We struggle with it everyday. Are these guys “independent”enough to endorse or talk about their product? If we haven’t looked that company up to see what they’re about should we even cover what they’re doing? The new Friend or Foe series is here to help with those questions. This is where we will have coverage of questionable companies and people in regards to independence with unquestionably good ideas or philosophies we should know about. We’ll leave it up to you to make up your own mind.
With that said here comes GINA . If you can’t acknowledge that BMW is on to, well… something then you might want to come back tomorrow when we’ll only be talking about companies we know for sure are independent.
Everyone knows that gas prices suck right now (I heart BART). But there’s a way to maximize each precious drop that goes in your tank. There’s a fast growing subculture of gas-misers, know as hypermilers. Encased in their hybrids, they use special techniques to save gas and piss off the rest of us on the roads. Like leaving 4 car lengths in front of them during stop-and-go rush hour traffic, what the fuck is that???! But I digress. I’m just jealous that I’m still in my SUV. Here are a couple of tips from our friends at Howcast…
The Crucible is gearing up for their 8th Annual Fire Arts Festival, happening July 9-12, 2008 (nightly from 8pm - Midnight)! This one-weekend-only event is not to be missed. They take over the huge empty lot across from their building/workspaces, create a city of machinery, and basically set everything on fire!!!
It’s a spectacular open-air exhibition with nearly four acres of fire sculpture and interactive art, amazing fire and dance performances, great music, food, libations, and more. This annual celebration showcases the largest collection of fire and light sculptures in the West Coast, like the gigantic sculptures by Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito, and the fabulous Steampunk Tree House, making its Bay Area debut.
If you are a fan of battling robots, destruction derbies of electronic compnents and scrap metal destruction… this is your weekend! RoboGames (formerly RoboOlympics) is setting up in Fort Mason for some showdown-style battles!
I just got my first “do something about gas prices this summer” email. It wasn’t a band together and don’t buy gas all on the same day but it also wasn’t much better. I’m not a economic wiz but I know enough and this was my response to the plan below.
“Here’s the Idea: For the rest of this year, DON’T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL.
If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.
But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It’s really simple to do! Now, don’t wimp out on me at this point…keep reading and I’ll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!
I am sending this note to 30 people. If each of us send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) …”
Here was my response to the email.
Do me a favor and send this one out to your list as well. I have a friend that is a chemical engineer for Exxon and so I definitely have an inside track.
I don’t believe I know that many of you and believe me the last time I “replied all” to anyone was back in college (to long ago then I want to mention). I don’t want to be a spoil sport to any ones revolution, speaking out, or doing what they feel is right but I do want to just say something that may help you in the long term.
The market demands that if the supply goes way up then we’ll be ok. Or if our consumption goes way down we’ll also see a decrease. But unless that happens we’ll be in trouble. When one gas company looses money guess what they do? Sell gas to another gas company because they’re supply is low and guess what then? They raise the price because buying from a competitor isn’t cheap. And this is all assuming that no one is influencing the market the way they want to see it go (a editorial for another time).
Wanna have your prices lower? Convince the rest of the country to not be hot and not use their A/C this summer. Or make most of the country use solar panels. If that’s not the case people will need more gas for summer trips, summer ac, summer concerts and summer art shows as well, don’t forget those summer bonus sales trips to the coolest places on the planet.
It’s like anything else. If you want to lose weight don’t call a doctor, go to the gym and change your regular diet. If you want to save money on gas, buy a bike, take public transit and then put your finger up to the man.
I love you all and this message is just me saying do whatever it is you can but make sure you’re doing something that does a good for the long term and not something that might/could but probably won’t help for this summer!
LEGENDmag was out at Nasa Ames Research Center at Moffett Field in lovely Mountain View to attend the second annual Yuri’s Night World Space Party! The event started last year as a celebration of the first person in space, Yuri Gagarin and similar events happen simultaneously around the world. Think of it as Burningman-meets-science fair with a sprinkling of NASA-rave thrown in for flavor… totally fun, yet a little peculiar.
LEGENDmag went to the CycleWorld International Motorcycle Show in San Mateo, CA this last weekend and got to sneak some peeks at the 2008 2-wheeled fun (and some 3-wheelers too!). Check out the pics:
