Training for this week

misc run 10.6 1:30:57 0:08:35 12-Jul-09 sun

Affy Loop 5.2 39:23:00 7:34:25 13-Jul-09 mon

local 3.5 3.5 27:00:00 7:42:51 14-Jul-09 tue

Half marathon 13.1 1:51:33 0:08:31 15-Jul-09 wed

Affy Loop 5.2 38:50:00 7:28:05 16-Jul-09 thu

Didn't get to run on Friday because I got invited out to lunch--usually run at lunchtime. Guessing I won't go running on Saturday because I normally do a long run on Sunday and want to be fresh for that, plus it is nice to get stuff done on Saturday.

So in conclusion, I can post this now because I know that there will be no more running this week.

One small problem with this study...

There have been a number of articles about the recent IntelliChoice.com report on the cost of ownership between conventional cars and hybrids or diesels.

The best deal was the Volkswagon Jetta TDI v. the conventional gasoline Jetta, but right behind that was the Toyota Prius v. the Camry.

Left unexplored is why they chose to compare the Prius with the Camry instead of the smaller and cheaper Corolla. Car size is determined by weight and the Prius is considered mid-sized like the Camry. The problem here is that the extra weight is not going into the size or power of the vehicle, it is going into the stuff that improves the mileage. In terms of power and size, the Prius is much closer to the Corolla than the Camry.

Prius.................Corolla............Camry

98HP...................132HP...............169HP

3042lbs................2723lbs.............3263lbs

94 PV...................92 PV...............101 PV

$22,750.................$16,100.............19,588

PV= passenger volume. Price and other data are from carsdirect price of 2009 base models

Internal volume is slightly less in the Corolla than the Prius, but the Corolla has a lot more power, so the overall utility is pretty much the same for the two cars. This contrasts to the Camry, which is just a bigger car in all ways than the Prius. The cost comparison gives a savings of $4,930 in 5 years. My bet is that the savings would be zero (or less) had they compared with the Corolla. It is $3,400 cheaper right off the blocks and that leaves only $1,500 of savings. But the Corolla gets better mileage than the Camry, so that will eat-away at least some of the savings.

This is not to say that the Prius is a bad deal--It is just not reasonable to compare it to the Camry. Our in-laws have one and they love it. It gets great mileage and allows them to drive in restricted lanes, plus there may have been a tax savings as well.

I for one, welcome our new climate.

The Boston area is usually not so fun in mid-Summer: It will be in the high 80's with a lot of humidity and the only way to survive is to run the AC. This Summer it rained most of June and now July is reasonably clear. But the clear days are in the 70's and with low humidity. It is pretty nice.

It is pretty typical of what one might normally see in Maine or Northern Vermont. That is fine for the Summer, but I hope things turn-around by Winter. Theirs are brutal, they can keep-em.

Meanwhile, enjoying the absence of AC drone and lower electric bills too.

iowahawk for car czar

iowahawk

Interestingly TZAR can mean Car or Supreme Leader, depending on the transliteration.

Let's Play a game of what-if

Chart from michaelscomments

President Obama sold the stimulus bill as one which would keep the unemployment rate down under 8%, but it is now around 9.5%. Now, let us pose a hypothetical question: Suppose the bill had failed and the unemployment rate was exactly what it now is. What do you want to bet that Obama would be claiming that today's 9.5% is all the fault of those who blocked his plan? Republicans would claim (correctly), that the rate would have been 9.5% even with the plan. The press would ridicule them for it.

I never put much stock in a plan that only spends around 1/4 of the total amount in 2009 (and it will be lucky if it even makes that target). When an economy needs stimulus, it needs it NOW! Not spread-out over several years. If I were doing it, it would have been something fast--like a one year Holiday on FICA or slash corporate income tax to 10%. But then it never was a stimulus plan except in name. It was a spend money on Democratic Party wish-list bill. Understood in that light, it totally made sense.

Last Week's Training

Affy Loop 5.2 38:00:00 7:18:28 6-Jul-09

Glad Valley 4.38 33:53:00 7:44:09 7-Jul-09

Landing Strip 020 11.8 1:30:09 0:07:38 8-Jul-09

nutting lake 3.5 untimed 9-Jul-09

Faun Lake 5.5 42:54:00 7:48:00 10-Jul-09