Friday, 4 July 2008

Buying A Car? Don't Buy A Hybrid To Save Money

With the increasing costs of gas, the demand for hybrid cars has apparently increased. If you are looking to buy a new car and want to save money, don't fall for the hype surrounding hybrids.

I have always considered the hybrid car as a bit of a scam. It doesn't save the buyer any money and in many cases costs them more.

But look at all of the money I would save on gas? Yes it is true that one can save money on fuel. But is it worth the extra $5,000 you are spending on the car. For the cost of a hybrid is generally more than the cost of a conventional compact car and only gets about 10 miles to a gallon more.

So let's do the math. The average person drives 15,000 miles in a a year. Hybrid A gets 45 miles per gallon while Compact B gets 35 miles per gallon. In a typical year car A will use 333 gallons while Car B uses 428 gallons or 95 gallons more than car A. Even at $5 a gallon that is only $475 a year in savings. It would take almost 11 years to realize the price difference from gas. If the price of gas drops back to $2 it would take over 20 years to make up the difference.

This doesn't take into the account the amount of interest one pays on the $5,000 from a traditional five year loan. Still don't believe me? Take a look at a the results from an Edmunds.com report which ranked the cheapest cars to own over 5 year. Guess what? None of the hybrids cracked the top 10.

Posted by brians at 10:20 AM in Political Issues
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The Crony Express

Ah yes, the crony express continues forward at full steam. The latest example can be found in Beshear's re-organization of the horse racing authority.

Gov. Steve Beshear on Thursday reorganized the state panel that regulates horse racing in Kentucky, adding several new members that are major Democratic party backers.

Beshear said he was making the move because racing is “in crisis and immediate, aggressive action is necessary to preserve its integrity.”

The only crisis I see is that the commission has to many Republicans and not enough friends of Beshear.

Several of the ousted members of the authority, such as Whitfield, who is the wife of Republican Rep. Ed Whitfield of Hopkinsville, had Republican connections.

So who do we get to replace them? If you guessed cronies then you would be right.

The new appointees include Tracy Farmer, who was state Democratic Party chairman as well as head of an independent fund-raising committee that backed Beshear and was heavily supported by tracks and horse connections seeking casino gambling.

Another, former University of Louisville and Tennessee basketball coach Wade Houston, co-chaired Beshear's inaugural committee with Farmer. The basketball connections also include Michael Pitino, son of UofL coach Rick Pitino.

The father of Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway – attorney Thomas Conway – is also among the appointees.

Former commission vice chairman Frank L. Jones, who owns a Louisville pool business, gave to both Jack Conway and Beshear in the last election cycle.

Thoroughbred owner and Fort Mitchell attorney Travis Burr II in the last year gave $3,500 to the state Democratic party and another $3,500 to the Kentucky Victory 2007 fund, which backed Beshear.

I think Beshear could own a cell phone company. He already has the friends and family plan down pat.

Posted by brians at 9:46 AM in Kentucky Politics
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Happy Birthday America

The idea that is the United States of America was born 232 years ago. An idea that was so radical and treasonous at the time that it started a war. A revolutionary war.

An idea that was so powerful that it lead a rag tag bunch of colonialists to defy their king. To fight a war. To give the strength necessary to persist during dark times.

It was an idea that impassioned a nation to grow from humble roots to being the most powerful nation in the world. It was an idea that has made that nation a beacon of light in a world filled to often with darkness.

What was this radical idea? It was the idea that all men are created equal. That all man had the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is the American idea. One that even with our political bickering still remains powerful today.

Where else can a boy of limited financial means create a software company that propelled him to be one of the world's richest men. Where else can a black boy from Hawaii or a military soldier's son from Arizona grow up to win both parties nomination to be president. Where else can one go and find a people as mobile? A people with more wealth? A people with more opportunity? A people with more freedom?

Yes, America is the greatest country in the world. And as long as the idea of freedom continues to burn brightly in America, it will continue to be that shinning city on the hill.

Happy birthday America!

Posted by brians at 9:31 AM in Announcements
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