Friday, February 01, 2008

In the Know #29

February 2, 2008

Today is Groundhog Day and Candlemas.


Dictionary.com's Word of the Day

subterfuge \SUB-tur-fyooj\, noun:
A deceptive device or stratagem.


In the news:

- Abu Laith al-Libi, an al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan, was reported killed on Islamist website Ekhlaas.org.

- Microsoft bids $44 billion for Yahoo!


Today in History, according to Wikipedia:

1653 - New Amsterdam (New York City) is incorporated.

1925 - Dog sleds reach Nome, Alaska with diphtheria serum, inspiring the Iditarod race (marker pictured).

1989 - The American Basketball Association is formed.


Today's Famous Births:

1861 - Solomon R. Guggenheim, American art collector and philanthropist

1882 - James Joyce (pictured), Irish author, Ulysses

1897 - Howard Johnson, American hotelier

1905 - Ayn Rand, Russian-born author and philosopher, Atlas Shrugged

1923 - James Dickey, American poet and author, Deliverance

1947 - Farrah Fawcett "Charlie's Angels" and The Cannonball Run

1949 - Brent Spiner, American actor, "Star Trek: The Next Generation"

1977 - Shakira, Colombian singer, "Hips Don't Lie"


Trivia
Today's Category - Eris


~ Eris (pictured with moon, Dysnomia) is the largest known dwarf planet in our solar system.

~ The full name of the dwarf planet is 136199 Eris.

~ It is approximately 27% more massive than Pluto.

~ A year on Eris lasts 557 Earth years.

~ Eris has an extremely eccentric orbit, which sometimes brings it within Pluto's orbit of the sun.

~ Eris was discovered October 21, 2003.


I always wondered...
...how E85 Flex-Fuel works...


E85 flex-fuel is an alcohol-based fuel. It is made by fermenting and distilling starch crops, corn mostly. One acre of corn can be processed into about 330 gallons of ethanol. Proponents argue that mixing 85 parts ethanol with 15 parts gasoline (hence E85) to create E85 ethanol fuel helps stretch the earth's finite oil supply.

The term "flex-fuel" implies that a vehicle can run on 100 percent E85, 100 percent pump gasoline of any octane, or any combination of the two. Only about 800 of the nation's 180,000 gas stations carry E85 ethanol fuel, so it is difficult to find.

One major downside to E85 is that, depending on vehicle model, fuel economy with E85 ethanol is some 20 to 30 percent less than with gasoline. Therefore, a tank of E85 ethanol will take you only about 80 percent as far as you could drive on a tank of gasoline. Also, E85 costs a bit more than regular gasoline, with the exception of Corn Belt states that actually produce the fuel. So, if you're thinking of purchasing a flex-fuel vehicle, be prepared to sacrifice for oil conservation.

["How E85 works" reference: How Stuff Works]
[All other references from Wikipedia.org and IMDB.com unless otherwise noted]

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

flex fuel = bad idea.

im all for saving the worlds resources, but who wants 80% distance? i dont.

i vote we drive electric. look cool, sound cool. what could be better?

>this has been a spur of the moment thought comment-thank you.<