Chad’s News

I’ve often thought about doing something like this, if I were to ever be carjacked. Especially since my pickup doesn’t have a passenger airbag.

http://www.ktvz.com/…
(via digg)

Think you want a hybrid? This article discusses the “new” diesel. Apparently diesel engines are more efficient than regular gasoline engines, but they’ve historically been much dirtier, to the point of failing emissions requirements.

http://money.cnn.com/…
(via digg)

From the linked article: “BMW officially announced the Hydrogen 7 today. The car is touted as the first hydrogen-drive luxury performance automobile for everyday use.” It runs on hydrogen or gasoline.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/…

With the majority of software, when you purchase it you are actually buying a license to use the software (rather than the software itself). This scheme was created fairly early in the life of PCs. Most people don’t notice it, but smart businesspeople are aware of the implications. It does occasionally cause problems, and a particularly funny one recently occurred in a New Jersey parking garage.

http://arstechnica.com/…

Ford has the technology to do away with removeable fuel caps. They’ll be phasing it in, starting with the higher-end vehicles.

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/…
(via digg)

This woman discovered that she can bake cookies on her car dashboard when it’s hot outside.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/…
(via Nothing To Do With Arbroath)

Apparently our highways have actually become safer since the federal 55 MPH speed limit was repealed. This is in stark contrast to the doomsayers back in 1995 who predicted a massive increase in injuries. Personally, I believe the repeal of the 55 MPH speed limit to be the single most useful thing that the Republican majority has managed to do in the last 12 years.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/…

Recall that the speed limit is an upper limit, not a lower one. A group of people decided to see what would happen if they all drove 50 MPH in the 55 MPH zone of an interstate highway. They lined up next to each other, taking up all four lanes and forcing the cars behind them to also go 50. The results were impressive—one driver lost his side mirror while passing them on the shoulder. (Note: the sound quality of the video isn’t that good, but I still found it worth watching.)

http://video.google.com/…

These guys put six common gas-saving driving tips to the test. There were some surprises, and they claim you can increase fuel economy by up to 37%, just by changing the way you drive.

http://www.edmunds.com/…

Pretty impressive. There are additional combat stories on the manufacturer’s web site.

http://www.damninteresting.com/…

Yes, it’s a wood-powered Yugo. This story has been picked up by Jalopnik and appears to be legitimate. Apparently the gases produced by the (incomplete) combustion of wood are as flammable as gasoline vapor. And in Serbia, wood is much cheaper than gas. Despite the fact that it’s old technology, I still wonder how he managed to come up with the idea in the first place.

http://freeweb.deltha.hu/…

This is just another step forward in the biodiesel trend that, with the rising price of gasoline, should become more prevalent over time.

Link: http://www.jalopnik.com/…