Comments on: Top Gear http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:19:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Arun http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-300323 Arun Sat, 08 Sep 2007 15:05:40 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-300323 From the point of view of Buddhist or Hindu philosophy, the danger of a possession is if it becomes part of your self-definition; i.e., if your self-image is tied in any way to the car you drive, then you are in trouble. From the point of view of Buddhist or Hindu philosophy, the danger of a possession is if it becomes part of your self-definition; i.e., if your self-image is tied in any way to the car you drive, then you are in trouble.

]]> By: Stefan http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-300040 Stefan Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:10:49 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-300040 OK, now I've also got it ... and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/index.shtml" rel="nofollow">Top Gear</a> is a BBC television series, I should have known ... Have fun with the Jaguar, even though it might not be a totally politically correct car ;-) OK, now I’ve also got it … and Top Gear is a BBC television series, I should have known …

Have fun with the Jaguar, even though it might not be a totally politically correct car ;-)

]]> By: Allyson http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-300001 Allyson Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:24:53 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-300001 Wait. Sean's having kids? I'll feed your cat, but I'm drawing the line at kids. Wait. Sean’s having kids?

I’ll feed your cat, but I’m drawing the line at kids.

]]> By: oxo http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299997 oxo Tue, 04 Sep 2007 15:40:46 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299997 Who cares about the CO2 output? It's not the cause of Global Warming.. Depletion of fossil fuel is an issue, but as it'll all be gone someday, what does it matter if that's 50 or 250 years away? Who cares about the CO2 output? It’s not the cause of Global Warming..

Depletion of fossil fuel is an issue, but as it’ll all be gone someday, what does it matter if that’s 50 or 250 years away?

]]> By: music http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299941 music Mon, 03 Sep 2007 07:35:40 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299941 I really liked the background music in the video. Does anyone know who the artist are I really liked the background music in the video. Does anyone know who the artist are

]]> By: Sean http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299906 Sean Sun, 02 Sep 2007 18:05:59 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299906 Plenty of room in the boot for the little squealers. Plenty of room in the boot for the little squealers.

]]> By: Lee Kottner http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299905 Lee Kottner Sun, 02 Sep 2007 17:46:52 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299905 Cynthia, That's a big assumption on more than one count. Cynthia,

That’s a big assumption on more than one count.

]]> By: Cynthia http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299900 Cynthia Sun, 02 Sep 2007 15:24:13 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299900 Sean, hate to break it to you, but once you're blessed with a little Sean or Seanette, you're gotta have to trade in that XK8 of yours for a more family-oriented vehicle. Sean, hate to break it to you, but once you’re blessed with a little Sean or Seanette, you’re gotta have to trade in that XK8 of yours for a more family-oriented vehicle.

]]> By: skeptic23 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299899 skeptic23 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 14:55:21 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299899 Obviously Thomas Larsson has never driven on the highways in LA. Obviously Thomas Larsson has never driven on the highways in LA.

]]> By: Arun http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299897 Arun Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:16:42 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299897 Its OK, it is a beautiful car, and you can cut back on heating/cooling the house or on flying to make up for the CO^2 ;) Its OK, it is a beautiful car, and you can cut back on heating/cooling the house or on flying to make up for the CO^2 ;)

]]> By: MPG http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299896 MPG Sun, 02 Sep 2007 12:58:28 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299896 http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymake/Jaguar2004.shtml 2004 Jaguar XK8 convertible: 16 (city) and 24 (highway) miles per gallon. For comparison, a random normal car: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/20812.shtml 2005 Volkswagen Jetta: 28 (city) and 39 (highway) miles per gallon About 1.6 times more efficient. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymake/Jaguar2004.shtml
2004 Jaguar XK8 convertible: 16 (city) and 24 (highway) miles per gallon.

For comparison, a random normal car:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/20812.shtml
2005 Volkswagen Jetta: 28 (city) and 39 (highway) miles per gallon

About 1.6 times more efficient.

]]> By: Thomas Larsson http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299889 Thomas Larsson Sun, 02 Sep 2007 08:05:39 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299889 <blockquote> our other car’s a Prius... </blockquote> A Prius and a Jaguar together will emit more CO2 than a Jaguar alone... Besides, a hybrid car only reduces CO2 emission in the city. On the highway, where there is no braking and the ICE operates under optimal conditions, the electrical engine is just dead weight.

our other car’s a Prius…

A Prius and a Jaguar together will emit more CO2 than a Jaguar alone…

Besides, a hybrid car only reduces CO2 emission in the city. On the highway, where there is no braking and the ICE operates under optimal conditions, the electrical engine is just dead weight.

]]> By: Sean http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299887 Sean Sun, 02 Sep 2007 04:53:18 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299887 Yes, we are now the happy owners of a 2004 XK8 convertible (not precisely the new XKR shown in the video). But also, the clip from Top Gear was intrinsically entertaining. And I can't yet afford a Tesla. Those who are unmoved by the car and/or the video are, as always where aesthetics are concerned, entitled to their own judgments, however misguided they may be. Yes, we are now the happy owners of a 2004 XK8 convertible (not precisely the new XKR shown in the video). But also, the clip from Top Gear was intrinsically entertaining. And I can’t yet afford a Tesla.

Those who are unmoved by the car and/or the video are, as always where aesthetics are concerned, entitled to their own judgments, however misguided they may be.

]]> By: Mark Srednicki http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299885 Mark Srednicki Sun, 02 Sep 2007 01:47:40 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299885 Oh, <em>now</em> I get it: you <em>bought</em> one! My intention wasn't to criticize a personal buying decision, which we all make all the time, and usually without fossil-fuel use as an important criterion. But future circumstances may <a>change that for us</a> whether we like it or not ... Oh, now I get it: you bought one! My intention wasn’t to criticize a personal buying decision, which we all make all the time, and usually without fossil-fuel use as an important criterion. But future circumstances may change that for us whether we like it or not …

]]> By: lt.milo http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299884 lt.milo Sun, 02 Sep 2007 01:35:19 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299884 Im going to go with Geoff Arnold, that is the best Top Gear ever. Im going to go with Geoff Arnold, that is the best Top Gear ever.

]]> By: Jennifer Ouellette http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299877 Jennifer Ouellette Sat, 01 Sep 2007 21:45:55 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299877 Our other car's a Prius: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdBVwwRgThU Our other car’s a Prius:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdBVwwRgThU

]]> By: Arun http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299876 Arun Sat, 01 Sep 2007 20:34:25 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299876 Jaguar 2008 XK Convertible starting from $81,500 (300 HP) EPA fuel economy 16 city/25 highway 0-60 in 6 seconds Curb weight 3759 lbs 12.5 lbs/HP Jaguar 2008 XKR Convertible starting from $92,700 (420 HP) EPA fuel economy 15 city/23 highway 0-60 in 5 seconds Curb weight 3814 lbs 9.1 lbs/HP Jaguar 2008 XK Convertible starting from $81,500 (300 HP)
EPA fuel economy 16 city/25 highway
0-60 in 6 seconds
Curb weight 3759 lbs
12.5 lbs/HP
Jaguar 2008 XKR Convertible starting from $92,700 (420 HP)
EPA fuel economy 15 city/23 highway
0-60 in 5 seconds
Curb weight 3814 lbs
9.1 lbs/HP

]]> By: Lee Kottner http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299870 Lee Kottner Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:27:12 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299870 I am sick with jealousy, Sean. Glad you got this instead of the BMW, which I've always thought of as sheer Yuppie porn. A Jag, however, has class. I turned up the sound just to hear it purr. I am sick with jealousy, Sean. Glad you got this instead of the BMW, which I’ve always thought of as sheer Yuppie porn. A Jag, however, has class. I turned up the sound just to hear it purr.

]]> By: B http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299869 B Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:22:18 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299869 ... well, I only looked the first minute or so. sorry, the video quality hurts my eyes, and without any good reason why I'm not patient enough to watch all of it. In cases somebody makes it through and figures out whether maybe Sean makes an appearance in that clip let me know. Otoh, maybe the the question is not <i>"If you must put in a car video, why not this one?"</i> but <i>"If you must come up with a blog post, why not put in a video?"</i> (Okay, I know I am guilty of that as well, see the <a href="http://backreaction.blogspot.com/2006/11/isnt-it-nice.html" rel="nofollow">Honda ad in this post</a>) … well, I only looked the first minute or so. sorry, the video quality hurts my eyes, and without any good reason why I’m not patient enough to watch all of it. In cases somebody makes it through and figures out whether maybe Sean makes an appearance in that clip let me know. Otoh, maybe the the question is not “If you must put in a car video, why not this one?” but “If you must come up with a blog post, why not put in a video?” (Okay, I know I am guilty of that as well, see the Honda ad in this post)

]]> By: Dimitri Terryn http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299868 Dimitri Terryn Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:18:39 +0000 http://cosmicvariance.com/2007/08/31/top-gear/#comment-299868 I was equally surprised that this was now a standard future on wordpress. One of these days I'm going to make a post with a lot of LaTeX in it. Just because I can :-) I was equally surprised that this was now a standard future on wordpress. One of these days I’m going to make a post with a lot of LaTeX in it. Just because I can :-)

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