GM unveils 'fuel-sipping' Camaro

I don't consider 26 mpg highway for a V-6 exactly fuel-sipping, but the new bad ass design certainly doesn't conjure the "poor man's Corvette" in describing it.

-janelane

GM unveils 'fuel-sipping' Camaro - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro (1) - CNNMoney.com

As no repairs have been carried out for 34 years, all of the buildings are slowly falling apart. Nature is reclaiming the area, as metal corrodes, windows break, and plants work their roots into the walls and pavements.

Fascinating! Interesting that people will loot even under the threat of nuclear contamination.

Reminds me of two great books on the subject. :-)

-janelane

10 Most Amazing Ghost Towns

The Bush administration’s plan to rescue the nation’s two largest mortgage finance companies ran into sharp criticism in Congress on Tuesday as some lawmakers questioned the open-ended request for money that could be used to help the companies.

No. More. Blank. Checks. We've seen what Bush did with the last one.

-janelane

Opposition, From Both Parties, Over Bailout Plan - NYTimes.com

A new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) details progress toward its Healthy People 2010 goal of delivering optimally fluoridated water to 75 percent of the US population.

In 2006, that goal (defined as 0.7–1.2 mg/L) had been achieved for 69.6 percent of the population, an increase from 62.1 percent in 1992 and from 65 percent in 2000. By 2006, about half the states had reached the 75 percent target.

Some states are still drastically behind the curve on fluoridated public water.

CDC reports on fluoridation - MainStream - Publications - AWWA

The Federal Reserve unanimously approved new mortgage lending rules Monday in a crackdown on shady practices - particularly subprime loans made to borrowers with weak credit.

About fucking time! Where the hell have they been the last 5 years?

Also, a big F-U to Congress for stalling the homeowner foreclosure aid bill. Not that I agree with bailing people out, but it has taken them 10 times longer to do anything about the homeowners' woes than Wall Street banks'.

That anyone could even THINK about putting another Republican in the executive office is beyond me. We'll be trying to recover ground lost in the last eight years well into the next eighty!

-janelane, "won't someone think of the children"

Fed unveils new rules aimed at curbing shady home loans - Jul. 14, 2008

A 2007 Department of Energy study found that access to coastal energy deposits would not add to domestic crude oil and natural gas production before 2030 and that the impact on prices would be “insignificant.”

And ANWR would also have as little effect in as long a time to develop.

Let's also not forget that the global price for oil is the global price for oil no matter where it comes from.

So let's review: You can't drive your way out of congestion, and you can't drill your way out of an energy crisis.

-janelane, frustrated non-politician smart person

With High Gasoline Prices, Offshore Drilling Is Gaining Favor - NYTimes.com

There were those who said the Mets had plenty of reasons to part company with Mr. Randolph — 35 reasons this season (the number of games the Mets had lost). The team was tied with the Atlanta Braves for third place in the National League East, 6 ½ games out of first. The Mets were just under .500 for the season, having won 34 games.

So, does this mean the Braves should be hunting for a new manager?

-janelane

In Life, as in Baseball, Getting Fired Is an Opening for a Comeback - NYTimes.com

University spokesman Dan Mogulof said the actions were being taken to remove hazards from the grove and that there would be no attempt on Tuesday to forcibly remove the protesters.

"We are not removing tree sitters today," Mogulof said. "At this point we have no plan to forcibly remove people from the trees. What we are doing is putting the pieces in place to make it difficult if not impossible for them to sustain this illegal and dangerous occupation of University property.''

Holy crap! There are still hippies! Albeit, feces-throwing hippies, but the point remains. Yay, local environmental causes!

-janelane, closet hippie minus the feces-throwing

Crews Remove UC-Berkeley Tree-Sitters Ropes - News Story - KTVU San Francisco

Four states — Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada — accounted for about 89 percent of the foreclosures, a disproportionately high amount of the newly reported figures. Those regions have suffered the sharpest price drops.

That makes more sense. Before, the article says that 1 in 10 homeowners is foreclosing or delinquent on their payments, and I couldn't believe that about Georgia.

-janelane

Nearly 1 in 10 Homeowners Face Loan Problems - NYTimes.com

The State of Real Estate, by Jonathan R. Surridge, May 25th 2008

Great presentation on the housing bubble and the disaster we remain in.

JSurridge.pdf (application/pdf Object)