Tax Incentives for Electric and Clean-Fuel Vehicles
Just getting ready for taxes next year. Did you know that buying electric vehicles can get you a tax credit? They'll give you 10% of the value of the car back. I'm not talking tax deduction, but a flat out credit. The difference? A deduction is when a certain amount is deducted from your income...in essence the feds give you back about 33% of whatever is amount is deducted. A credit is when they just give you that amount as a tax refund. So a $1000 deduction would net you about $333, while a $1000 credit will net you $1000. So for my Th!nk Neighbor, the value of the car is $7800, so I get a $780 (10%) credit. For the Sparrow, the sticker price is $17000, so that's $1700 credit. That's about $2500 bucks! If I apply that towards the price of the Th!nk EV, we'll have bought the car for only $2000!! If I keep it for 3 years and sell it for 3K, I'll have made a thousand bucks and have the use of a car for 3 years AND save all of that gas that I would have spent going to the market and post office around town. Ahhh...the benefits of EV ownership :)
I was thinking about selling the Th!nk Neighbor, but I think we're just going to keep it and buy liability insurance for it. Shweeet....2 EVs for Ginger and me.
EV World:Clare Bell: The EV Vet
Clare is a Corbin Sparrow fixer in the Silicon Valley. She's worked with Th!nk Nordic and even with Corbin ! I'm going to email her and let her know of my new purchase and ask her what needs to be done when I get the car (safety upgrades, efficiency & charging tips, etc.). It's cool to know that there is someone I can call for help if we need it. Neat!
This holiday season, I would like to remind everyone that the world is filled with injustice and that we all need to do our part even if it's not much. The Global Fund for Women is a noble cause that fights for women's rights and helps give women economic independence and access to education. They also work to stop violence against women. Please donate a little something to better the lives of countless women and girls around the world.
Don't forget to check with your place of work to see if they match your donation which would be totally cool!
David Butcher: Personal Information and Stories
Here's a Sparrow owner who has kept a great diary about the car. I'm gonna read through it all and try to see what I can learn to give our Sparrow a nice long healthy life.
Thunderbirds Mega Set
Tech TV is showing Thunderbird reruns! Yay! I remember seeing this show when I was very little and I loved it and still do! The set is a little expensive, but I'm gonna have to spring for it after I figure out how I'm going to pay for the Corbin Sparrow I bought on ebay yesterday. I can't believe I did it, but I did and both Ginger and I are very excited about getting it. I hope to get the information about financing it today...once I receive the new car and get everything figured out paperwork-wise, I have to figure out what to do about the Think Neighbor. I'm thinking that selling it would be a good idea so that we could use the money to pay for the Sparrow (plus we'll probably make money off of the sale too!). I'd miss the little Think though...it's a cool little car and it'd be cool to use during the spring and summer. Sigh...what to do...what to do...
dodoskido gallery :: 2002/10 US Paula's Wedding
This past weekend, Ginger and I drove down to LA to attend Paula and Khai's wedding. I knew Paula back when I worked in LA. I know Paula and Khai have been waiting for this for quite some time. Anyway, they finally got hitched! Ginger and I are both very happy for them and will them luck on their new life together!
eBay Motors item 1870758503 (Ends Oct-28-02 13:00:00 PST ) - 2000 Corbin Sparrow electric- new demo!
I'm the winning bidder so far!!!
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Platinum Extended Edition
It's almost here! If you already have the LOTR DVD, you got jipped. Return it and get the above 4 disc version! Not only did they add tons of new scenes, there's extra bonus stuff. I thought DVD bonus stuff was pretty cheesy, but the Monsters Inc. extras were great and I bet the ones that come with the Platinum Extended Edition of LOTR are going to be great. Anyway, be sure to get it and rewatch it before you go see the 2nd installment of the series that's going to be released this Thanksgiving. If you go see the Two Towers without seeing the first one, you will be so lost, it won't even be funny. Anyway, click above and get your DVD now!
Well, we did it. Ginger and I went to the INS this morning and had our interview for her conditional green card. The interview was a piece of cake and we didn't have any problems. The guy interviewing us was actually very nice and we felt very at ease. Anyway, all is well now.
We drove by the Hertz in Palo Alto to check out their Think City EVs. We're thinking about renting one for a month ($~380). Pretty pricey.
Ginger's orthodontic appointment went well and we're going in to get her "records" done...basically x-ray & molds. This one is a tough choice because it's so freaking expensive (5100-5300). Yikes! My medical insurance will cover $1500 but that leaves a tab of 3800 that we gotta take care of...sigh...
Watching "Out of Sight" with J.Lo and G.Cloo; listening to their relaxed, yet tense prologue to the horizontal mambo scene in the movie is just great. I'm trying to figure out if I'm nervous or not for the Ginger's and my INS interview tomorrow. We're going to go for her "Adjustment of Status" where she officially changes from a K-1 visa (non-immgrant fiance visa) holder into a conditional green card holder. On the one hand, I'm not too worried about it because she's already here and everything has been great...in other words, the worst is over. I'm kinda nervous because I"m not too worried about it though. In the past, all of our INS procedings have been preceded by days and nights of worrying, but this time, we've checked and double checked our documents and everything looks good. We're just plain not worried about this...which is troubling. Ay-ya....this is crazy.
The USA network likes to draw every movie out to at least 2 1/2 hours and fills them full of commercials. Boo!!
Telepopmusik's Breathe rocks! I listened to the song all day and it was great! Mix with a little of Madonna's Die Another Day...that was a good day.
EV World:ReTh!nk Stages Protest
I would have been there too, but Ginger and I had a slew of appointments scheduled for 10/12. It looks like the protest went quite well. I'm not sure if it'll change anything, but I do know that I am very close to renting the Th!nk City from Hertz in Palo Alto. I figure if I can't get it from Ford, then why not go to Hertz and get it for just a few bucks more. Hey Ford, hear that?!? I want to give you money but you don't want it! Good business practice!
Die Another Day CD Single
Ok, ok...you know and I know the movie is not going to be very good...just wait for Lord of the Rings: Two Towers. But Madonna has a great song here. It's been a while since Madonna released something that doesn't suck. And not only does this not suck, but it rocks!
Have you seen the new Mitsubishi commercial? You know, the one with the guy in the new Outlander (Mitsu's new SUV) going through different phases of his life in the car. The music to that commercial is a totally awesome! It's probably going to be the fruit of the week in the music world, but Telepopmusik has got a great sound that is mellow and electronica, but feels very real...nothing forced or too hard. Check out Telepopmusik!. The song called 'Breathe' is the one that's in the Mitsu commercial.
AOL CD & Tin Collecting with Sparky
On a similar topic of the previous post, here is a nutbag who collects CDs. If you wanna make some cash, dig out your AOL CDs and see if this fool will pay for them.
Yay! I'm going to collect all of my AOL discs and send them to these guys. I can't wait! I've been stomping on them and breaking them by hand as a stress break. They're fun to fling down the street too...oh well, now I'm going to help send them back.
Tommy's Interesting Book of the Day
Adopt the Perfect Dog
Ginger and I have been thinking about getting a pet since our "cat for a day" experience. Here looks like a great guide for getting a dog from the animal shelter. Remember to spay or neuter your pet!
Here's a very interesting article about how geckos can climb just about anything. I'm hoping functional Spiderman suits will be available by next Christmas.
Looks like MS tried a switch campaign of their own...unfortunately, instead of finding a real person, they decided to use a stock photo. And the folks on SlashDot found out. Doh! Joi Ito's Web: Microsoft Switch 1.0
This past weekend we took a drive out to Davis to visit Sudwerk and check out the UC Davis campus. Take a look at the photos!
Here is a cat that we had for a day. I named her Licky since she licked not only herself, but almost every piece of furniture in our apartment. Licky was a very nice and trained cat. A neighbor came to our door with her and thought that she was ours. When the neighbor put Licky down, she decided to run into our place. Luckily, she was very trained and didn't scratch anything or go to the bathroom anywhere. In the morning we let her out to do her business. We left the door open so she new she would be welcome. She came and went all morning, but then left for good (I think she went home). Hopefully she's safe and sound.
Tommy's Interesting Book of the Day:
Bird Watching for Cats
Apparently, cats dream about staring at birds all day. This book tends to suggest that cats enjoy watching birds fly around and taunting them...like flying morsels of little Oreo cookies. Anyway, it's just another chapter in the "cat owners are mostly nuts" category....buy a book about cats staring at birds for your cat today.
Cockeyed.com presents: How Much Is Inside?
These wacky guys and gals have spent countless hours counting the quantity inside everything from french fry containers to shipping containers. It's a neat website with lots of cool info presented in an interesting, non-boring way.
Apparently this guy has burnt out his DDR metal pads and has created a little science experiment about why they're messed up and how to fix them. Cool!
Tommy's Interesting Book of the Day:
The Official Hamtaro Handbook
If you haven't seen Hamtaro, then you've been missing out. It's an anime series about a cute little Hamster named Hamtaro. Hamtaro has a bunch of hamster friends and family and they get into all kinds of trouble in every episode. The show is quite entertaining. I think it's on cartoon network every afternoon on Toonami. Check it out!
Kermitage
Anyway, take a look and bring back memories from your childhood.
EV Finder has information about production and soon to be produced electric vehicles. This site is quite extensive and has great information all around.
Interesting Page: Habbo Hotel
No more comments allowed on this topic...sorry!
This past weekend, Ginger and I headed down to LA for our 2nd anniversary. I can't believe it's been 2 years since we met in China. It's been a great roller coaster ride and I know it's only the beginning.
I decided to celebrate by taking her to see the Lion King at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. She absolutely enjoyed the show. We had front row seats but a little off to the side so not as good as you'd think. I think I'm going to stick to balcony level front row or mid-theater front row from now on...you just get a better view that way. We did get free programs with our tickets though...that was nice. Ginger is giving one to her English teacher since she's never seen the show (and since we already have one at home). Also, we took the L.A. subway to the show! Overall, I'd say the subway is pretty neat but with just a few minor complaints:
1) The escalators were working some of the time. On the way to the show, the escalators were not working, but on the way home, they seemed to be working fine. This system is just a few years old but already things are broken?
2) The ticket machines totally suck. They look like reject ticket machines that were salvaged from New York subway system scrapyard. I had perfect dollar bills and the machine wouldn't take some of them...totally weak. On top of that, there was no assistance anywhere...there were no people working in any of the stations. I don't know about you, but I think each station needs to have at least one "info/ticket" booth so you can get change in case the stupid machine keeps spitting out your dollar.
3) Subway trains are filthy. Since there is no "official" oversight, passengers are free to ignore the "no eating, no drinking" signs on the trains. I'd bet half of the people on the trains didn't buy tickets either...there's really no need to since no one checks.
4) Time between trains. After the show, Ginger and I waited almost 20 minutes for a train in our direction. Granted it was almost midnight, but still...there should never be more than a 10 minute wait in any sort of mass/rapid transit system.
Aside from these annoyances, the subway system was to my liking with the trains being very fast and with only two stations in the SF valley the focus is on commuters to Downtown LA and Long Beach. There definitely needs to be a line built from the Granda Hills area, down the 405 to UCLA, Santa Monica, and finally to the airport. If there was a subway from the Valley to UCLA, I bet you could take about 10% of the cars off the road in one fell swoop. The challenge in LA is that there is almost no commute pattern...people come in from all directions to all directions. San Fernando Valley to UCLA/Century City is definitely a pattern...I sat through it for 6 years while going to UCLA and working in Century City. Maybe some day they'll figure out this is one pattern they can take advantage of and build a Metro Rail line there.
Anyway, here are some photos from our trip this past weekend: dodoskido gallery :: 2002/10 US Los Angeles
Tommy's Interesting Book of the Day:
Geisha: A Life
Here is a new book on a favorite topic of mine: Geisha. I have been fascinated with this society of women ever since I was in college and took some Japanese history and pop culture classes. One of my favorite books is Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. I can't wait to get this new book on this subject.
Iraq looks to be fresh out of ideas and is suggesting a duel between Dubbya and the madman himself, Hussein. I guess they need more time to hid the nukes and Vx gas. I bet Bush is going to have snipers posted everywhere and is going to cheat...who cares...at least we'll get rid of Saddam once and for all :)
Discount Computer Cut Vinyl Letters from Stickerz.com
This place is great! I got great service, preview proofs emailed to me and overnight shipping. The prices are very reasonable (they wanted $38 incl shipping for the same work FastSigns was going to charge me $100 for!)
I'll put up photos the stickers on the Think EV when I get them on there.
Los Angeles Metro Map
San Fernando Valley to Downtown LA in 15 minutes?!? What are you nuts? How come this thing isn't packed full everyday? Probably because most of LA is so image conscious that they can't get around with their 8 cylinder, 10 passenger SUV terrorist-funding SUV beasts. Go figure...a tank of gas for an SUV will give you 2 months of rides on the Metro Rail. When will they learn?
Get more info here
Another offering from Neiman Marcus Online:
$6000 cell phone
Ah yes...the holidays.. A time for giving, a time for receiving, a time to spend boat loads of cash on useless crap to give to other people. Neiman Marcus is the king of useless xmas crap. Every year, their Christmas book gives you ourtrageously expensive gift ideas. This year is no exception...you can make an action figure out of yourself and give it to people...or you can give someone the immensely fulfilling experience of making an action figure out of themselves...why would I want to do this?!? And it olny costs $7500!? Wow! That's Incredible!
Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas
I've been ranting and raving about EVs for a while now...here's a starting point of a vast source of information.
Lido- By Lee Iacocca..The Luxury Neighborhood Electric Vehicle
Here's another interesting little NEV. Basically it's the same thing as our Think EV but it has better styling and lots of options.
Check out ebay for my tent. It's never been used and is just eating up space in my apartment. Buy a new tent for cheap!
eBay item 1865576638 (Ends Oct-07-02 08:16:39 PDT ) - Cabin Tent - 2 Room,Sleeps 8,New in Box! NR!
The Tango -- Commuter Cars.com
I want one!!! This is an electric car in development. It can go up to 125 MPH, it has a 120 mile range and goes zero to 60 in 4 seconds! Not only that, there is an option for a second seat in behind the driver.
I have the feeling that I'm going to have a nice collection of EVs in my old age :)