G. David Felt

I am currently totally loving the Labradoodle. Soft, does not shed, good personality and hypo allergenic if you have friends with allergies. Great over all medium size dog. My sister and her partner are going to get two of them. They spent the day with this lovely Labradoodle who is now owned by one of their friends. This was at 6 weeks old during the summer.

I totally agree, that UX250h is a POS auto and I truly believe due to it being in California for years before going nationally is the last of the compliance auto's still being sold. But it has the stupid L on the front end so badge snobs buy it, but it really is a UGLY SPUD as you say. Cramped, not comfy and NOT LUXURY! Totally agree with you here.

Lexus has been lagging behind the EV race as they focused on their Prius Hybrid Powertrain going into everything they could. Now we have this. This is an update to Toyota's EV announcement last year with their new platform reveal at the end and the Tease of Toyota's new EV SUV that will come out next year. Interesting 13 minutes.

Everyone Loves a Woody!

The State of Georgia and yes , the same state that is being contested by the current president of the US has opened the first Solar Roadway in the US. Located in the Atlanta Metropolitan area, Peachtree Corners using Wattway solar panels by French road-builder Colas Group has installed as a real world test panels over the whole road. They are installed on top of the existing road surface and provides comparable levels of Grip to conventional paving. This is an 18 mile road and will help to prove a better way of economical, environmentally safe helping to reduce emissions. This is one of the largest outside of France road installations as testing will allow long term viability by seeing how it holds up to Semi Trucks on down to Motorcycles. The road way is expected to produce 1,300 kilowatts-hours of electricity which will be used by a FREE Level 2 Charging station at the City Hall and open to all EV drivers who wish to use it. An energy storage system is also installed to insure charging is available for nighttime use. Georgia gets first solar roadway in the US (greencarreports.com)

Very Cool, the First fully EV Charging station with Rapid Charge terminals has opened in the UK. This is the first of 100 new EV focused charging stations that will open over the next 5 years and the roofing is all solar to support the charging as well as pulling power from Green energy sources. Cool fact to quote the writeup: There is also a 6 MWh battery onsite which helps to balance the local energy grid and shift energy to periods when it is more valuable. For example, on windy winter nights the battery can store enough energy to drive 24,000 miles in electric vehicles the following day, helping to maximize the value of renewable energy resources, stabilise the grid, and keep prices low. UK opens first fully electric vehicle service station, powered by solar, today - Electrek

A Comic for Computer Nerds. Gotta say, this is the ultimate year of quotes for 2020 Pandemic!

? All the Atheists I know either have dogs, a far superior pet or none at all like me!

I love skiing all days even what we call Blue Bird days like this weekend. Lucky, snow returns tomorrow and normal cold rain for Seattle. I would miss skiing if I could not do it. Just great freedom. The ski resorts do say you can put down your face covering during the run, but must have it on at all times when in the resort area, lift areas and at the top of the lift areas. I see no difference in breathing, so I just keep it on during the run. Warmer face. I do look forward to some powder days. But for the first time up, great to get back in the grove on a sugar run day with Blue Bird conditions. The mountains are amazing from the runs. This is from ridding up Mills Creek, a 3 person chair normally. The views are like this from all over the mountain. This is from the Top of Khers Chair overlooking the lower resort area. Mountain at the Top Left corner is Cowboys Ridge, Single to triple black diamond, but amazing on a powder day. Beginners and intermediate is at the bottom and to the right in the photo. Map of the base ski area, more on the back side. From last year, it is supposed to be like this, this coming weekend.

Redoing the master bed room so ran to home depot for some supplies and found the following F250.

OUCH ,something is up at Ford. Bummer for the Contractors. https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2020/12/ford-motor-co-cuts-contract-workers-effective-immediately-ends-buyout-period-for-salaried-employees/ Ski season started and I got 10 runs in, 18 miles covered. Safety was top notch and you have to be fully covered at all times.

An oldie but a goodie!

I think there is also the East coast to west coast differences as the Cadillac dealers here are all stand alone in western Washington. Saw a mega Chevrolet, Buick, GMC Cadillac dealer in Spokane but the Cadillac still had it's own sales store compared to the other 3 were in the same building. I honestly think it is good to pare down the underperforming Cadillac dealers.

Stock Market crash

Yet while you have not replaced your blade for a sharp one, oil change or spark plugs, plenty of people do that annually or bi-annually as there would not be the home call service business. If these people broke down what they pay for gas, maintenance, etc. and compared it to the higher cost EV mowers which are significantly quieter also, they pay for themselves in the savings long term. I agree it is great that we have choices. I for one look at how long I usually hold onto a tool and use it and the costs to maintain it and I see savings on top of not having to wear ear muffs for the ICE noise. On top of this the average person does not do the maintenance you do or others here do on their auto's, tools, etc. Most people like @A Horse With No Name gain some benefit from doing their yard work. I enjoy the workout, but I am glad to not have to mess with fueling, oil, etc. You stated a $1000 for an EV Mower, I actually looked it up and paid $550 for mine and 5 years with zero maintenance other than some very cheap electric charging to run and it still is going strong. I say the EV mower is better than a cheap $200 ice mower IMHO. I also think we will go to more demo models at the dealers and more ordering what one wants than to have a ton of lot inventory. The internet and Amazon is making people re-think how they shop.

As one that is not afraid to pay 500 to 600 dollars for a quality mower, I have always had self driven mowers and Once EGO came out with their quality electric mower and I changed over, I will never go back. From the noise to the leaking fluids if you tip it and the maintenance while not a big deal and some like you and I have no problem with it, many people do and I see no need to have that frustration when electric can resolve so much of what I see as short comings of ICE mowers. Like EVs they start out high but are coming down and make far more sense to me than sticking with ICE. Noise and smell alone is a reason to go with an electric Mower over gas. Eventually autos will do the same as EVs will eventually replace all ICE, but till then we have a great variety to buy and use.

Ouch, Ford full size Bronco delayed again due to Coronavirus. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/04/ford-delaying-bronco-suv-to-summer-2021-due-to-covid-related-issues.html

I disagree, there are plenty of $200 dollar battery powered mowers out there, but how long they last on a charge I have no Idea as my grand dads and dad all said the same thing. Buy a quality tool to last and do not waste time on bottom or mid level. So I save, and buy the top of the line and it lasts and goes long distance saving me money. That is just my thinking.

Both neighbors that are on either side of my house are computer engineers like me. Unlike me they hate yard work or working on auto's, motors, etc. They both asked me when they moved in about mower recommendations. Sadly both are rather cheap as they were not willing to pay the price for an EGO. They both went with $150 ice mowers and now 5 years later, they have spent about $150 a year to have the mowers tuned up, fuel tank drained, oil changed each spring as they are smart developers, but cannot seem to think of draining the gas, and doing the basic maintenance of an ICE motor. So each spring they bitch and then pay a guy to come to their house to get their mowers running again. They both have agreed they should have bought the EGO mowers. While you Balthazar like to work on motors, many people do not. Even I while liking working on auto's and will when needed, would rather not have to deal with them and have less maintenance and work. Great that you have gone years on a single spark plug as I remember my top of the line Sears 6.5 HP mower till I retired it was only on a single spark plug that was the original since I bought it new. Yet cheaper ICE mowers seem to require more maintenance is my observation. Sadly, most people do not want to deal with yard maintenance so I always tell people, if you do not like yard work then pay to have it done.

My Mid Level EGO Mower which was top of the line 5 years ago is now their middle of the line mower. Amazon.com : EGO Power+ LM2100SP 21-Inch 56-Volt Cordless Self-Propelled Mower Battery and Charger Not Included : Garden & Outdoor

While I was happy with my gas mowers, I will say that the extensive maintenance of oil, gas, spark plug and the in-ability to store a gas mower in any place compared to my electric EGO is a big deal. The fact that I have more room in my shed with the folding mower and having it on it back edge is a win plus not having to do all the fall and spring maintenance to go into storage and out of storage makes electric a win. Plug in the battery pack and mow, take out the batter pack to recharge it and fold up the mower and stick it in a corner that is it for using an Electric mower and I do not have the top of the line from EGO but still 5 years later not a thing has failed or broke. Here is the best example of why EGO wins over Gas mowers. On top of this if you want too, you can have the mower hang from the wall if you need to get it up and out of the way.

Very Cool, that is an upgrade. Weight is noticeable between the 5Amp and 2.5Amp. I know due to using my Mower 5Amp battery on my blower.

The 5Amp according to their web site will fit in the 7.5 Amp mower. But I have not seen any tools that come with the 5Amp battery, just the 2.5 Amp batteries. I have never tried to run the mower with them. The battery does fit.

True at a dealership at least an hour or so at my local dealership is about an hr. But the grease monkey is always about 30 min. Agree, I noticed that the dealership now schedules up oil changes so I have never been longer than an hour and I like that you get tire rotation, over all auto check for any other maintenance needed and a complete wash and vacuum for a clean auto when you leave. Both of my auto's use Synthetic and so $69.95 at my Cadillac dealership for the Escalade and SS. I see no need to get dirty and get under the auto when it can be done this cheap IMHO and I am out the door without dealing with oil disposal and cleanup.

Very cool, Costco is probably cheaper on the large oil container than Napa or others. Here all used motor oil is required to be returned to any parts store for recycling. The 3rd party oil change places take at most 30 min to get it done and you usually just park the auto, go into the waiting area and then pay, head out the other side, jump in and drive off. Better than me getting dirty and messing with it all IMHO. But then that will be a thing of the past once I move to an EV.