Trip Like I Do

Putting The Lead Back Into Unleaded

I am yet again shaking my head and pointing an accusatory finger at the Bush Administration for this kind of bullshit.

From the Washington Post -

EPA May Drop Lead Air Pollution Limits

By JOHN HEILPRIN

The Associated Press
Wednesday, December 6, 2006; 9:20 PM

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is considering doing away with health standards that cut lead from gasoline, widely regarded as one of the nation’s biggest clean-air accomplishments.

Battery makers, lead smelters, refiners all have lobbied the administration to do away with the Clean Air Act limits.

A preliminary staff review released by the Environmental Protection Agency this week acknowledged the possibility of dropping the health standards for lead air pollution. The agency says revoking those standards might be justified “given the significantly changed circumstances since lead was listed in 1976″ as an air pollutant.

The EPA says concentrations of lead in the air have dropped more than 90 percent in the past 2 1/2 decades.

Gee, I wonder why the concentrations of lead have dropped so significantly over the last 30 years? Was it because the Carter administration decided to take lead out of gasoline? Naw, couldn’t be.

I wonder if Senator James Inhofe is watching this closely. You might remember him as the Senator who believes that global warming is based on hysteria and not science. Maybe something like this will help him understand the cause and effect of human actions on this planet. Then again, there’s no possible way humans could have an effect on the environment, right?

December 8th, 2006

Wii Have A Problem

We still haven’t picked up a Wii yet. I think my Mom and I are going to wait until after Christmas to get one actually. However, I still enjoy reading about it and fantasizing about all of the wonderful games of bowling I will be able to play once we do get it. During my research, I came across this website – Wii Have A Problem. It’s a website dedicated to the Wii, (I guess you would have gotten that from the name though, eh?), and the various problems that arise with new technology.

The most common problem? The wrist strap breaking and controllers flying. Hmm, sounds kind of familiar. Unfortunately, there are horror stories of people getting as enthusiastic as I was and throwing their remotes into their TV’s. Yikes!

I particularly like this image -

What strikes me about this too is that apparently the guys with the projectile said that they removed the remote from the TV and continued playing their game. If so, that remote is INDESTRUCTIBLE!!!!!

There are also other images there of broken LCD’s, ;( and broken laptops from flying remotes.

The strap problem is so widespread that the President of Nintendo announced that they are going to work in getting better straps out there for the consoles. Neat!

I am still coveting one and am already trying to think of ways of strengthening the strap or switching it out with something else I could whip up that would be stronger and have a little more give – like maybe a hair elastic? Hmmm.

1 comment December 8th, 2006