Darby Strong

Playing point. Delivering the rock.

And the Winner is…Diesel

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I have been searching for the perfect used Mercedes diesel for some time now, in hopes of converting it to run on SVO, or straight vegetable oil. It seems that even before the conversion, the diesel will perform better than its’ counterparts.

A new study by the Pardee Rand Graduate School, a non profit that researches public policy issues, finds that the “advanced diesel provides better performance and fuel economy for the price.”

Graham’s team calculated the individual and societal costs and benefits of conventional gasoline vehicles, gasoline-electric hybrids, high-tech diesels and flex-fuel vehicles burning E85 full time. Conclusion: Unless gasoline prices, averaging $3.10 a gallon now, rise above $4 and average $3.50 or more the next few years, or ethanol prices drop a lot, diesel’s the best overall solution; E85’s the worst.

At a time when ethanol organizations, together with GM and Ford, (both pro-ethanol entities and supporters of the Rand school), are ramping up promotion of ethanol fuels, this news is less than encouraging.

I like the closed loop approach of using “waste” to provide a new energy source. Watch out, fast food restaurants. Here I come, and I need your leftover vegetable oil.

via USA Today

'Mythic'al Non-Toxic Paint

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My experience with low VOC paint in my own home has been, well, less than stellar. Still, I am always on the lookout for great products, and as the industry demands better “green” alternatives, more arise. Like Mythic Non-Toxic Paint.

Developed with help from University of Southern Mississippi, the paint not only has zero VOC’s, but Mythic claims their paints “are better performing than any paint on the market today.”

It is great to finally see no VOC paints with texture options other than flat. Eggshell, Satin, a multi-purpose primer, and even a drywall primer round out the offering’s. They have 1232 standard palette colors, and can also match virtually any other company’s color.

While Mythic paint is just launching and is not in stores yet, they unfortunately were not able to answer the question of how much their paint costs when I called their 1.888.714.9422 number. Hopefully, this will soon improve. (I was told to call Monday for the info. While I look forward to trying their product, this is a poor display.)

Pet Peeve #1

I pick up the phone AT MY HOME, and say, “Hello. Hello? Hello?”

Only to be met with a recorded voice, telling me that THEIR TELEMARKETERS are all busy right now and to please hold the line.

Let me try and ingest this one more time. You call my home, unsolicited, make me run across the house to grab the phone, and you’re trying to sell me something, but when I pick up, you tell me to HOLD THE LINE?

This happens, by the way, at least three times a week. Not to mention the other unsolicited calls. Those poor people who have to actually MAKE those calls. Er, wait…computers and previously recorded messages make those calls. Oh.