Gas 2.0

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Ray LaHood Think High-Speed Rail Should Be Our Legacy … Posted: 24 Dec 2010 09:56 AM PST Ray LaHood … and he’s right. In a recent article, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood pushes for the development of an efficient high-speed rail system in the United States to rival those of Japan and Europe. Unlike most articles/letters of this kind, however, LaHood’s piece (originally published in the Orlando Sentinel) is compelling stuff, urging young (cynical?) people to consider their generation’s legacy and contribution to future generations of Americans.  It’s the kind of plea that begs for an “Ask not what your country can do for you …” reference, and one that is full of reason and pathos, invoking (as it does) both environmental and economic buzz-words, coming to conclusions that are tough to argue against. I don’t mean for this post to be any sort of “love-letter” to Ray LaHood … but I do want high-speed rail.  I agree with every word LaHood says, when he claims that high-speed rail “will seamlessly integrate large metropolitan communities and economies through a safe, convenient and reliable transportation alternative.  It will ease congestion on our roads and at our airports.  It will reduce our reliance on oil as well as our carbon emissions.  And it will provide a much-needed boost to America’s hard-hit manufacturing sector during a time of economic struggle.” How could it (high-speed rail) not deliver on at least two of those promises?  Consider: Creating manufacturing (and other) jobs - unemployment is higher than it has been in my (and many of Gas 2.0 readers’) lifetime.  Someone will have to build the rails, blast the tunnels, construct the trains, etc.  This will be a long-term employment machine, as well, since others will need to clean the terminals, maintain the stations, repair and service the trains (and the power-plants serving the trains).  There will be jobs for graphic artists and web developers to promote the trains and educate the public and generate maps and apps and app maps … it just goes on and on. Easing congestion – who would travel by car or plane on trips of less than 500 miles if there was an effective high-speed rail?  I certainly wouldn’t. The last point LaHood makes is one, also, that should speak to some of the recent short-sightedness among the political reactionaries in Ohio and Wisconsin – and it’s a point that speaks to the idea of a future and a legacy:  many Americans my age (early-mid 30′s) can hardly imagine an America without interstate highways.  The interstates have – for better and for worse – shaped the American landscape for the last 40 years, and have altered our perceptions of distance and culture in ways that my generation simply can’t appreciate.  The interstates are the legacy of our parent’s generation, and the rails could be ours. Nice-looking legacy, I think! La Hood points to the notion of “legacy” again in his impassioned closing, which I’ve included below. “When we look to America’s past, it can be easy to forget that America was never predestined to have the world’s best highways. Progress only became possible because generations before us dreamed big and built big – because they imagined, invested and sacrificed for the infrastructure on which we rely to this day.” Like our parents and grandparents, we, too, must exercise the foresight and courage to invest in the most important infrastructure projects of our time. If we work together, a national high-speed-rail network can and will be our generation’s legacy.” Well said, Ray. You can click over to BizTimes for the original article:  by clicking here. Source:  Orlando Sentinel, via BizTimes.

Top Five Green Gifts-for-Myself 2010 Posted: 24 Dec 2010 07:55 AM PST Whatever holiday you do, or don't celebrate, I hope it is a happy one. Me personally, I celebrate Christmas. These are my Top Five Green Gifts-for-Myself, that I would buy for being so gosh darn nice this year. Now I know, the holidays are as much about giving as they are receiving. I covered giving pretty good, and hey, there are no laws against buying a gift for yourself, right? So if I had the means (and I don't) to buy myself an extravagant gift for being a good boy this year, well, this is what I'd buy myself. #5: M55 Beast E-Bike: I don't currently own an operating bicycle, and I have not been on a bike in probably a decade. Shameful, I know, but if any bicycle could get me back into pedaling for fun, it's the M55 Beast. This bad boy has an electric motor assist that can propel you to speeds of up to 40 mph and a range of around 75 miles. What really sets it apart though is the carbon fiber and titanium frame, the Fox Sports suspension, and the general badass attitude of this e-bike. It probably costs as much as a Corvette. #4: Honda CR-Z: I'm tempted to hold out for a non-hybrid version of this sporty hatchback. But there is something cool about what Honda tried to do here with the CR-Z, even if it falls short of expectations. It's an affordable, high-mileage car that is supposedly fun to throw through some cones. I can get down with that. Maybe I'll get some of that hybrid smug I'm always hearing about. #3: Brammo Enertia Plus: Like bikes, I don't ride motorcycles, though I've always wanted one. The Brammo Enertia Plus is a practical, cool-looking electric motorcycle. While the low top speed is a bit of a turn off, the 80-mile range and unique appearance puts it towards the top of my wish list. #2: Tesla Roadster: Convertibles are cool, but electric convertibles with Lamborghini-like speed and a 200-mile range are cooler. Sure, the Tesla Roadster isn’t new, but it’s bound to be collectible some day. At over $100,000 a pop, its definitely the most extravagant gift on this list, but worth every penny. #1: Ford F-150 EcoBoost: The F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in America for almost 30 years, and there is good reason for that. My father has racked up over 300,000 miles between two trucks in 24 years. I own an F-150 that made it to almost 220,000 miles before the Mazda-built transmission broke (is still starts though). Like a lot of Americans, I grew up in Ford pickups, and the new F-150 EcoBoost gets my pickup fetish all aroused. It’s fast, reliable, and will probably be the most fuel efficient truck that can haul 12,000 pounds. It’s also the fastest non-specialty truck you can buy. It's got two turbochargers, 365 horsepower, and 420 ft-lbs of torque….and uh, the word "Eco" in it. Just watch the video. Hey, I never claimed to be perfect. Just honest. And I'd honestly buy myself an EcoBoost F-150 for Christmas if I could. I'm a horrible hippy. Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.

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