Learn All About Fuel Economy

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www.fueleconomy.orgVisit www.FuelEconomy.gov, a website maintained by the U.S. Environmental Agency, for everything there is to know about auto mileage.  The site provides gas mileage tips, miles per gallon on cars going back to the 1985 model year, tax rebate information on new hybrids, quick and easy MPG comparisons for cars and much more.

Tonight I learned the EPA changed the way it measures MPG in 2008 to reflect faster speeds, faster acceleration and increased air conditioning use.  Apparently MPG measurement standards had not been changed for decades.  So if you want to see the old vs new MPG estimates for your old clunker, click here.  The MPG on my cars was about 10% lower than the original estimate (which is no surprise).

You can also use the site to compare MPG on cars.  I compared the mileage on a Toyota Highlander 4WD vs Hybrid 4WD and learned that the hybrid gets about 7 MPG more than the non-hybrid, which would save $800/year if I drove 15,000 miles per year.  Based on my mileage, the hybrid would save me maybe $500 per year in gas, assuming $4 per gallon.  This is not enough to make up for the additional cost of the hybrid.  But the top-rated Toyota Prius Hybrid with city/highway mileage of 48/45, looks tempting.

The last thing I checked out was the current tax rebate status of hybrid cars and discovered that rebates are no longer available on the Highlander have not been available since Sept 2007 (the rebate phases out after 60,000 vehicles have been sold).  But I see there is a $3000 tax rebate on your income taxes if you buy a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid.

Thanks to my wife for pointing out this useful and informative site.  With gas prices at an all-time high, it is getting hard to ignore finding ways to save money.

Be Aware - Recent Child Predator Activities in the News

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Yesterday the news was shocking.  A convicted child predator was caught on tape at a Borders bookstore in Arcadia, stalking a 5 year old girl and attempting to touch her and inappropriately rub up against her in full view of other shoppers.  The girl's father caught on and the whole scene is caught on tape (click here for a CBS video report and crime scene video footage).

Closer to home, on Thursday it was announced that a maintenance worker at Oaks Christian School in Thousand Oaks was arrested for allegedly videotaping girls in the locker room. Click here for the Ventura County Star story.

Two weeks ago a Moorpark bus driver was arrested for suspicion of molesting a boy with autism.

Last month a former Ventura elementary school teacher was sent to jail for molesting an 8 year old boy for 2 years.

Always be aware of your surroundings and where your kids are and who are with your kids.  Here are a couple of websites that provide a database of sex offenders by area (one of these sites was used by the father seen in the Arcadia video going after the sex offender after he realized what was happening to his daughter, which led to the arrest of the pervert).

Family Watchdog

www.FamilyWatchdog.us

www.meganslaw.ca.gov/

In the Good Ole Days They Just Raised Fares

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Welcome to American Airlines and Hand Over Your CashToday we learned that American Airlines will start charging $15 to check in your luggage.  Yet another reason to steer clear of airline travel.  $15 doesn't bother me.  It's the fact that now more people than ever will lug their heavy bags onto the plane, causing more delays and frustration.  Not to mention the additional time and effort of collecting $15 from passengers opting to check in their bags.

Fuel costs are way up and airlines are losing money.  We understand. Just raise your fares!  Don't nickel and dime us to death with these miscellaneous fees! 

Let's amuse ourselves by reviewing AA's baggage fees (these fees are one way):

  • First checked in bag (tickets bought after 6/14/08) is $15, unless you pay full fare, fly 25,000+ annual miles ("Gold" status) or are flying outside of America.
  • Your 2nd checked bag costs $25.
  • Your 3rd, 4th and 5th bags cost $100 each (I hope my wife is reading this).
  • Your 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th bags cost $200 each (heck, I'll pay $200 just to watch how they lug all these bags out of the airport).  This is about what it costs to overnight a 50 lb bag via FedEx/UPS.
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Handheld Cell Phone Law Clarifications...Coming July 1st

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Handheld Cell Phone Ban in California on July 1stOne last reminder to dislodge that cell phone from your ear while driving starting Tuesday, July 1st.  The California Wireless Telephone Automobile Safety Act of 2006 takes effect on that date.

Dislodge Phone From Ear!

Many of us are addicted to holding the cell phone to our ear in the car.  Get it out of your system!  Conejo Joe plans to drive the entire weekend of June 28-29 while using a handheld cell phone glued to his ear.  That should do the trick. Or consider moving to our neighbors in Oregon, Nevada, Arizona or Mexico (except Mexico City), where there currently are no bans in place.

You can use a Bluetooth or other type of earpiece to talk on the phone. But you can't have both ears covered.  You can also use a built in hands-free system in your car.

The Speakerphone Loophole?

The California DMV has Q&As about the new law that provide more guidance.  The new law only prohibits using a cell phone unless it is configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and of course is used in that manner.  But you are not prohibited from using the speakerphone function of your cell phone while driving.  I called the DMV and CHP to confirm this.  The DMV first said "NO!" but when I pointed out the specific answer on the website she backed off and said you can use the speakerphon

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Save for College Tax Free

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California ScholarShare 529 College Savings PlanAnyone with kids who has not opened a Section 529 College Savings Plan take note.  A 529 plan allows anyone age 18 or older to open a savings account for future college costs (such as tuition, books, room and board, supplies, etc.).  The California ScholarShare plan (www.ScholarShare.com) allows California residents to save for college and any earnings are TAX FREE as long as withdrawals are used for college costs.

There are a number of other nice features about these plans:

  • If your child doesn't attend college, you can use the funds for another child or even use them for yourself.  Or grandkids, siblings, nieces, nephews, (fill-in-the-blank)-in-laws and spouses of any of these individuals.
  • Funds can be used at any 2 or 4 year college, university or vocational school.
  • There's a very low $50 minimum initial investment and no annual account fees.
  • Fidelity has 10 different investment options, including several "age-based" plans that automatically invest more conservatively as your child nears college age.
  • If you are leery of the stock market, there are conservative investment options like money market and treasury bond funds.
  • You as the account holder control the account, not your kid! 

These plans are pretty much a no brainer if you know someone in your family will be attending college and you will be paying for it.  Sign up now to start saving for college while cutting your taxes!

How Belching Cows Contribute to Global Warming

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Happy Gassy Belching CowEarth Day was April 22nd and the L.A. Times featured a front page article with a diagram showing how nearly a third of greenhouse gas emissions linked to global warming derive from the ingredients and energy to produce food.  And the U.N. reports that livestock contributes towards 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Those poor belching cows.  An average cow burps up 145 pounds of methane per year.  Methane has 23 times the warming potential of Carbon Dioxide (CO2).  So effectively cows let loose 3,330 lbs per year of CO2.  That equates to over 3000 miles driven in a car that gets 20 miles per gallon (check out the U.S. Environment Protection Agency Personal Emissions Calculator by clicking here).

Let's break this down differently.  Bringing a 6 oz. beef steak to your dinner plate generates 16 lbs of CO2 emissions.  That equates to about 23 miles of driving at 20 MPG.  So if you're gonna have a good steak, the least you could do is not drive too far for it!  (On that note, check out Mastro's in Thousand Oaks.)

An even better alternative?  Try chicken.  A 6 oz chicken breast generates less than 2 lbs. of greenhouse gas to arrive at your dinner plate. 

To learn how to eat in way that minimizes the impact on global warming, visit the Bon Appetit Management Company's online carbon calculator at www.EatLowCarbon.org. 

Back to the hungry, gassy cows again.  Cow manure generates both methane and nitrous oxide (a.k.a. "laughing gas") (now why is it I'm not laughing when I smell cow manure?).  Nitrous oxide has 296 times the warming potential of CO2.  So think about not only the meat you eat, but how you fertilize your garden.

Some final parting carbon-conscious tips that come from the L.A. Times article:

  • Reduce your beef and cheese consumption
  • Don't waste food as it ends up in a landfill producing methane
  • Compost fruit and veggie scraps
  • Buy locally grown food as much as possible
  • Eat lower on the food chain; producing crops for livestock adds to warming
  • Drink tap water rather than bottled; or if it must be bottled, drink from local sources

Lastly, if you have to belch, watch out.  Someone may be counting your carbon equivalents.

Blu-ray You Say?

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Blu-ray Disc (or BD) players were first launched in June 2006 as an alternative to HD (High Definition) DVD players.  Later that year Sony included Blu-ray technology in its new PlayStation 3 players and since then have sold over 10 million.  In February 2008, HD DVD maker Toshiba announced "game over" to HD DVD.  And thus Blu-ray has become the high-def format of choice.

This was Sony's revenge I suppose for the Betamax format losing out to JVC's VHS video recording format in the mid 1980s.  For the million or so HD DVD purchasers, you were brave!  But good luck finding DVDs in this now obsolete format.

What is Blu-ray?  Blu-ray is a high-definition technology that uses a blue laser to read the disc (DVD players use a red laser).  Blu-ray screen resolution is 1,080 horizontal lines versus 480 for DVDs.  That added resolution can make for a stunning picture.  But you need a high-def TV to enjoy it!  BDs have 6 times the storage capacity of DVDs.

Will BD make DVD go obsolete soon?  My personal opinion is no, given the fact that hundreds of millions of DVD players are in use and continue being sold.  But BD will gradually creep into the DVD market.  I would imagine that BDs will grow in popularity at similar rate to the growth in high-definition TVs vs analog TVs.

Should I buy one?  If you own a PlayStation 3, perhaps use that to play BDs until BD player prices start falling from their current $400 price tag.  Heck you can buy a PS3 for $400 today.  But if you enjoy being an early adopter and don't mind the fact the prices may drop towards Christmas, go for it!  One thing to make sure though is that your BD player is "backwards compatible" with DVDs.  Most are but make sure to check.

Blu-ray Discs also cost slightly more to rent today, but not that much more.  A local Newbury Park Blockbuster rents BDs for about $1 more than DVDs.