Thought of the Day: Where is the Line?

How expensive do you think gas will need to get per gallon before people will start taking the bus? Then in turn how long do you think it will be horrid and crowded on busses before Seattle gets improved public transport?

According to the King County Dept. of Transportation, January –March of 2008 only had an increased ridership of 6% from the same period last year.

Everett reported an 8% increase (my assumption is that it is harder to walk to places in Everett than Seattle and the Naval base probably increases the number of persons without cars[?]). [Source.]

According to some calculations I made at a variety of sites, gas was approximately an average of $3.23 a gallon from January to March of this year, compared to the approximate average of $2.56 over the same period last year. So theoretically, admitting the possibility of other contributing factors, a $.67 increase in gas prices motivated a 6% increase in ridership. Gas is now $4 a gallon, a $.70 increase, so will it follow that another 6% increase is in the making?

If I had more accurate data I could rock this party, but I think it will be interesting to see what happens as gas prices continue to rise. And they will because 6 years ago gas prices and crude oil prices were hovering neck and neck, but as time has passed crude oil prices have shot up dramatically, particularly in the past year or so, but gas prices have not risen proportionately. See nifty chart below. You will notice that crude is now waaaaaaaay up there. So, I would assume that if crude oil prices were simply to hold exactly where they are (snort) we are still looking at at least $6 gas when we catch up.

Thought of the Day: Evangelism

Why do people require that you believe what they believe? Science, God, and politics are the worst of these areas. But I see it in art, music, and sports as well.

I kind of understand religious people being scared of the repercussions of not believing in a God and even in politics changing people's votes could be significant.

But why are atheists evangelical? Why does an atheist care if I want to worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster? It is a mystery to me.

Thought of the Day: Seattle Freeze?

Have any of you heard of the Seattle Freeze?
Apparently newcomers to Seattle are happy to find that we are polite, but notice that we are distant and hard to get to know.

I've moved here twice, and not noticed any chill. Perhaps that is a product of my general feeling blindness? Or my outgoing personality? If I want to hang out with someone I just ask, rather than wait to be asked, so that is probably a difference.

It has been asserted that it is our pioneer outpost mentality. Which I guess I can kind of see. The business of pioneering is in my family, so that does make sense. My some increment of greats aunt Kit came to Willamette Valley via the Oregon trail, soon my family even went further north to Fairbanks Alaska- can't get too much more pioneer-like than that.

Anyway, I'm starting to digress mildly, but where was going was that I took a class in college on the history of The West (you know... here) and in it we took a brief quiz and using our answers our professor guessed who was from The West and who wasn't.

One question was, "About a mile after the last exit leaving town your car breaks down, you have no cell phone, what do you do?" Two of us answered "Walk back to the last exit and get help." Everyone else answered on some variation on wait for help." The other person who answered hike back to a gas station was from California.

I've come up with a few reasons why Westies would walk:
1. We're dressed for it- especially in Seattle.
[Digression: Last night I was shopping at Ann Taylor with my friend Czabrina and she was looking at this kind of poncho-like sweater thing- you know the jackets with no sleeves- and it was very pretty, but I think I would look so dumb surrounded by women in trendy sneakers, NorthFace zip-front windproof jackets, and jeans.]

2. The next exit could be distant/how many people are realistically likely to pass?
It could be a while before anyone shows up to rescue you.

3. We aren't scared of the outdoors.
Westerners seem more interested in wilderness sports- we do have more actual wilderness, so we've spent more time out there.

What I'm wondering is: is the4th reason the pioneering spirit. That 'get up and do it yourself' attitude mixed with a little 'mind your own business' pioneer gruffness?
What do you think?

Honestly, I'd rather live somewhere polite and 'frosty' than somewhere rude and... uhm, whatever the opposite of distant and freeze-y is. Coming here from Philly, I am just happy that when you put on your turn signal people let you in, instead of speeding up.

Thought of the Day: Fast Cars and Fast Women

1. And by fast cars I mean lumbering SUVs. Yesterday when I was traveling home from the office a black Escalade merged into the lane to my right. And then immediately cut me off, as though I didn't predict that the Escalade driver would do that.
What is it about certain types of cars that are a window into the souls of their owners?
I'm pretty sure that my vehicle ('96 Merc. Sable) says 'I have two kids and think that King of Queens is hi-larious' which may or may not be detrimental to my theory.

2. And by fast women I mean uhm... fast women. Slate brought up lyrics to a Dar Williams song, with which I am familiar, but hadn't meditated on before (because while I went to Bryn Mawr, I am not a "Mawrter"). The lyrics go thusly:
"Now I'm in this clothing store
and the sign says 'less is more'
more that's tight means more to see
more for them, not more for me."
And I think that the end lyric, for me, is most important. It isn't that I lose something if I whip out my tits on Girls Gone Wild. (Although in terms of external judgments I undoubtedly would.) It is that I don't gain anything.
And the brand of selflessness that leads to random people masturbating is not the particular brand of selflessness to which I feel any allegiance.
Now if it involves being saucy towards someone towards whom I have intentions, that is a different story, morning glory. (RAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWRRRR)

3. Special Bonus Thought which will probably get me in trouble.
Last night I received an email from a friend notifying me that she was done with our fight and wanted to bury the proverbial hatchet.
To which I responded, "Sounds good. It is very kind of you to make the first advance."
But to which I wanted to respond, "What fight? Are we not talking or something?"
This is yet another event in a series of incidents in which someone thinks that we are super-buds and I think that we are acquaintances. Also this marks yet another time in which I have failed to notice someone's attempt to punish me.
Additionally, I hope this doesn't require an apology, because that is *not*going to happen.
If I recall correctly (and as I can surmise from the puzzling email contents) the 'fight' occurred when she made some ridiculous political generalization and I responded with a comment along the lines of "that is a sweeping generalization," followed by a "how did you arrive at that conclusion?" And may have chased that with something like (and I promise that this was more tactfully said, though I cannot remember verbatim), "this kind of knee-jerk reaction could be better dealt with through further consideration and research of sources outside of blatantly liberal biased, or non-existent (or found on the comedy channel*) sources."
Since when did being friends mean that you can't have intelligent discourse on the topics of the day? I don't watch American Idol so I'm up shit-creek for boring small talk. I would prefer to discuss important things, but not if the end result is that I am declared stupid or stubborn.
Is it crazy to ask someone to defend their beliefs? Furthermore, if you believe something, shouldn't you be able to say why?

*Not actually said, but was very much desired.

Thought of the Day: Things that I worry about.

1. Last night I had some anxiety that something (read Nature) would climb into my car. Perhaps another vicious squirrel assassin. I am sure this is exactly the sort of opening Nature has been looking for.

2. Last night I became extremely angry when my adjuster called and left me a voicemail mentioning that she thought it was a bonehead idea to leave my unsecured vehicle on the street and couldn't I just have that glass fixed.
So I left her an angry message. I didn't say 'no shit, Sherlock," but I wanted to. I did casually mentioned that I called 5 places unsuccessfully trying to get my glass fixed yesterday and since my agent was clueless I was kind of screwed on that whole immediate assistance issue.
Now I feel bad because I have had to leave a few feisty messages with people and I am not big on losing my temper. But, I lost my temper, and the end result: tears. As always. Additionally, now I feel like a jerk.

3. Of course I called one last auto glass place on my Grandma's suggestion (after I snapped at her) and left them a message, so my car will be fixed today. Thus semi-alleviating my fears, but continuing my belief that I'm a grandma-snapping at-ing, mean voice-mail leaving jerk.

4. In other news I had a little argument about this Michael Vick business with my Grandma the day before as well. Essentially my comment was that he should go to jail, but if Leonard Little can drunkenly kill a human being and still play for the NFL then Michael Vick should be allowed back in spite of public opinion.
Grandma essentially just feels strongly about dogs and wants him to suffer. Which is fine. I even believe that (brace yourself for an uncool opinion) God asked us to be the stewards of this planet- so fighting dogs to the death is a pretty gross way to exercise our power.
I am also all for Vick doing a huge amount of jail time, but if the NFL wants to ban players based upon criminal records, there needs to be some parity. According to USA Today, 13 players in the 2000 Super Bowl had criminal records. If the NFL starts booting criminals, what is a boot-able offense? I whole-heartedly support all sports leagues making rules about criminal behavior; after all, these are explicitly role models.
Furthermore, I like dogs a lot, but I wish I could harness all of the public anger about this dog-fighting and turn it towards helping people or getting our civil liberties back.

Thought of the Day: Pig and Monkey Edition

1. Ways I could get rich:
-Old men have needs too... or so I hear.
-Slip and fall at Macy's, sue.
-Be prescribed allergy meds, grow third eye, sue.
-Fake own death for life insurance.
-Grave rob?
-Get knocked up by celebrity. Extort.
-Find buried treasure.
-Online adult film entrepreneur.
-Leprechaun.



2. Things that are similar to Christmas:
Paris Hilton in Jail.
Paris Hilton put back in jail.



3. Last night I sat down and sorted the 1.5 foot tall pile of comics that I need to catch up on and now I am EXHAUSTED and the floor of my tiny studio apartment is covered in piles of comics. That being said, some of my favorite comics are reaching their end and if I catch up soon I will have (almost) no books with pictures (GASP). Let me know if you have any snazzy recommendations.



4. My high school reunion is next year and I have done nothing with myself. Quick! Someone give me an idea on how to make myself impressive in 12 months or less!



5. Today irritating coworker was condescending to the point that she (literally) patted me on the head and called me "honey." I refrained from saying, "I'll cut you." But only just.



6. I'm trying to think of amusing stories to but on this here blog. You can make suggestions. That's always good. No pressure. Really. But you could.



7. I typed bacon monkey into Google Images and got the following. I consider this funny. You should consider yourself warned.

Thought of the Day: Raaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwr

I was at a friend's house a while ago for a little gathering and at some point in the evening he removed a video from his VCR. Upon noting the title I exlaimed, "You huge loser! Do you own Underworld?"
He said, "Yes, yes I do."
Later this friend reveled to me that the film was actually a porn by the same title, because he didn't want me to think that he owned the feature film, Underworld.

Which brings me to my Thought of the Day:
I do not like boring people. I spend all day juggling data and writing dry email responses to morons. When I hang out with someone I need them to bring a little interesting to my life.
My friends that are not friends of obligation all have something about them that is interesting.
I don't especially value 'niceness.' Being a nice guy is not good enough. But if you are a nice guy who can quote extensively from Chaucer or Futurama, I am a happy girl.
I think that the above story illustrates my friend's understanding of my personality perfectly. I really would be less ashamed of him owning third rate pornography than owning the poorly done vampire/werewolf crap-fest that is Underworld.

Crap about which I’m thinking- Produce Edition!

I just noticed that I accidentally purchased an organic banana imported from Ecuador.

Good news: (probably) scary pesticide free (who knows who oversees this in a developing nation)
Bad news: I just paid .79$ for bananas to be shipped using fossil fuels from a jillion miles away.

Net environmental impact = :o(

Other thing:
Because I apparently desire to have student loans for the rest of my life, I am thinking of buying a new digital camera. If anyone has any words of wisdom, both product-wise and research-wise, I would welcome them. While I don’t need a fancy camera, I am interested in size, screen size, ease of getting pictures off the camera, and to a lesser extent picture quality. Additional thought: how much should I care whether the battery is an AA or a rechargeable?

Thank Paul for bringing the photo to my attention.

My car is a vile robot intent on my destruction.

Well, my fiscal destruction at any rate.
Today the fine fellows at Andy's notified me that to fix my alternator would be about $500. To do the rest of my scheduled maintenance would cost me an arm, a leg, my firstborn child, a barn of straw spun to gold, my entire comic book collection, one ovary, and a muffin. Ok, fine, about $1200.
This makes me sad, as I had already mapped out how much further ahead I would be at the end of this month. Now I can calculate how much further behind I will be.
I might add that I have now paid more in repairs etc. on this vehicle than it was purchased for and that the vehicle is worth less than $1200.
Oh well, I am not at the bottom; and not at the bottom is good enough for me.

In happier news my foot is hurting much less and I have made it to the second round of interviews in a very promising job. Perhaps things are looking up.