This morning, I filled up the gas tank off my little 4-cylinder Ford Mustang. It cost $49.00, which I believe is a personal record. The price? $3.43 per gallon
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Re: get it while you canvaluesystemMay 23 2007, 18:43:50 UTC
I have read both things about A/C. If you go to the EPA web site, I believe it says that A/C is the same as having windows open. I suspect sweltering in a hot car interior is worth the 1 mile per gallon or so.
There are other ways to improve fuel efficiency. I believe I wrote an story on this...
* Don't drive faster than 55 * Make sure tires are fully inflated * Off load any extra non-necessary weight * Don't idle the car, turn it off, even at traffic lights * Reduce the number of trips by combining trips * Reduce the use of the vehicle by walking, biking, and using public transport (if possible)
As far as the value of U.S. currency, that is a tough question. I will venture a best guess...
Money represents the ability to CAUSE energy to be used. Energy is always worth basically the same. The energy in a gallon of gas today, is the same as it was a hundred years ago. So, the price or cost is actually an indicator of the value of the money, not the value of the energy.
By this type of reasoning, simply look at energy prices to determine the value of money. If gasoline cost three times as much a few years ago (which it is), then money worth only 1/3 of what it was. Of course, gasoline is not the only energy source. Crude oil, natural gas, and coal should be figured in as well. Even so, the value of money has probably decreased by 50% since the run up in gasoline prices.
Of course, most people don't realize that yet, and the Federal Reserve, Banking Industry, and etc. are now focusing on something called "core inflation", which factors out 1. energy costs and 2. food costs.
Re: get it while you canvaluesystemMay 23 2007, 20:03:21 UTC
an interesting article in Newsweek or National Geographic or Time explored the "modernization" of China. It was all about the new Chinese Middle Class taking to the road in automobiles.
It had some interesting articles about the young Chinese Auto Industry: They are designing cars and buses that top out around 35 or 25 miles per hour: This way they don't have to develop an infrastructure of roads and traffic management that will handle many automobiles going much faster.
Re: get it while you canvaluesystemMay 24 2007, 01:01:33 UTC
That's interesting. I hadn't heard anything about maximum speed for their vehicles. I'll keep my open for info on that.
China is certainly an interesting piece of the puzzle. With the global economy such as it is, it is very worthwhile to see what China is doing, and to consider the consequences of China's choices. Given the huge amount of capital, coal, and revenue from the rest of the world, forgetting about China is a very bad idea indeed.
There are other ways to improve fuel efficiency. I believe I wrote an story on this...
http://valuesystem.livejournal.com/14940.html
Main points --
* Don't drive faster than 55
* Make sure tires are fully inflated
* Off load any extra non-necessary weight
* Don't idle the car, turn it off, even at traffic lights
* Reduce the number of trips by combining trips
* Reduce the use of the vehicle by walking, biking, and using public transport (if possible)
As far as the value of U.S. currency, that is a tough question. I will venture a best guess...
Money represents the ability to CAUSE energy to be used. Energy is always worth basically the same. The energy in a gallon of gas today, is the same as it was a hundred years ago. So, the price or cost is actually an indicator of the value of the money, not the value of the energy.
By this type of reasoning, simply look at energy prices to determine the value of money. If gasoline cost three times as much a few years ago (which it is), then money worth only 1/3 of what it was. Of course, gasoline is not the only energy source. Crude oil, natural gas, and coal should be figured in as well. Even so, the value of money has probably decreased by 50% since the run up in gasoline prices.
Of course, most people don't realize that yet, and the Federal Reserve, Banking Industry, and etc. are now focusing on something called "core inflation", which factors out 1. energy costs and 2. food costs.
Here is a recent article on the same idea...
Peak Oil and the Inflation Lie
Clearly, U.S. currency is worth less Euros, less Pounds, and less energy than it was only a few years ago.
In my personal opinion, U.S. currency is overvalued, although I'm not sure I would say "drastically".
Reply
It had some interesting articles about the young Chinese Auto Industry: They are designing cars and buses that top out around 35 or 25 miles per hour: This way they don't have to develop an infrastructure of roads and traffic management that will handle many automobiles going much faster.
Reply
China is certainly an interesting piece of the puzzle. With the global economy such as it is, it is very worthwhile to see what China is doing, and to consider the consequences of China's choices. Given the huge amount of capital, coal, and revenue from the rest of the world, forgetting about China is a very bad idea indeed.
Reply
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