Gas $5 a gallon in Europe?

[Dowding]

Duma - i think the Dome money comes from the National Lottery not taxes. Pretty sure of that.

Duma - in reply to below - good point!  

[This message has been edited by Dowding (edited 09-13-2000).]

[-duma-]

Yes, but why waste a perfectly good joke?

[Dnil]

Santa, have you ever been to Texas?  Just guessing here but I think Houston is just a tad smaller then your whole country.  Now come here in August in tell me to ride a bike, anywhere.  You will die, quickly.  The heat we had here and usually have here is over 100 degrees F.  Plus most people dont work down the block from where they live.  My last job took me about an hour in a car to get to.  Now sure I could work down the street for that lovely minimum wage you would like to see raised, but that wont pay the bills.  Cars are a very important form of transportion that keeps this economy chuggin right along.  Quickest way for a coup is to take peoples cars, hehe.



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Dnil---Skyhawk until I get Dnil back
Maj. 900th Bloody Jaguars
Part time aircraft restorer. www.kingwoodcable.com/jheuer

[Vermillion]

The military part was a joke   I know the US militaries funding over the past 8 years has been cut incessantly, but its use has been on the rise. (Worlds Police Force?)

Now as to the issue of the environment, sorry but you can't talk out both sides of your face. "Air Pollution is Evil and we keep taxs high to disuade the use of petrol" one second, but then complain about the cost in the next breath.

We call it the NIMBY syndrome in the US (or a reverse NIMBY actually), which stands for Not In My Back Yard. Where people are against dirty industry, cars, etc. and don't want them around. Until they need a job or are inconvienced by poor public transportation.

I understand that "Green" Environmental Groups are very popular in Europe, but you can only shove so much down the throat of the common man before he gets sick of it and starts to fight back. (Possibly whats happening?)

And before anyone starts lecturing me on Air Pollution and the Environment.... Shudup !   I do it every day as a profession, and have a graduate degree in Environmental Engineering. In fact, my day to day job is to use computer simulations to "model" air pollution and it dispersion into the atmosphere. I can and have taught graduate level courses on the subject.

There are many components to the formation of air pollution (I assume you are speaking of ozone), and many things that effect its residual concentrations. But admittedly, automobile exhausts are a large component. But don't forget power plants, commercial and household use of VOC's (volatile organic carbons), and about any other combustion source. Even large farms and forest contribute to the problem, believe it or not.

One last question. What is a "Millineum Dome"?

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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure

[Dowding]

Vermillion - the British protest has nothing to do with the 'Environment'.

You'll find as much apathy here as anywhere else.  

The Millenium Dome:

1) Very Large white dome near Greenwich, London.
2) Designed to 'celebrate' the Millenium
3) Designed at huge expense by 'Style Gurus' (read 'Style bananas')
4) Meant to attract millions of people, from all over Britain
5) Attracts half a dozen people who missed the turning for Buckingham Palace.
6) Makes huge loss.
7) Repeatedly asks for final, final loan to cover said huge loss. Bigger loss made.
8) Change in management = big changes and success
9) Does it f**k
10) Likely to pulled down before the years out.

That answer your question?  

[This message has been edited by Dowding (edited 09-13-2000).]

[Ripsnort]

Verm, in your opinion, whether based on facts or best guess, is this "Green House" effect something that nature does on its own, with a minor contribution from man?  In other words, all these Gov't funded programs that account for a hefty % of our national budget...are the scientists doing it for the $$, or based on scientific and historical evidence..?

[Tac]

Buy an electric car  

[WarChild]

electric cars solve everything eh?  Your electricity comes from somewhere.. and unless you burn the fuel in your car, the fuel will be burned at the power plant. Increase the electric cars... increase the electric plants.  There is a set amount of energy available in the world.  You cannot trade your gas car for an electric and expect to save energy.. your not... your just burning it on another end.

The way to do it is to find NEW energy.. ie these new cars that recover energy released by heat and friction on your cars brakes.  Thats a new source, but energy that has always been avaiable.  

BTW there is now technology for self sustaining nuclear power plants.  After the initial investment of fuel, the waste produced by the plant is recycled and used as fuel again.  This new technology produces no waste and requires small amounts of additional fuel over time with a huge return in output.  But because its "Nuclear" it does not get funding to get out of the research stage.  Public perception is a squeak.

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WarChild
VMF-323 ~Death Rattlers~
"Where's the Charmin!"

[StSanta]

Heh, so it is hot.

Public transportation.

The US is by fat the biggest pollutor country in the world in terms of cars. Ain't even bothering with fuel economy, when gas is that cheap.

I say; ya wanna stink down the place, go ahead, but pay for it.

Or get a gun and kill everyone who "threatens your right to cheap gas".

I don't think there's much debating to be done regarding emissions from cars. They're bad, period.

When I can afford one, I'll get one, with a huge engine.

Until then, treehuggers unite  



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

[Dnil]

This isnt denmark, come here and see the size of Houston, its not gonna happen bud.  City is 4 million people strong spread out over hundreds of miles, public transportion consists of buses, weeeee.  They cant stop at every work place.  Sure great in theory but not practical, hmm sounds like socialism, guess you know all about that.

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Dnil---Skyhawk until I get Dnil back
Maj. 900th Bloody Jaguars
Part time aircraft restorer. www.kingwoodcable.com/jheuer

[Mattibaby80]

Speaking personally from the north woods of the USA, I'm sick of this gas tax toejam.  Gas up here in Wausau is almost a $1.70 per gallon of unleaded, more for the premium of course.  And thats with most of the taxes waived!  Now, I know that doesn't sound like much as it is in Europe, but gas around here used to be .99-1.20$ per gallon.  I don't know how these amazinhunks at the gas companies live with themselves, taking hard earned money to line their own pocket.  They make enough at a $1.25, now they got to add .45 cents to every gallon.  Ohhh, we're switching to "reformulated gas", which is a crock of toejam cause they've had 5-6 months to do this and gas hasn't gone down that much.  I wish more people in the nation would participate in a "gas-out" to let these amazinhunks know we aint gonna take it anymore.  Think about it, how long does it really take to get a tanker of "reformulated gas" up here to sell?????

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Meine Schwester hat keine kartoffel salat?  Du bist eine lustige Buba!!!

[This message has been edited by Mattibaby80 (edited 09-13-2000).]

[StSanta]

Dnil:

improving the public transportation system should have priority then.

It is more of a logistical task to ensure that 30 cars with 1 person in gets from point A to point B than it is to make sure that 1 bus gets from A to B, C, D, E and F.

Ultimately, it's a matter of convenience.

As long as people are paying LESS for a non renewable source of energy (gas) than they do for a renewable (milk), I really don't see that much reason to complain.

I ain't banning or suggesting banning cars or something like that. There just are times when public transportation can do the same more effectively, although more inconveniently.

We're starting to pay for our rather free use of fossile fuel. Our governmetns have found that one effective way of limiting car use is by raising the cost of it. And they make bucks on it too. Great incentive, for them.

<jumps on his bike for his 35 minute ride to college, and laughs as he passes the morning traffic jams>

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

[Jigster]

 

Originally posted by StSanta:
Dnil:

improving the public transportation system should have priority then.

It is more of a logistical task to ensure that 30 cars with 1 person in gets from point A to point B than it is to make sure that 1 bus gets from A to B, C, D, E and F.

Ultimately, it's a matter of convenience.

As long as people are paying LESS for a non renewable source of energy (gas) than they do for a renewable (milk), I really don't see that much reason to complain.

I ain't banning or suggesting banning cars or something like that. There just are times when public transportation can do the same more effectively, although more inconveniently.

We're starting to pay for our rather free use of fossile fuel. Our governmetns have found that one effective way of limiting car use is by raising the cost of it. And they make bucks on it too. Great incentive, for them.

<jumps on his bike for his 35 minute ride to college, and laughs as he passes the morning traffic jams>

Yanno if I had to ride in those jelly beans you have in Europe I wouldn't like cars either  

Ah the simple pleasure of drivin the ol' jacked up redneck mobile through a mud hole...


As far as Houston goes, it has the most fubar highway system in the US. Road construction takes decades to make any progress. Fred Hartmann bridge for example. And I-10. It would be done by now if the GDMF government hadn't decided to make slopes on overpasses more gentle. Because of this the entire section of I-10 under construction(a 2 lane intersate being expanded to 3, per side) will likely be under construction for the next decade. It would of been simple to shut down one side and resurface and pave, but right now they have to build up 12 feet of road on one of the busiest hiways in around Houston.

All those cars in traffic jams everyday because of construction...bah ha ha. Keep in mind the slopes were made this way to "improve gas mileage" ...what a crock.

I just use the residential roads...10 times faster at least. And it's much better then sitting in traffic with an engine that only gets 10mpg (but 400 HP so what the hey?) Guess I could run a few over. Would that help?


- Jig

Tree Hugger's hell : being forced to watch the TNN sunday car shows over and over and over again.

[Dnil]

All I am saying santa is it wont work, would need ten thousand buses to do the job.  It sounds good, gives ya that warm fuzzy but wont work.  Come visit and I'll show ya around.  It will freak you out the size of this place.  Impossible to get anything done on a bus or train.  Impossible to lay the track for trains for that matter.  Its just not gonna happen no matter how happy it sounds.  That being the case, Im a realist ya see, then whats the solution?  Cleaner and more efficient engines, alternate forms of fuel?  The perfect fuel source isnt out there yet.  I promise I wont talk Denmark politics with ya santa, never been there.  Sure as heck not gonna tell ya whats right for your country, its your country.  Im sure its gorgeous and perfect and I mean that, but I havent walked in your shoes there.  

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Dnil---Skyhawk until I get Dnil back
Maj. 900th Bloody Jaguars
Part time aircraft restorer. www.kingwoodcable.com/jheuer

[1776]

Hmmm, you Brits are about 200 years too late  

We here in the US had a problem with your government regarding a tax on tea!!!

Best of luck to you regarding your tax protest!!

 

[This message has been edited by 1776 (edited 09-14-2000).]