Wanna save some money by not fuelling up so often? Edmunds.com has posted a list of tips for increasing fuel economy: “By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive). Combine several tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies.”
My favorite tip? Slow down! Driving the speed limit can drastically increase your car’s fuel efficiency. Second favorite tip? Blast the A/C: there’s basically no difference in fuel use between using your car’s air conditioner or keeping it off and driving with the windows up.
I know that I like to point out all the bad news that Xcel Energy generates. I figure I should balance that out with some good news: according to 9news.com, Xcel has a new wind farm coming! From the article: “An Oregon company says it’ll build a 50-turbine wind farm in southeastern Colorado, big enough to produce 75 megawatts of electricity for Xcel Energy.” I know that Xcel isn’t doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. They’re doing this because the voters of Colorado are forcing them to.
But no matter what the reason, the fact remains the same: more of Xcel’s electricity is going to be generated via alternative energy sources. And that is good news.
Hooray! Judge strikes down Georgia’s ban on gay marriages
A judge has struck down Georgia’s ban on same-sex marriages, saying a measure overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004 violated a provision of the state constitution that limits ballot questions to a single subject.The ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Constance C. Russell had been eagerly awaited by gay-rights supporters who filed the court challenge in November 2004, soon after the constitutional ban was approved.
This might have been struck down on a technicality, but that’s not the important part. The important thing is that the ban was struck down as unconstitutional. There’ll be another attempt to get this passed, of course. But for now, at least, this hateful ban is null and void.
Hooray for Qwest! When the NSA came knocking, asking for phone records on all of their customers, Qwest was the only major telecom carrier that refused to turn over those records!
Among the big telecommunications companies, only Denver-based Qwest refused to help the National Security Agency, sources tell USA TODAY.According to multiple sources, Qwest declined to participate because it was uneasy about the legal implications of handing over customer calling information to the government without warrants.
I cannot understand why more people aren’t up-in-arms over the NSA spying. But I do hope that more people thank Qwest for daring to stand up against this invasion of our civil liberties.
What’s better than Pearl Jam recording an anti-Bush song? How about Elmer Creek Conspiracy’s America In Denial, a CD recorded by an indie group consisting of “two Vietnam vets and two Canadians from a borderline community, with backgrounds ranging through folk, blues, country and jazz [who] have come together to bring forth a different kind of state of the union address.”
The songs are brilliant, including “Promised Land” (a song about illegal immigration) and the title track, which aims to show just how blind mainstream America has been to the abuses perpetrated by the Bush administration.
Music has a way of getting a point across where text or speech cannot. Hopefully enough people here this CD to make a difference.
Hmmm… I think this is telling of more than people want to admit:
About 250 opponents of the immigration march, with the group Defend Colorado Now, staged their own protest on the south side of Civic Center Park.
Their protest began as the thousands of other protestors left the area.
So there were 250 people who wanted to oppose immigration reform, while 75,000 gathered in support. Do I really need to say more? No matter what some would like us to believe, public opinion seems to be overwhelmingly in support of immigration reform. Rally’s like today’s rally show that it’s only a matter of time before the will of the people is heard.
How many ways do I love Steve Colbert? His bitterly-sarcastic skewering of right-wing tv hosts like Bill O’Reilly already won my heart. But then, his tongue-lashing of George W. Bush, with Bush sitting about six feet to Colbert’s left, totally won me over. How can you not love someone who would say this to George W’s face?
Now, I know there are some polls out there saying this man has a 32% approval rating. But guys like us, we don’t pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in “reality.” And reality has a well-known liberal bias.
But why take my word for it? Watch it yourself!
