Hybrid owners are getting help from an unlikely source–actor Rob Lowe. The former teen heartthrob (who currently plays a member of Congress on ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters”) appeared before real life lawmakers yesterday to promote tax credits for people who add a plug-in feature to hybrid cars and trucks.
Lowe testified before a special House panel in charge of examining energy and global warming issues to plug the plug-in hybrid. He then appeared at a demonstration about three blocks from the Capitol featuring a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius and encouraged his fans to switch to “greener” forms of transportation.
The actor told news reporters that his ride on the clean energy bandwagon is nothing new. However, recent events, he said, led him to become more active on the issue.
“The first money I ever made and was able to invest, I invested in an alternative energy company going back 25 years,” Lowe told reporters. “Like a lot of Americans, I’ve been watching as the climate changes and as we are in a war on terror where our oil addiction helps fund people that want to kill us. It’s gotten my attention.”
So now Lowe is making like fellow actor Ed Begley Jr. and promoting plug-in hybrids, which have both electric and gasoline motors, plus a battery pack that can be recharged at home and he says it has made him a better person.
Hmmm… and you thought he was a better person for having spent time in rehab.
Moving on… do you dine in your hotel room much?
I’m not referring to the foods you pack from home. I’m talking about the snacks you sneak out of the mini-bar. Westin Hotels would like to know what you would be willing to pay to eat in your hotel suite. The company is currently working on a line of ELEMENT extended-stay hotels (due to open next year), which includes its signature Heavenly Beds and kitchens stocked with chic plates and glasses and cutlery. But ELEMENT execs are still trying to figure out what foods to stock for sale. Executives say their aim is to “go a little more sophisticated than the typical hotel-store or minibar fare.”
On their list of potential eats: gourmet chocolate, Korean kimchi soup, taro chips, and high-end wines. Their theory: travelers in extended-stays get tired of the same meals and want variety. Perhaps, Westin execs should take a cue from rival Hyatt Hotels. They just teamed with lifestyle guru Katie Brown to make their hotels homier. Select Hyatt’s now offer summer barbecues and provide guests with simple recipes they can take with them to spice up mealtime on the road.
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