Done!

Done with the sweater and done with school. It feels good.

Isn't it pretty? Doesn't it fit awesomely? I'm visiting my family on Cape Cod this weekend and I think it will be perfect for the chilly Cape spring.

I also wanted to show off my window garden.

From the left, that's cilantro, spearmint, jade, parsley, and basil.

And here's the obligatory Franklin-looking-cute.

Apparently some TV news shows actual news!

Desde ahora, voy a mirar las noticias en espanol.

LoL

I like the concept of caffeine as an alternative fuel source.

Thoughts on gas prices...

Clinton and McCain's plan to drop the gas tax for the summer is a bad idea that won't actually lower prices for consumers. Bottom line: oil companies operate an oligopoly and demand is inelastic, so savings go to producers instead of consumers.

The environmentalist in me say that rising gas prices are a good thing. They encourage people to conserve and stimulate investment in alternatives. But rising energy prices have the greatest effect on poor people's budgets, and that's not cool. In the long run we can develop public transportation and increase fuel efficiency standards, but in the short run people have to get to work.

The solution: gas stamps. They would operate kinda like food stamps. You buy a stamp at a reduced price (say $2 or $3) that gets you a gallon of gas. The amount of stamps people can buy is limited. You could either have a fixed quantity per person, or a variable quantity based on income and driving needs. It's like a ration, except the quantity allocated to each person is still market-based. If you want more gas than you can buy with your permits, you pay the high market prices. In fact, market prices would likely increase. So, people can drive as they need to and conservation is still encouraged.

Progress on the Sweater

I've done the front, back, and most of the sleeve. The end is in sight, but I fear the weather will be too hot to wear it by the time it is done. The semester is coming to a close and I have my hands full with term papers. Two of them, a total of ~35 pages, are on Cape Wind. I've really gotten into wind energy this semester. I think it is the best energy source to develop right now. We need clean, secure domestic renewable energy, and the costs of producing wind power are very close to fossil fuels. A carbon tax would probably make wind power the cheapest option. I'm actually toying with the idea of starting a blog all about wind power development in the US, but given how infrequently I update my existing blog, I wonder if I would neglect that project as well. It could be put on the summer project list, but I already have a full time internship, and extensive reading list, a demanding hound dog, and I want to learn web design.

Speaking of the bagle hound:

Isn't he cute!