  By chance, the slope of the Mv(max) versus (B-V)max relation for recent
theoretical models of supernovae of Type Ia (SNe Ia) by Hoflich & Khokhlov is
indistinguishable from the slope of a reddening line in the V versus B-V plane.
This coincidence allows one to determine a parameter Mv*(max) for SNe Ia that
is independent of both supernova detonation model and of interstellar
reddening. Calibrating Mv*(max) with observations of SNe Ia by Hamuy et al.
yields values of the Hubble parameter Ho in the range 55 - 60 km s-1 Mpc-1 .
The discrepancy between this result, and values of Ho recently obtained from
observations of Cepheids in the Virgo cluster, suggests that either (1) the
Cepheid distance scale is wrong, (2) the SN Ia models of Hoflich & Khokhlov are
too bright by ~ 0.75 mag near maximum light, or (3) their models are too red by
\~ 0.25 mag in B-V.
