps and joke around, practically getting inside the ovens to take a picture. It's sickening, and I hope that next time I tour a camp, I never see any such spectacle.
1.5.08
Bad water in America? Impossible!
So my mom has been going on for several days about how terrible bottled water is for you. She sent me links to three articles which seem to support her fears.
While researching my journalism thesis, I read an article in Vogue magazine that mentioned several chemical additives that cause infertility in women. The article was being friendly to advertisers, however, and didn't name ANY products containing those chemicals. One of the chemicals, bisphenol A, is the chemical that has my mom all in a fluster.
Bisphenol A is a standard ingredient in plastic. When plastic gets warm, like when you leave a water bottle in the car, the bisphenol A actually leaches into the water and finds its way into your body. Several studies have shown that many people actually pee this chemical because they are so exposed to plastics containing it.
Nalgene bottles, Aquafina bottles, baby bottles, even some polyester clothing--they all have this crap in them. My mom bought everyone in our family a stainless steel water bottle from Kleen Kanteen. I have found that once this bottle gets cold, it stays cold for a super-long time. So, fantastic. We're getting rid of our Nalgene bottles and stuff. Just to be safe, you may want to do the same.
While researching my journalism thesis, I read an article in Vogue magazine that mentioned several chemical additives that cause infertility in women. The article was being friendly to advertisers, however, and didn't name ANY products containing those chemicals. One of the chemicals, bisphenol A, is the chemical that has my mom all in a fluster.
Bisphenol A is a standard ingredient in plastic. When plastic gets warm, like when you leave a water bottle in the car, the bisphenol A actually leaches into the water and finds its way into your body. Several studies have shown that many people actually pee this chemical because they are so exposed to plastics containing it.
Nalgene bottles, Aquafina bottles, baby bottles, even some polyester clothing--they all have this crap in them. My mom bought everyone in our family a stainless steel water bottle from Kleen Kanteen. I have found that once this bottle gets cold, it stays cold for a super-long time. So, fantastic. We're getting rid of our Nalgene bottles and stuff. Just to be safe, you may want to do the same.
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