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User: Far_Memory

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  1. Re:Two Crucial Technologies on Could Nuclear Power Wean the U.S. From Oil? · · Score: 1

    Okay, you win. Or DO you...?

    A Section 179 deduction is a one-time deal, representing a "savings" for you, in this case, of $9,000.

    Suppose, in your favor, that gas averages at $2.00 per gallon over the next five years.

    Let's assume that you keep your truck for 5 years, and that you drive it 20,000 mi/year, which isn't unreasonable.

    So, 5 years * 20,000 miles = 100,000 miles.
    At 15 miles per gallon, that's (100,000mi / 15mpg) = 6,667 gallons of gasoline.

    Thus, $2.00/gal * 6,667 gal = $13,333 <-- FUEL COSTS

    Your costs over 5 years, with the one-time Section 179 deduction, is $13,333 - $9,000 = $4,333.
    -----
    Now, if you bought a Hybrid, at 50 miles per gallon, under the same conditions (20K miles/yr):

    Fuel Consumption: (100,000mi / 50mpg) = 2,000 gallons.
    Fuel Costs: 2,000gal * $2.00/gal = $4,000.

    Now, this past year you could have taken a one-time $2,000 tax deduction for purchasing a Hybrid, synonymous with Section 179. (will be $1,500 in 2004. Also, electric cars had a $4,000 deduction).

    Your costs over 5 years, with the Clean-Fuel deduction, is $4,000 - $2,000 = $2,000.
    That's less than half of the cost of the F150 ($2,333 in your pocket.)


    Not to mention, you may save a couple thousand dollars (over the F150) on the hybrid itself!

    We know gas prices are on the climb. Consider what would happen if gasoline averaged $2.30 over the next five years:
    $15,333 - $9,000 = $6,333. <-- Your costs
    (Section 179, being "one-time", can't account for increasing gasoline prices)

    You get the picture.

  2. Re:Two Crucial Technologies on Could Nuclear Power Wean the U.S. From Oil? · · Score: 1

    > I would have much rather purchased a Hybrid Civic or Prius, but could only get the deduction by purchasing a Ford F-150 (or similarly sized gas guzzler).

    Now that's just silly. The amount you save from a Sec. 179 tax deduction is far less than the HUNDREDS of extra gallons of gasoline you'll be pumping into your truck.

    I guess coupons really are effective, no matter what the product is.

  3. No, Really.. on Still No Contact from Beagle 2 · · Score: 1

    Try spirit.nasa.gov!

    Pinging spirit.nasa.gov with 32 bytes of data:
    Reply from spirit.nasa.gov bytes =32 time<100ms TTL=128
    Reply from spirit.nasa.gov bytes =32 time<100ms TTL=128
    Reply from spirit.nasa.gov bytes =32 time<100ms TTL=128

    Ping statistics for spirit.nasa.gov: Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
    Color photos = YES

    -A