FOR WHEN HYBRIDS AREN’T ABOUT SAVING MONEY: I stopped by the local Lexus dealer to look at the Lexus 600h. It’s a souped-up hybrid version of their standard big sedan, at a bargain price of $116K, though the saleslady made it sound like I could have probably gotten it for 100K if I’d dickered. I explained that this was a bit out of my price range, but I have to say it was a very nice car. Seemed like a car for someone with a driver anyway, though, as the cavernous back seat (it reclines!) was the nicest part. Not my idiom, I’m afraid, but it does let you drive a really expensive car that gets not-very-great mileage while smugly proclaiming “it’s a hybrid!”