There are some hyped up electric car companies that keep making promises, but they haven’t released a viable product.

Until I watched the recent videos about Rivian’s new R1T I thought Rivian was firmly in the “Hype and BS” sector of EV startups.

After seeing this review… the new Rivian truck looks like the real deal.

The YouTube guys who review these products had nothing negative to say about the Rivian, even after spending a few days beating the hell out of it in the Colorado mountains.

This is the warning shot across Ford, Dodge and Chevy’s bow.

Gasoline trucks are going the way of the Horse ‘n Buggy.

Between the Ford Lightning, the record breaking (1/4 mile drag) Tesla Plaid and the Rivian I’m really optimistic about electric vehicles, solar and even the mitigation of global warming.

Heck, I’m even thinking about buying the twin motor Volkswagon ID4… and when I do you know I’ll write all about it.

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Ever get behind a diesel pick-up in traffic on a beautiful day when your windows are down?

I’m NOT OK with choking on diesel exhaust, and trucks like the Ford Lightning and the new Rivian prove that trucks don’t need to burn dead dinosaurs to climb a mountain.

When rednecks start buying electric trucks that’s a big deal. I’m excited about these new EV’s because I’ve been driving a plug-in Chevy Volt since 2017, and as electric vehicles become common everywhere rooftop solar follows soon after.

The Ford Lightning, the Rivian, The electric Hummer, the Tesla Truck… all these vehicles will use a ton of power, especially if the owner has a 50+ mile daily commute.

No one wants a $400 monthly electric bill. Solar is far more attractive when the homeowner is paying $5,000 each year to the electric company.

More folks are coming around to the idea of “fueling your car off your roof”.

Rooftop solar, combined with NOT spending $300 per month to gas up your truck?

The gas savings makes the ROI on rooftop solar that much faster.

If you power up your electric F150 Lightning with a nice solar array your ROI on the solar install shrinks from 8 years to around 3 or 4, based on how many miles you drive daily.

I will indirectly profit from the sale of electric trucks, but everyone wins when exhaust belching trucks are replaced by these new electric models.

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Gasoline and diesel? So yesterday.

Ben Alexander

September 29, 2021

The gentleman in this video might look familiar to you, in the 1980’s he played an older man name Rolly Forbes in 110 episodes of the sitcom “Amen”.

In this clip he’s directing the Rowan University Chamber Choir along with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the massive Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.

Jester was 93 years old when this was filmed in 1994!

Born in 1901, the grandson of slaves, Hairston had an amazing career that spanned movies, television and music composition. He passed away in 2000.

Jester’s film career started in 1936 and his last movie credit was in 1999!

My personal connection to this video? I’m actually in it, 2nd row in the baritone section!

You can see me at the 5:01 mark, right behind Hairston’s shoulder. That young kid….

I was a freshman at Rowan University, there on a music scholarship to study opera. My professor Dr. Eugene Simpson was also a composer / arranger of Slave Spirituals, a genre of music that was the pre-curser to modern church gospel music.

I’m amazed that Jester was out and about, still conducting and doing cool stuff well into his 90’s.

What an neat guy, what a great honor to sing with him in this setting!

Someone posted this video to YouTube, and I’m grateful they did.

Ben Alexander

September 29, 2021