Cox Crow
Asking the Stupid Questions Since 1971
Thursday, March 11, 2004Operating Costs
We're planning to move further upstate from my job, for a number of reasons. This will extend my commute, but I think it's an acceptable tradeoff. Given that I'll be using more gasoline, and that prices will continue to rise as we descend Hubbert's Peak, my vehicle's fuel economy will be extremely important. This is easy to compare: FuelEconomy.gov lists the ratings for the Dodge Shadow and Honda CR-V. So, 67.2 miles per day, at 24 miles per gallon, at >$2.00 per gallon, is at least $5.60 per day in fuel costs, or $1,400 for the year.
The gas is still cheaper than my time.
8:50:38 PM # Google It!
categories: Family, Place
Construction-Site-In-A-Box
So much for the building trades as an employment engine.
2:24:54 PM # Google It!
Olympic Proportions
David Sucher notes The New York Times' critic's thoughts on the New York Olympic Village.
My thoughts on the designs are quite frank: UGLY. Who the hell would want to live in those shitholes? Have we learned nothing from large-scale housing projects, and most of the rest of the 20th Century?
Modern materials do not age well.
1:51:07 PM # Google It!
categories: Place
Whoop-de-do
My wife gave me The Da Vinci Code for my birthday, and I've been slowly reading it. I have stylistic issues with it, and little patience for Great Big Secrets. Oh, the horror. I am so shocked. BFD.
He'd better come up with Something Really Big, because this is just pathetic.
Eventually the chase scene starts, and the book picks up, to the extent that I read it until the batteries on my book light ran out. The characters are annoying: their symbolic interpretations dive to the level of "history is 'his story,'" and their abilities to solve riddles are almost pathetic. I have little patience with an author who hides things from the reader. Yeah, so the character's shocked. Why? Can you astonish me in the same way he is? This failure makes the whole work unbelievable.
Then again, if Dan Brown revealed their motivations in the first chapters, instead of the last, this would be less a thriller, and more a tragical farce.
10:23:51 AM # Google It!
Local Representatives
Broadband Reports links to an AP article on E-Loan's offering callers a choice of whether to have their loans processed domestically or overseas. There's some discussion in the article about sending tax preparation paperwork to clerical workers in India.
My mother-in-law's firm does this sort of paperwork. There are certain advantages to having your paperwork done locally, by someone you know and trust. The funny part is that some of her clients live and work in India, for American firms, while she does their paperwork here.
10:16:49 AM # Google It!
We Have a Plan
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council is updating the regional transportation plan. They do have some concern about building walkable communities, and some suggestions for Brewster.
10:08:27 AM # Google It!
categories: Place
