Settlement hurts chance of Settlement

Despite objections from the Obama administration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will allow settlements to continue to expand and be built within Palestinian areas of the country.

Good news!

The latest project is in the predominately Palestinian area of East Jerusalem. I was able to scoop up a classified ad for an apartment in the development from Jerusalem Craigslist:

>Cozy 2bdrm share near bus depot
>
>Hi, I am a 20something Israeli professional looking for a roommate in
>my East Jerusalem apt.
>
>Really nice place with hard wood floors and stainless steel appliances.
>This place is the bomb! (pun intended...I fear for my life).
>
>Your room would be about 10'x12'. Three HUGE windows, so you may
>want to get curtains to block out any international consensus about
>the legitimacy of this building.
>
>I consider all arabs dogs, and you should too. I am pet friendly though,
>and will consider a smaller dog as long as it is an actual dog and
>not an arab.
>
>Utilities are separate but they are usually pretty cheap (assuming you
>don't consider the cost of amplifying a generations-old ethic conflict
>soaked in blood). Generally, about $50/month.
>
>Okay, that's it. Looking to rent soon so just have good credit and
>don't be a total psycho.
>
>

Out Of This World

Some special effects gurus were able to restore the video of the moon landing.  You can really see a lot more detail....

BEFORE:

AFTER:

What they can't do these days....

Pope Breaks Wrist, Prays One-Handed

The pope leaves a hospital after getting his broken wrist fixed up.  Let's get a Close Up of that cast, shall we!!!

Wait, WHAAAT????

Rachael Ruqayyah Rashida Ray

In a 30 second commercial, Rachael Ray - the famous cook - apparently made the case for Islamic extremism.  And then she tried to sell me coffee.  Talk about split focus!  Why would you dress Racheal Ray up like THIS??:

TRAITOR!

Michelle Malkin has bravely lead the campaign against this ad.  She is one of these rare TV personalities who combines ethnic minority with good looks with female with reasonable political views.  Which is why I love her so much and feel we need to listen to her.   She explains how that scarf is a symbol of Muslim terrorism and that Dunkin Donuts should be more cognizant of how their spokesperson appears.  And she's right!  Dunkin Donuts has a history of virulent anti-Semitism.

Remember this guy?

"Time to make the donuts?"  More like "time to grow a Hitler mustache!"

Shameful.  And you know what else? A half-eaten donut looks a lot like the Islamic crescent moon...

I used to like Dunkin Donuts.  Never had the donuts, but their rolls are delicious.   Now, I have to let you guys go.  Boycott in effect.  That goes for you, too, Rachael Ray.  From now on, I'm spending more than $40 on dinner.  What's that?  You were just doing what they told you?  Where have I heard THAT before?

Sounds like something I'd expect to hear from someone taking orders from Box O' Joe Goebbels!

ROT IN HELL!

[update: DD pulled the ad!  It's a win-win.  We defeated terrorism and now I can get an iced coffee on my way to work tomorrow.]

Massive Election

It's often said that Politicians love risky sexual behavior.  Recent evidence comes from SC Governor Mark Sanford - who flew to Argentina to have a torrid affair with one of the women there who isn't Evita.  Now, this photo emerges:

All that's missing is a shot of Obama's stimulus package (double entendre there, in case you missed it).

I went ahead and found some other photos of political leaders scoping out some hot young thangs.

who knew hitler was so handsy??  (I DID!!!)

Why Do Car Companies Fail?

According to CNN.com (the worst news source on the planet), congress is looking to pass an energy bill that would require the average fuel economy of cars to rise to 35mpg by 2020 (from 25mpg now).

Is that possible?

I decided to do some research on the history of gas mileage. This proved difficult since the EPA only keeps records from 1985 on, and the other possible sources (manufacturers, etc) seem very tight lipped on such matters.

For good reason.

From 1936 to 1968 (excluding '40-45) there was an event held annually called the Mobil Economy Run. A 'race' in which new cars competed for overall best gas mileage. How handy!

As a reference point, the EPA currently credits the Honda Accord with the best gas mileage in the full-sized sedan category. According to www.edmunds.com, the 2008 Accord weighs 3,446 pounds and gets an average of 21/mpg. That's the top performer in the class. Present day.

How does that stack up against the cars of yesteryear?

Poorly.

For instance, at the 1953 Economy Run a 2700-pound sedan called the Hudson Super Jet clocked an impressive25.42/mpg. And then there is the Ford Mainline Six, a sedan that finished with an average 27.03/mpg. The top spot went to the Henry J Corsair, with 28.25/mpg efficiency. That was 1953. Pre-Elvis. Before the space program. Before color-TV.

The Ford Mainline Six. Present Day. When new, 27+/mpg.

Well, maybe these cars were smaller than the Accord. Let's be fair. But then, let's also consider the 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan. A 4612-pound luxury sedan that won the Economy Run with an average mileage of 25.5/mpg.

1951 Lincoln. Yeah, that car gets better fuel economy than the new Accord.

Throughout the 1950s, the Mobil Economy Run seemed to post worse and worse scores as the cars got bigger and flashier. One can assume that embarrassment played a part in why the event ended in 1968. A quick survey of the time reveals cars were getting 10-15/mpg and feeling just fine about it.

Barring the Model T, which Ford claims to have gotten 13-21 miles to the gallon, I have been unable to find a single official pre-war figure on gas mileage. It would not surprise me if the reason was because the 1930s cars got amazing mileage. Who knows?

The question is "WHY?"

Why did cars get better gas mileage back then?  Why are auto makers moaning about the cost of researching the new technology needed to reach 35mpg when they were so close to it five decades ago?  Obvious: Conspiracy.

Back when the EPA started keeping tabs on mileage, the 1986 Honda Civic HF got 51 MPG (highway).  The 2008 Prius, in addition to using HIGHLY environmentally unfriendly batteries, only gets 45 MPG (highway). Let's not be too quick to congratulate ourselves about our "green" movement.

Considering all the progress of the 20th century, you would assume the best cars were built AFTER computers were invented. But then, you would be wrong.