Gas $5 a gallon in Europe?

[Toad]

 

Originally posted by Dowding:
...all these shrecking private companies looking after shareholder's interests -
[This message has been edited by Dowding (edited 09-16-2000).]

While I sympathise somewhat with most of what you say, this is EXACTLY what private companies are SUPPOSED to do.

Unfortunately, they rarely look after the shareholders. Usually, they look after the top corporate executives to the exclusion of all else.

If the private companies are supposed to be supplying a service to the public, that's when the government is supposed to lay out the guidelines.

I agree with you, however, that these theories are having some trouble in the real world.

[Dowding]

I realise that the role of private companies is essentially to make a profit - the point I was trying to make was that they should not be in charge of a countries public transport. The whole industry becomes fractionated and inconsistent (in this county anyway). Having a decent public transport becomes a lottery based on location only.

[This message has been edited by Dowding (edited 09-16-2000).]

[AKDejaVu]

One downside to privately owned public transportations is that as a company, its responsibility revolves around the share holders, not the citizens.  The dollar becomes the bottom line, not the public.

AKDejaVu

[mietla]

I'd say it is an upside. If you are responsible to shareholders, you better take care of your customers. It's only after the government takes over a segment of the economy that everything goes south.

No shareholders, no customers, who cares. In SF you can't fire a bus driver for being drunk or on drugs (on a job), neither you can fire a bus driver for causing 9 serious accidents withing two years.

Yeah, that's what we need, a company whose purpose is to make an employee happy, screw the customer.

I break my back at work, and I expect everybody else to do the same when I am the customer.

[hblair]

Interesting thread. I thought I heard someone mention big engines?

I got your big engine hanging right here...

 

StSanta, when you come over to see Houston, I'll take you for a ride down the river.

Its great to be a wasteful, oppurtunistic, big blockin' American. (460 cid)

 

[Naso]

The mustang, another very nice car, maybe the prob is in mixed road, when you need to curve, adherence is'nt so good.

About the ferrari story, well, depende wich type was, better confrontation will be with some top on the line model (as the must boss was), say a F40 or F50, and without modifications.  

I like Viper, because is a good compromise beetween brutal power and good control.

p.s.
Never tryed to drive a Ferrari in a mixed road, or better in a circuit? turn in a dime like a zero, and have the speed of the runstang.  

[Staga]

There were a little race between Mustang "Boss 429" and Challenger "Hemi 426" in one race track here.
Both cars were restored to their original condition; Challenger with 2*4bbl and automatic transmission and Mustang 1*4 barrel and "Four on the floor". Boss was faster in turns but Hemi could drive away from Boss in straight parts of track.

I'll scan some pics when got some free time  

[qts]

I've read all the responses here with considerable interest, so let me add another angle. I run my own business in the UK. To earn my money, I have to travel. I'd love to use public transport, but it simply isn't viable.  My current assignment is in Milton Keynes, 25 miles away. I can take the bus at 07:15 to get to work at approx 09:15, and the last bus from MK is approx 18:00. Or I can drive, taking 45 mins each way with no restrictions. An earlier assignment was in Oxford. The bus takes over 2 hours to get there. Public transport is simply not a viable alternative.

Let's move on to the tax itself. I have no objection to paying taxes *per se* - defence et al have to be funded somehow - but I do object to paying tax before I've actually made any profit. The current fuel tax significantly impacts my profitability.

[Jigster]

 

Originally posted by hblair:
Interesting thread. I thought I heard someone mention big engines?

I got your big engine hanging right here...

 
StSanta, when you come over to see Houston, I'll take you for a ride down the river.

Its great to be a wasteful, oppurtunistic, big blockin' American. (460 cid)

 

I hear ya HB  

 

 

They belong to a couple of buddies of mine, working on getting a few pics of the big yeller beast right now.

(and in case anyone hasn't guessed by now those are Ford Broncos, '79 and '76 on 44" and 33" tires, respectively)


- Jig

[Maverick]

 

Originally posted by blur:
After giving this issue some thought I've come up with only two options:

1) Put tax money into alternate energy solutions, mass transport, etc.

2) Put tax money into over-bloated military which will guarantee the Middle East stays in line.

The first solution is difficult because of corporate influence over government.

The second solution is expensive but it works.
Walk softly and command an armored division is what I always say.  

Blur,

The concept of an "overbloated military" is very archaic. It shows you really haven't a clue as to the conditions in the military. There are massive personell shortages caused by fewer enlistees. Why? Several reasons.
1. Better pay outside the military
2. Better living conditions outside the military particularly if you have a family.
3. Lack of respect for those who risk their lives to safeguard the whiners outside the military who never put themselves in harms way.
4. Overextention of the few forces that are in the military. Overseas tours are back to back with little stateside time to spend with family.
5. Quite a bit of the equipment in the military has exceeded its design life and there is no indication of replacements coming. Best example. No one in the airforce is older than the B52's that are still front line items.
6. Military retirement is not sufficient to be able to retire on.
7. DAMN!!! Those in the military are expected to FIGHT?!?!?! That could put a crimp in your college plans!

There are quite a few others but it JUST SOUNDS SO COOL to complain about the "military industrial complex" doesn't it?

If you're looking for pork in the budget, look to congress and the whitehouse. After all, we had to fund 3 helicopters for Chelsea's birthday this last year.

Mav

[AKDejaVu]

LOL Jigster!  What part of the desert do you guys hose down so you can take those things "Muddin"?

I think Frued would have a hay-day with you and your choice of tires

AKDejaVu

[AKDejaVu]

 

I'd say it is an upside. If you are responsible to shareholders, you better take care of your customers.

What about the smaller comunities that won't use public(private) transportation enough to make it econimically viable for a corporation to send a bus there?  That is where big buisness has problems with civil support.  When the bottom dollar line becomes so much more important than the minority customers.  

The misconception then becomes "As long as they are showing a profit, they must be doing it right".  Its easy for big-buisness to ignore the minority... afterall... big-buisness doesn't have to run for re-election.

AKDejaVu

[funked]

Never been muddin, but done some real back country 4-wheelin in Colorado.  Trust me the big tires are needed!

If the rock is bigger than your tire, you need bigger tires!

[This message has been edited by funked (edited 09-19-2000).]

[funked]

To answer Rip's original question:  "With 75% taxes on it? WHAT the hell is the European Gov't doing with all that money?"

Subsidizing Airbus.

[StSanta]

<StSanta recalls a piece of software that enabled industrial espionage on European companies>

Oh, I wonder why the American government really dinnae like strong encryption software being exported. They even wanted "keys" from the makers so that they more easily could access the information. Sure, their supercomputers can crack 2048 bit encryption pretty easily, but newer systems take some time.

I believe some European companies, including the aviation industry, lost out due to industrial espionage through this software. Thee's some circumstantial evidence supporting it. I'll have to dig it up.

------------------
StSanta
JG54 "Grünherz"
"If you died a stones throw from your wingie; you did no wrong". - Hangtime