SMART car comes to Houston - sort of

This past weekend while tooling around town inside the Loop (It is so cool living inside the loop!) I spotted a SMART car.

I couldn't believe the Lilliputian coupe so popular in European capitols like Paris and Rome was actually jockeying for position on Buffalo Speedway alongside Hummers, Mercedes and Ford F-150s. But there it was.

If you're interested in the micro machine that's EPA-rated at 40 miles to the gallon and starts at $25,000, it won't be easy to get one. Turns out, there's still no dealership in Texas.

But ZAP -- which stands for Zero Air Pollution -- the Santa Rosa, Calif.-based company that's importing the ultra-compact cars, wants to change that.

"The goal is to have a dealer in every major market. We're working on it," spokesman Alex Campbell said.

Currently there are only eight ZAP dealerships in the U.S., including two in Reno as well as outlets in Phoenix, Pittsburgh, West Palm Beach, Seattle, Colorado Springs and Exeter, N.H.

People who just have to have one are picking the closest retailer and hightailing it across several states to buy SMART.

"Everybody loves a SMART car and, at the end of the day, I think everybody loves the idea of making cars cleaner and more efficient," Campbell said, adding that ZAP has been in business for 11 years selling electric cars, scooters and all-terrain vehicles.

DaimlerChrysler actually manufactures the SMART car, which runs on regular unleaded, but the company won't sell the two-man vehicles here even though they're sold in every other major market from Malaysia to Mexico.

The scuttlebutt as to why ranges from DaimlerChrysler not wanting to erode its luxury brand name in the USA to simply not wanting to make a bad business decision. In Europe and Asia consumers often buy into the aesthetic that less is more. But, generally, in the States, more is more.

At just eight feet in length, two SMART cars can park bumper to bumper in a single parking space. Eurofiles find them stylish. SUV devotees question whether they're really sensible transportation for this country's sprawling spaghetti bowl of highways.

One thing is a virtual certainty. With gasoline prices hoovering around $3 a gallon this summer....that might be mean more SMART cars in a neighborhood near you.

"Run on the Bank"

Too clumsy to exercise? Try the cordless jump-rope

If you think keeping fit is merely mind over matter, Lester Clancy has an invention for you -- a cordless jump-rope.

That's right, a jump-rope minus the rope. All that's left is two handles, so you jump over the pretend rope. Or if you are truly lazy, you can pretend to jump over the pretend rope.

And for that idea kicking around Clancy's head since 1988, the U.S. Patent Office this month awarded the 52-year-old Mansfield, Ohio, man a patent. Its number: 7037243.

What makes this invention work is the moving weights inside the handles. They simulate the feel of a rope moving, Clancy said. Well, it's only one handle so far because Clancy is waiting for financial backers before building its partner.

But why jump rope without a rope?

It's perfect for the clumsy, Clancy said. "If you are still jumping, you're still using your legs as well as your arms, and getting the cardiovascular workout. You just don't have to worry about tripping on the rope."

It is also good for mental institutions and prisons where rope is a suicide risk, said Clancy, who works as a laundry coordinator in a state prison. And low ceiling fans aren't a hazard any more, he said.

Daniel Wright, who features the cordless jump-rope on his Web site, can barely talk about Clancy's invention without laughing.

"What really grabbed me is the name," Wright said. "Take the cord out of the jump-rope, [he giggled] and that's what is the jump-rope."

The idea isn't all that crazy, said Mike Ernst, a professor of kinesiology at California State University in Dominguez Hills.

"I think it's silly but at the same time if somehow, some way it promotes physical activity, gets kids active, then I'm all for it," Ernst said.

The more he thought about it, the more Ernst said he could see the benefit, adding that the act of jumping, not the rope itself, is what provides exercise.

"Do you need to jump with a rope? You don't," Ernst said. "But I wouldn't buy the product, I can tell you that. I'm not an idiot."

High-tech handles aren't needed. You could even use toilet paper holders, Ernst said. On second thought, he wondered if he could patent that idea.

Interbreeding humans and chimps? Oh my.

I thought for sure this article on the complexity of the human-chimpanzee evolutionary split would generate a lot of news.

To my surprise, according to Google News, it appears to have passed quietly.

So I will summarize: The conventional view is that humans and chimps split off an evolutionary tree about 7 million years ago from a common ancestor, with no inbreeding. Science News picks up the story from there:

Previous work underestimated genetic similarities in people and chimps, the investigators say, and placed the evolutionary parting of these species about 1 million years too early.

Given the new genetic findings ... it's plausible that after a partial split, hominid interbreeding with chimps yielded fertile females and infertile males, Reich and his colleagues propose. Hybrid females would then have resorted to mating with fertile chimp or hominid males.

Because they would have produced fertile sons only when the mothers passed on X chromosomes mostly from one of the original species, this process eventually would have led to a final split.


Several anthropologists dispute this conclusion in the Science News article, which strikes me as a pretty radical shift in the prevailing views. Still, I have to believe we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of the power of genetics to illuminate the history of life.

Word smith

In the laupe, or the loup?

The laupe: I have no clue how to pronounce this word -- lawp? lowp? lope? low-pay? -- but I know a laupe when I see one.

Are you a laupe? Take the test and find out. You might be a laupe without even knowing it. In fact, if you are reading these words, you are almost certainly a laupe. And if you don't think so, you are just in denial.

Final Idol thoughts

Taylor sings his big song.

"I'm livin' the American Dream," he screams.

So we come back to the American Dream thing. Watching a lumpy, gray-haired, soul-singing dude win over an image-conscious country is really more than I could have hoped for from this show. When I first watched Taylor audition (when was that? three years ago?), I was impressed with his singing, but thought there was no way this guy would beat out all of the high-maintenance girls with their great abs and all of the pretty boys with their smoldering glances. Just no way.

This is an important moment. This is a win for every geeky, gangly, un-gorgeous person who loves music. I am proud to count myself as one of those people.

Beans for breakfast, beans for lunch...

It's bad enough when you get hemorrhoids and have to have surgery. Then this happens.

A seriously bad day for the poor guy.


"Flatulence is being blamed for bringing a hospital patient's operation to a fiery end.
The man suffered minor burns in a brief but "dramatic" operating theatre fire. He had gone into the Southern Cross Hospital in Invercargill to have hemorrhoids, or piles, removed and was singed in the "exceedingly rare" incident involving his own gas.
'This was thought to be flatus containing methane igniting,' a health source told the Weekend Herald. "There was a sort of flashfire and that was it, but it was fairly alarming at the time."

Arson is temporarily banned in Texas

Driving down the freeway this morning I saw this displayed on those electronic highway signs:I assume that once we get some much-needed rain, the arson ban will be lifted.

What's eating Al?

Good God almighty, someone please tell Al Gore that eating your way to the White House is not a sound political strategy.

I wish I knew how to acquit you

Finally, the photos of Bush and Abramoff surface. And here we all thought they might be something scandalous.As Jon Stewart said the other night, thank God there was no nudity.

Houston 1836: What's your take?

How does Houston 1836 grab you? For better or worse, it really is the name chosen for the city's Major League Soccer team.

In case you're scratching your head, wondering where on Earth such a name came from, think the Alamo, Sam Houston and the birth of a city — and a name sprinkled with a touch of European flavor.

The name's main reference is the year Houston was founded by John and Augustus Allen on the banks of Buffalo Bayou. It also marks the year Texas declared its independence from Mexico, the Battle of the Alamo and the defeat of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's Mexican army at the hands of General Sam Houston in the Battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution.

Houston 1836 will begin the MLS season on April 1 and will use the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium as its home.

Please post your take on the newly named Houston 1836?

That's hot...

Just when I've kicked my pricey and calorie-laden Starbucks habit, along comes a new selection of coffees for me to find irresistible. A very nifty coffee concept from Wolfgang Puck has me tempted to stray.

The new beverage makes coffee consumption a breeze thanks to a self-heating mechanism. Now, I'm no science whiz but I can tell you that when you push a button on the bottom of the can, crushed limestone and water mix to create a natural reaction which heats up the can's core. It takes six to eight minutes for the coffee get hot, and it stays that way for 30 minutes.

The coffee comes in French Vanilla, Mocha, Caramel and Espresso latte flavors and is available at Randall's and Kroger. The cans cost about $2 and while the taste isn't quite the level of Starbucks, the convenience and novelty of the product makes it worth checking out. And, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before every other hot beverage finds its way into one of these new cans.

A guide to men's resale shops

Not many men swing open their closet doors and moan, "I have nothing to wear!" But for those who do, heading to a resale shop instead of the mall can be a smart way to build a wardrobe without breaking the budget.

Men's resale shops aren't as common as those that cater to women, but Houston does have a few worth hitting. The upscale Men's Resale by the Village feels like any regular specialty store. Suits, slacks, jeans, button-down shirts, tuxedos, shoes and accessories fill the well-organized racks and shelves. Like other resale-store owners, Lily Lee accepts only high-quality items, which have been dry-cleaned, and she has a sharp eye for designer labels.

Shops like Men's Resale by the Village offer brand-name labels without the high prices.

"We take things that are in excellent condition," Lee said. "We also have people who bring in items that have never been worn, so there is a lot to choose from."

On a recent day, Lee received a slew of chinos from a local designer who wasn't able to sell them through local department stores. Lee priced the pants at $50, but they could have easily retailed for $200.

Suits in a range of sizes are another find. Armani, Zegna, Neiman Marcus and Calvin Klein are among the labels, and Lee said that the owners of M. Penner, a fine men's clothing store, are among the consigners at her store.

Most suits range from $59 to $99. Casual pants are $8 to $18, dress slacks run from $10 to $25. Watches are $45 to $68 and cuff links range from $19 to $35.

Lee splits the profits with the consigner 60/40, and pays monthly. The clothing needs to be clean, on hangers and from better department stores such as Foley's and Dillard's or other recognized labels. She won't accept items from discount or midpriced stores such as Sears or JC Penney.

Another men's resale option is the Red Door, also in the Rice Village. Women will find more than men, but tucked into the back of the store is a selection of men's suits and tuxedos. Brand-new dress shirts hang from the racks at a fraction of the cost finer department stores charge.

For contemporary clothing choices, Fashion Recycler on Westheimer is a hip resale shop that sells denim, pants and shirts. Much of the store's inventory is seasonal overstock from manufacturers that has never been worn.

Details: Men's Resale by the Village, 2437 Bissonnet. 713-522-5645.

Details: Red Door, 2532 Nottingham. 713-522-4343.

Details: Fashion Recycler, 1529 Westheimer. 713-529-7463.

Bad news on bird flu

Reuters reports: "The H5N1 avian influenza virus can survive for more than a month in bird droppings in cold weather and for nearly a week even in hot summer temperatures."

This is from the World Health Organization and strikes me as very bad news. It's one thing to get sick handling dead birds -- an activity easily avoided by many, particularly children. It's another threat entirely to have deadly virus hanging out in bird excrement, upping the odds of human exposure.

This article from USA Today puts into perspective fears of bird flu coming here:

There are no regular migratory bird pathways from Asia to the United States, but Pacific flyway birds can occasionally make it across Siberia to Alaska. It is conceivable that H5N1 could show up in Alaska and from there make its way down the West Coast or across Canada, (but) there is much less contact between migratory birds and poultry in the U.S. than in Asia. The chance of a bird flu circulating among our poultry is much less than in Asia.

All it needs is a halftime show

The closer we get to the Enron trial, the more it seems like another Super Bowl. First, there's the massive influx of reporters from around the world to offer up day-by-day coverage. Now, we find out the whole event starts with a coin toss to determine field position. Maybe Judge Sim Lake has a whistle and a robe with white stripes....

Oh baby, dance with me

I've got "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" stuck in my head. Seriously stuck. It's been in there for two days now. If it doesn't go away, I'll have to dig it out with a fork.

Oh everybody have fun tonight
Everybody have fun tonight
Everybody wang chung tonight
Everybody have fun tonight
Everybody wang chung tonight
Everybody have fun

Damn, it's catchy.

Mr. Echo - LOST

Mr. Echo's backstory has been the most interesting on Lost so far. For those that may have missed it, tonight on Lost we learned that Mr. Echo led the most evil former life of all the survivors. Even worse than Sayid.

Mr. Echo is a Nigerian who lead a brutal squad of narco-terrorists, kidnapping children and murdering anyone in his path. His brother was a Catholic priest who tried to save Mr. Echo, but due to various complications was on board the "heroin plane" that had crashed. Mr. Echo found his body, burned the plane, then made peace with himself. Mr. Echo has been saved.

We also got to see The Monster tonight. It is a black cloud of smoke. Mr. Echo met it head on, and for some reason The Monster backed off.

Wonders never cease....Levi's introduces iPod-compatible jeans

With a joystick remote control built into the watch pocket, the new jeans will allow wearers to play, pause, track forward or back and adjust the volume on their iPods without having to take them out of their pockets....A red conductive ribbon will keep wearers connected while allowing them to remove the iPod from their pockets to view the screen....

Note: I do want them, as long as they have a forgiving stretch to them. LOL

Seven science myths

Is it just me? I love these kinds of debunking lists. Especially since I have children and they are always tellin me what their friends have told them -- don't swallow that chewing gum, it will remain in your stomach for seven years. It can't possibly be true, but it's fun fiction.

To that end, Live Science has come up with a cool list of seven of the most popular myths in science. You can click through the entire list here, page-by-page. Here's a summary:

1. It takes seven years to digest gum: While it may prove a bit more difficult to break down than organic foodstuffs, chewing gum gets no special treatment from the digestive system.

2. The Great Wall of China is the only manmade structure visible from space: Astronauts can spot the Great Wall from low-Earth orbit, along with plenty of other things like the Giza pyramids and even airport runways.

3. Humans use only 10 percent of their brains: MRI imaging clearly demonstrates—with fancy colors no less—that humans put most of their cerebral cortex to good use.

4. Adults don't grow new brain cells: Studies have shown that neurons continue to grow and change well into the adult years.

5. Water drains backwards in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Earth's rotation: Water flow into the drain is to due its structure, not the Earth's rotation.

6. Animals can predict natural disasters: There is no evidence that animals possess a mysterious sixth-sense allowing them to predict natural disasters.

7. A penny dropped from the top of a tall building could kill a pedestrian: A combination of its shape and wind friction means that, tossed even from the 1,250-foot Empire State Building, it would travel fast enough merely to sting an unlucky pedestrian.

Ok, so what myths did you believe? Until recently I might have believed nos. 3 and 5, but I've learned enough about science to not buy into them. However, no. 7 was completely new to me. What if I dropped a roll of pennies?

Oh, and if you're an animal lover, feel free to disagree with no. 6. I know you will.