From: DJ Vollkasko (DJ_Vollkasko_at_gmx.net)
Date: Sun Dec 05 2004 - 07:01:48 PST
>
>> Argh... How could ANYBODY get rid of a '61 bus? (I'd make her go=20
>> out and
>> find it and bring it back!)
>> I've wanted a classic VW (camper) bus for so long now. Some day...
>>
>> BTW, the Samba is a very stylin' bus. Just don't drive with your
> windshield
>> windows open. :O)
>>
>> Matt K.
Oh boy, a VW Samba... I would swap the second Acadiane stored on the=20
premises of the Vollkasko-Mansion plus some dosh against one of those=20
right away... But not before I'd finished my 1979 Citroen Acadiane=20
(gonna be my kayaking mothership, complete with sleeping bunk for two=20
and basic comforts) and my luv's got her silver beetle (the plenty=20
millionth-K=E4fer special edition) running again before tackling yet=20
another automotive project.
We've been looking at buying a new car for her, and most of them are=20
crap. Consumption per car ain't really lower than twenty years ago,=20
because small cars now have twice to thrice the power than they used to=20=
have back then - which isn't really any use at all, as there's more=20
traffic on the streets, and you can't travel the slightest bit faster=20
than you could then. Plus more horse power results in more dangerous=20
accidents (laws of nature didn't get any decent upgrade since oh I=20
don't know when), resulting in more "safety" in cars, leading people to=20=
drive speedier for the short stretches they can. So they stand in=20
traffic jams longer, rush any stretch that's free for driving speedier,=20=
only to stand in the next jam quicker. Really absurd, if you think.=20
(Like with computers - you don't need max CPU speed for most purposes,=20=
if the box just idles and waits for input, all heated up (=3D waste=20
energy) and eager to go, but going nowhere, because the end user hasn't=20=
been accellerated in the same way.)
And then I hear so much at work from people who have issues with their=20=
modern cars: Fords that don't start when it's hot, BMWs and Mercedeses=20=
that don't start at all, or where special electronic security features=20=
turn on and off at will while driving... The best was a friend who had=20=
a BMW motorcycle with ABS braking. Too bad his bike's ABS suddenly=20
failed when he drove the curved exit lane off a highway. He caught the=20=
bike with much luck and returned it to the dealership.
It's just like with PDAs: Too many functions nobody wants, and none of=20=
the extendability everybody craves for. In this, I prefer my Newton (as=20=
I prefer old cars), because the interfaces are pretty basic, very=20
direct and responsive and reliable to handle, while beneath the hood,=20
there's plenty stuff to add and tweeze.
I only wished there'd be a simple and effective fuel cell package on=20
could strap onto the old cars and in small for the Newton, so we could=20=
get out of the death grip the fossile fuel industry has on us (Europe=20
lost ten thousands of people in the heat wave 2003, and now that=20
weather event has been connected beyond assumptions/rumors/conventional=20=
wisdom by reasearchers to human impact on the environment).
DJV.
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/ WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon Dec 06 2004 - 02:00:00 PST