Sequel
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SequelI think cars are cool. Andy and I disagree on this as he sees them as transportation and doesn't really look at anything beyond that. I've always loved driving, taking new (to me) cars out for a spin, and generally liked having different vehicles. I guess it shows since I've written about cars numerous times and have owned over 20 in my 23 years of driving.
The Paris Auto Show took place recently, but nothing major caught my eye. However I did get a note from Kathi Kellenberger about a cool new car that I'd love to own. And you DBAs should as well.
It's the GMC Sequel, or as I'd rip off a few letters and make it, the SQL 🙂
It's a fuel cell vehicle based on the Hy-wire concept cars they've been working on for some time. Basically there's a thin, 12 inch or so thick, body that includes the motors (for each wheel), the wheels, fuel cell, and the electronics. Then a body is attached to this, but the bodies are exchangeable, even by consumers if you had storage space and the jacking equipment to lift them up.
I caught of demo of this on the Science Channel's coverage of the NextFest put on by Wired magazine. I couldn't find an image of the body above the chassis, but they show the clip on the Science Channel and it's cool.
There are some interesting shots here: http://www.edmunds.com/news/autoshow/articles/103626/page045.html
Assuming they can work out the fuel cell recharging/exchanging/whatever, how cool would this be: GMC SQL on the back
With a license plate of "QRYMAN"
Steve Jones
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I have a love hate relationship with cars. I love seeing new areas and going places, but I hate cars with their pollution and waste. Typically you will find me on my bike. But as biking has become very dangerous (congestion on streets, new gadgets in cars, drunk/stoned... drivers), I have started driving more frequently - and I hate it.
This vehicle looks promising, but that is all. All I have heard is promises of hydrogen, nothing concrete. I had hoped that when gas hit $3/gal that things would change, and they started to. But with gas dropping again, truck sales have rebounded and I suspect the hydrogen promise will elude us for many more years.
That being said I would love to be driving the Sequel 2010.
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or a Uk licence plate of ZD05 SQL
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I saw an ad for a different electric car the other day, it said that it acheived almost petrol related speeds and distance, 250 miles plus between recharges.
Unfortunately it also said that it used lithium ion batteries similar to those used in laptops and mobiles. Can you imagine what would happen if you only did a half charge, or how much it would cost sony when the battery/car burst into flames whilst driving down the road
It's definately the future, but i'd much prefer it if the batteries in mobiles and laptops worked properly before they stuck bigger versions of them into cars.
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I'm really starting to think that Hydrogen really already should be a viable alternative, and I'm not understanding why it isn't being pressed more... back in the early 90s, you could build a solar powered hydrogen generation system for under 7k... a lot of the costs have gone down, and if anyone manufactured them, they should be in the range of 2-3k if not considerably less. For anyone with a back yard, that's a pretty good deal for day to day driving... after about 2 years of driving that would use 10 gallons of gas a week, you've paid off the hydrogen production system. All that's left is the price difference for the car, but, you could also do one of the hydrogen combustion conversions out there, and be running no polution, self provided fuel for an investment under 5k... if you drive a lot on a daily basis, there's no reason you shouldn't make up your investment within the lifetime of the car....
maybe I'm oversimplifying, but... if enough people did stuff like that for one of their family's 2 cars, we'd probably see a real hydrogen infrastructure pop up relatively quickly...
~sigh~
/rant
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Yeah, you're talkin about the "Tesla". It's much more my style than the SUV pictured in the article, and way faster than any gas-powered car I've owned. It goes 250 miles on a single charge, but yeah, the batteries might not be too safe.
Apparently they are sold out... it's by far the coolest looking electric car out there, which is probably why.
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I dunno ... call me practical - a car is transportation.
call me cynical - in my opinion 'concepts' cars are like vapor-ware.
RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."
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But SQL is pronounced "ess-kyu-ell", except within the old Sybase tradename and current Microsoft tradename "See'kwel Server".
And given what a lousy relational database language S.Q.L. is, I wouldn't want a car with that name anyway. I'll take an IDL, (Ai-del), please.
Not to mention that, since S.Q.L. was Jim Gray's retread of a failed language for a non relational system, that would mean under the hood the car would be a 1983 Vega with a cracked block.
I'd love to drive a Tutorial-D, but of course that would have to be a phantom fantasy car, like the language. Sigh.
Roger Reid
still driving the TsimblMobile
Roger L Reid
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Talk about a powerful "Sequel" engine. 🙂
SELECT SPEED
FROM MOTOR
WHERE PEDAL = 'GAS' AND SPEED = 60
or something like that....
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A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html -
Pardon? What are you talkin about? (send links)
I loved my Vega... until she threw a rod in the middle of Kansas one hot afternoon
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Those aluminum block Vegas were ahead of their time. Heat was the enemy. An aftermarkey steel cylinder insert sleeve and new pistons made 'em run 4-ever. Unfortunately not many people knew about them let alone tried 'em.
RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."
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