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22075. concerned - 6/26/2007 2:17:15 AM Congratulations, arky!
22076. concerned - 6/26/2007 2:26:58 AM I got my latest auto insurance bills, and they were real eye openers. I've been driving a 1998 2 door Chevy Tahoe exclusively for the last four years, and it's been great, except for the gas mileage, but I wanted to economize on gas, so I recently bought a 2002 Grand Am for cheap which gets about twice the mileage. Their blue book values are fairly close to each other at this point in time.
My driving record is pretty good as far as accidents, since I never was ruled responsible for an injury causing accident (which is different than being in an injury causing accident), so that was apparently taken into account in my current auto bills. I also dropped any coverage for repair of either vehicle.
The result was that the medical coverage premium for a six month period was about $19.00 ($36.00 overall) for the Tahoe versus about $136.00 ($198.00 overall) for the Grand Am, which means that I'm about seven times to be folded, spindled and mutilated in the Grand Am than the Tahoe because of the careless driving of some moron on the road.
So, when I finally buy a hybrid or fuel cell vehicle, I've decided that it's going to be the closest thing to a Tahoe I can get. 22077. arkymalarky - 6/26/2007 2:27:35 AM Thanks Con'd!
How's the new job? 22078. concerned - 6/26/2007 2:30:02 AM The Grand Am has pretty good frontal crash ratings, but that another story entirely, of course. 22079. arkymalarky - 6/26/2007 2:32:07 AM I love my Civic (non-hybrid), and insurance on it is cheap (don't remember exactly how much, but cheaper then our old van). It's roomy--my 5'8" friend and I went to dinner in it today, and she commented on that, and she drives a Tahoe. It gets 38-40mpg, and has a 5 star crash rating. And the car itself was cheap, though it's the only brand new vehicle I've ever owned. I just love it. I was advised at the dealer not to get the hybrid because the mpg wasn't different enough to justify the extra $7-8,000 it would have cost me. 22080. concerned - 6/26/2007 2:39:36 AM Re. 22077 -
Hi, Arky -
I'm hanging in there so far, but it's pretty crazy. My boss was fired three weeks after I started (he worked there for about two months before then), so I've already lasted about 60% as long as he has:) My new boss is his old boss, btw.
I'm working on three projects at once and one is supposed to be the hottest priority in the company. How's that for stress? It's a digital camera with a GPS interface and the option of 5MP and 8MP CMOS sensors. I've got the design done and it's in PCB layout in China, of all the crazy places. The heavy pressure comes because the customer claims that he'll lose the business unless we can deliver the package complete with working software, by the end of July.
As I said, pretty crazy, but this is probably just about the closest you can get in Flyover Country to a job where one is designing competitive electronics in high definition audio and video which is the area of concentration of the company I'm at.
The company I'm at has branches in South Korea and Japan, numerous contacts in Taiwan and Mainland China and has a working association with an engineering development firm in India. 22081. arkymalarky - 6/26/2007 2:54:13 AM Ooooh, that sounds very cool. I bought Bob a GPS for Father's Day/Birthday (Aug 4) and he LOVES it. (sidenote to Judith!)
Speaking of audio/video, someone told Bob there's a new device that converts albums to dvds without going through the computer and software (which I haven't had much luck with, sound-wise). He said it's around $300. Anyone know anything about it?
22082. concerned - 6/26/2007 3:02:15 AM Re. 22081 -
I don't know of any all in one unit, but if you have a turntable, preamp and a computer with a sound card and DVD recorder, there's software readily available to let you do it for less than that. 22083. arkymalarky - 6/26/2007 3:08:38 AM Yeah, I got Audacity, which is free, and it works, but I can't get the sound right. This is very new, or at least so Bob was told--by my dad, as he told me just now. 22084. alistairconnor - 6/26/2007 9:28:12 AM Sounds like a fun job, Con, unless the business is destined to crash & burn of course...
Arky, anyone else, don't buy a hybrid unless it comes with a power cord. (Why they don't come standard like that defies understanding.) 22085. thoughtful - 6/26/2007 6:01:55 PM huh? why does a hybrid need a power cord? 22086. alistairconnor - 6/26/2007 6:24:34 PM Well Tful, what the heck is the point of having an electric car, if the only means of getting electricity to run it is by burning petroleum? Isn't that just a tiny bit counter-intuitive?
Or just do the sums. Compare the price of electricity (on a night rate for example!) with the price of gas. 22087. wabbit - 6/26/2007 6:35:49 PM Arky, there are two ways to go. Ion makes a USB turntable that connects to your computer and lets you record a vinyl album, which you can then burn to CD.
Ion iTTUSB Turntable with USB Record
Ion LP-Ripping Turntable with USB Output
Or you could go with a standalone unit:
Crosley CR248PA Turntable/CD Recorder
TEAC GF-350 Turntable / CD-Recorder
Those are more expensive. I have no idea which would be better. I suspect the standalone is easier, but you have less control over the output. I guess it depends how much tinkering you like to do with audio software. 22088. wabbit - 6/26/2007 6:38:39 PM You could also go with concerned's suggestion. Pre-amps can be had for far less money, and Audacity is freeware, so if you already have a good turntable, that is the least expensive option. 22089. Ms. No - 6/26/2007 6:47:53 PM Airing today on Capital Public Radio KXJZ at 2pm PST
I'm anxious to hear it because I have no idea what I said other than when we were running the scene. Total blank in my mind. That's what happens when you stick a microphone in my face and a hottie Scot across the table from me. 22090. concerned - 6/26/2007 6:53:43 PM Hi, -
I was going to ask Arky what was wrong with the sound she was getting with Audacity but was having network connection problems. 22091. thoughtful - 6/26/2007 8:11:58 PM AC, the hybrids capture wasted energy from braking processes and store it electrically...that's how they gain mileage.
And just where do you suppose the electricity comes from that you'd plug a car in for? Granted in france you use a lot more nukes, but for most of us it's still fossil fuels, one way or the other...and many of us don't have such things as 'night rates'. 22092. anomie - 6/26/2007 9:49:21 PM Ms. No,
Drats! The internet radio stream is shut down today in protest. Of all days. 22093. anomie - 6/26/2007 9:52:10 PM Anyway, I cleared the 20th or 22nd with some friends up yonder to come see you. I'll firm up plans when I get back if there are any tickets left. 22094. Ms. No - 6/26/2007 10:00:24 PM Ha! Yeah, I just checked it out myself -- they're observing the "Day of Silence" in support of streaming internet's protest of the new copyright laws that are being proposed.
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