Four for Friday

May 26

Q1 - Automobiles: A gallon of gasoline weighs just over 6 pounds. When burned, the carbon in it combines with oxygen from the air to produce nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2). With that in mind, and with the price of gasoline continually on the rise, how likely is it that the next car you buy will be a hybrid?
I'd like to buy a hybrid. There are some other factors that are important to me (us) besides the pollution factor: safety, repair costs, how long the car itself will survive (some brands just last longer without constant maintenance).

Q2- Television: How many channels are on your television, and approximately how many of them do you watch on a somewhat regular basis?
We probably have close to 500 channels. We probably watch fewer than 5% of them regularly. The high number is related to the addition of XM Radio channels, which we rarely listen to.

Q3- How Are They Doing: Do you think pharmaceutical and drug companies generally do a good or bad job of serving their consumers?
They are in it for the money, not for sick people. I think generally they do all right by them, but I just don't see how you can justify making exorbitant amounts of money off illness. Much of the blame, however, has to be placed squarely at the feet of the totally screwed-up insurance "system" we have in the U.S.

Q4- Right Now: What is the closest object to your left hand?
My left hand is on the keyboard of the laptop, which is sitting on my legs...beyond the computer and my body, I guess the nearest thing is either the couch or the notes I've been working on for the Giant Inventory Project That Needs to Be Done (Having Never Been Done Since Time Immemorial).