OK, so it is rather excessively off-topic, but I haven't been so annoyed for a long time, and wish to share. Last year, General Motors recalled the very wonderful pure electric car (EV-1) we'd been loving for four years, since they decided not to support them any more. But at least, they said, they would be using them for further research, and donating them to university mechanical and electrical engineering labs. Someone found the 'secret' site on the Arizona desert and posted this to a electric car site. This is how they are preserving them. Ours was green. Maybe one of those on the left.
Almost as bad as the public trasnportation system being shut down in LA - the Auto industry is just criminal.
I know this story!!!! GM bought the patents ages ago in the 80's. The reason they kept it under lock and key all these years is because special interest groups representing oil companies "influenced" them to lock those patents away and burn them. Their is too much money in oil as we have seen in Iraq and the Middle East. Just as a note GM also owns the patents for the hydro-powered and solar-powered cars as well so get those wallets open, the pumps await you. Don't worry though all, our politicians will escape safely with the money just in case terrorists try to attack us again. As for me and the rest of us saps, just put your head between your legs and kiss you butt goodbye, be happy!!!!! Wow, they always talk of the baby-boomer generation being "more together" and "smarter" then us Gen-X kids in our 20's and 30's. Don't believe the hype, all the idiots that are running this country were put their by those great Baby Boomers!!!! They may have been more conservative, but their street smarts were terrible. I probably could have sold all those saps the Brooklyn Bridge, they bought those lies hook, line and sinker!!!! It's sad, I would probably trust any degree mill graduate over most of these guys in office today, their all theives and they have the nerve to insult the mafia, what's the difference between Washington and the Mafia???
Do you have any source for this? It seems more conjecture and urban legend than reality. I wasn't aware GM had any interest in oil or petroleum companies. As to the baby boomers versus the Gen Xers, I think you'll find many dullards (SP?) and geniuses in both. Any measure at this point would lack any perspective at all. Personally I hope they make every decision perfectly and leave this country in an unbelievable prosperity. Let's see where the Gen Xers leave this country.
John, I looked at the picture that you posted. Those are the compact models, correct? Compact = Crushed
It is well established, as Kristie alludes to, that in the 1930s and 40s, a 'cartel' of General Motors and Standard Oil bought most of the inter-urban trolley lines, and then closed them down, so more people would drive. They were found guilty of this crime, and fined $5,000 each. They put something like a billion dollars into developing the EV-1, and something l ike $1.42 into marketing it -- so they could go to the California air standards group and petition (successfully) to have the stringent emissions standards reduced because "We made a good zero emissions car, and no one wanted it." I thought I remembered that some of the key patents were held by the University of California at Davis, where the EV-1 was designed, but I don't know this. Sure was a great car.
I was definately aware of GMs effort to shut down trolleys in the LA area. I think, however, they may be getting more blame on a nationwide basis than they deserve. In Portland OR there was a well developed trolley system up until after WWII. The system had detoriated and was eventually pulled aside and simply burned. In hind site it was a very poor choice, but at the time the car and suburbia were King. My comment on urban legend had more to do with the myth of a water powered car and the car with the 200mpg carb. It is easy to believe in such wonderful dreams, but it seems myopic to me. I have never believed much in conspiracies when all it takes is one person to blow the whistle. P.S. Speaking of conspiracies John, what do you think of theory of an atomic explosion north of S.F. during WWII? http://www.portchicago.org/lastwave/chapter9.htm
You're right!!!! The Baby Boomers are not all bad, my Mom and Dad happen to be part of the group and I know many nice people from that generation so don't be insulted by my comments. Their are good and bad people in every generation. I view it as the Baby Boomers were more book-smart while GenX kids are more street-smart. Think about it!!! In the 50's, people were getting ripped off by 3 Card Monty!!! The Baby Boomers back then were easier pray for scam artists then we are. I remember people in that generation giving social security numbers to complete strangers on the phone or falling for the scam like "I'm a fortune teller, give me $100 and I'll tell you the future" or "I have a special potion that you can drink and it will make you live forever". How many of you bought the X-Ray vision glasses out of the comic books when you were young and found out they didn't work? Most 5 year olds these days would have figured out scams that adults didn't see back then. Just to compare I saw a case last year where a 13-Year Old kid got busted for running a credit card scam and stole almost One Million Dollars before he was caught. Had their been credit cards back then, this kid probably never would have got caught in the 50's, people have smartened up since then. Children of my parents generation were children, children of my generation go from 10 years old to 25 in weeks, not to say that it's better, just different..........
The CAT - Don't apologize for your comments, I think you are right!! I am a generation X'er and I hate the opinions and stereotypes out there about our group, I hope everybody sees there are good in bad in all, but that there are different from environment as well.
Thanks Kristie!!!! As you can see and feel, my comments are only pointing out the way it is!!! It's a damn shame what has happened to our country. The government is crying poor yet is going to be sending almost a Trillion Dollars to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. We all know it's the asking price, we the people own them. The real reason we are a superpower is the money, not the nukes. Anyone who rides against us has two choices, either let yourself be bought, take the money and shut up or die!!!! Look at Welfare, it doesn't help anyone, it just shuts-up the yapping liberal mouths who populate the ghetto. Why do you think the Democrats are doing poorly? Their welfare checks can't buy us anymore which has been their bargaining chip all these years. In that respect I feel Minority groups are more slaves today then during the Civil War, the politicians got them by the wallet. GenX guys like me have a pricetag they can't afford!!! They could buy those saps with a welfare check in the 70's cheap for a vote, today most people are going Republican as we have become more "me" oriented which is the Republican Party ideal though the lines between Democrat and Republican are no longer clearly defined. In New York, Rudy Giuliani ran as a Liberal Republican or Conservative Democrat, whatever!!!! I liked Rudy though.... We got the attitude today like "screw those losers, get a job and quit your whining!!!!" "I don't care about your problems, I got problems too and your one-trick pony is getting played out" We have become a 2nd rate Power in these regards. I feel we need to totally clean house and fire everyone currently in Office. My prerequisites for the new guys would be if your listing influential people on your resume as character references, your off the list!!! I want people in government to really represent us. Those in government and society today are also "me" oriented only the politicians started 50 years before us. Our greed is only catching up to theirs. They talk of societies ills in Washington, they invented the gameplan!!! The GenX society was created by the Baby Boomers, don't forget this!!! They showed us how to be corrupt, now they complain because we mastered the game beyond their skill level. They all know the special interest gravy train is just about up!!!
I am pretty sure I read that Volkswagen is either in production, or going to be, on its amazing 285-mpg one-litre car. Two passenger. Photo below. http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new_devs/one_litre
Conspiracy Theorist's Unite!!! Our interurban just died. No one bought it, they just stopped riding on it. And before we go too crazy: http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pb/hybrids.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/2309397.stm and most important here: http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=27&article_id=7606&page_number=1
Can you imagine that car vs SUV in an accident. I don't know if it will fly in the US. How sad. When I went to France, I was amazed at the compact cars. Since I have a "sub compact" car, so I get great gas mileage, I think there are too many SUV's out there to feel safe in that little one.
There are too many things I could debate you on this one, and I am off for an appointment, but for every side, there is another......
First, it is incredibly simplistic to state that our government is "crying poor." Our government is currently running a deficit. That has absolutely nothing to do with being "poor." What would you prefer? A rich government that runs a surplus -- charges you higher taxes than they need to just so Uncle Sam will have some "walking around" money? Second, we are certainly not "sending almost a Trillion Dollars to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East." Yes, we sent several billions of dollars worth of bombs and cruise missiles. Yes, qualified companies are getting billions of dollars for rebuilding Iraq (qualified means that the Vice President used to be your CEO.) But the grand total is no where near a trillion dollars. And yes, by far our largest recipient of actual foreign aid is a country in the Middle East -- Isreal. You know who are the worst? It's those sniveling kids in the ghetto who keep whining about wanting their immunizations. Wanting their antibiotics when they get an infection. Wanting to have a cast put on their arm when they break it. Stupid Liberals always asking for a handout. Don't they know that welfare has never helped anyone? No, the "me" orientation is what some people have perverted the Republican party into. The Republican party was initially about as far from this as possible, considering that they came to prominence through the Civil War. Yes, the Republicans were fighting FOR those whiners in the ghettos (and plantations and slave shacks.) Today, a large portion of the Republican party votes for that party because they believe that it best embodies Christian principles. And as far as I know, "What have you done for me lately?" is not one of the principle tenants of Christianity. If you really want to understand the core philosophy of today's Republican party, I would suggest starting with Barry Goldwater's "The Conscience of a Conservative." Or just keep spouting your uninformed nonsense. Whatever, dude. "We the people" own no one. I don't doubt that you fantasize about owning people, and perhaps one of your ancestors owned one of my ancestors. But you own no one. No one's soul but your own -- assuming you haven't already sold it.
WOW Jeff, I got you ticked, but that's good because your waking up....... Anyway, my opinions may be controversial and all but don't you see the money play that's going on here??? We may not literally "own them" like slaves in Iraq, but understand when the US kicks in BIG money to your cause it's not for free. We will probably be in Iraq for much longer then you anticipate, how much do you think it's going to cost to do all this? War and country rebuilding is expensive. Like it or not the US is using this situation strategically. Wouldn't Iraq be a great spot for the US to keep a birdseye view over all the Middle East?? There involvment may lessen over time but to say they would totally leave them there alone is absolutely insane, that includes Afghanistan as well. The list of things the Iraqi people need is a mile long. Some of these things are: Running water thats drinkable Food Housing as most live in tents and shacks (you saw Saddam's Hideout; those people were considered Middle/Upper Class) Jobs creation and training A reliable power supply A sewage system Sanitation Police Fire Department Hospitals Doctors and medical staff Medical care Medicine Telephone/Telecommunications Education and schools Immunizations Public Transportation I really don't need to go furthur Jeff to prove my Trillion dollar point which I feel was a conservative estimate. Just to catch you up to speed and enlighten you New York's annual Board of Education budget is 10 Billion+ and the schools are failing if your into the news (check Google or yahoo!). They have the buildings and the infastructure already in place yet it still costs 10 Billion annually. Imagine if New York had to also build the buildings to house the students, the furniture so students don't have to sit on the floor, the teachers to teach, the books, just to name a few of the things required to do the job. New York City's Board of Education provides education and services to more than 1.2 million children in the five boroughs of New York City, not including Long Island and Upstate New York. From Elementary to High School, New York City is comprised of over 1,200 official public schools with 48,000 classrooms and they're overcrowded. Just the education budget alone in Iraq, which unlike NY is a country, not a city, is going to be staggering alone and I haven't even touched the subject of aid in Afghanistan so THINK JEFF, ARE YOUR EYES OPEN NOW!!!!! I have another 16 things on the list above which are bare essentials that are also expensive to set up!!!! Imagine what the hospitals are going to cost? What do you think about my budget estimate now??? Wake up and smell the coffee!!! Now is the government going to do all this and say "enjoy Iraqi people, were leaving, Bye!!! I would say emphatically "HELL NO"!!!!!!! Wow Jeff you scare me, it's 2004 not 1904, things are costly these days but please do pass on those plans for your time machine as I like those 1904 prices much better as well!!!! As for the liberal whiners in the ghetto, our aid is not helping. We have been pumping money into it for years. Come to NY where I live, go check out Harlem, Washington Heights and Bushwick for example on your next vacation to NY. Tons of money has been sunk in there and it's still the ghetto. Money and political promises haven't changed the area. These people need more than a handout, they need education on how to live a different way other then what they know generation through generation. I feel when you hand someone something for nothing they become hopeless. Why work for money when I can have a check handed to me. Look at the other side, take a person like Paris Hilton. Her parents are rich, but understand the outcome is the same. She never had to work for anything, if I took all her money away she would die homeless in the street. Because her parents got her used to the handout, she also has become just as hopeless as a welfare recipient. Paris probably wouldn't last a month at McDonald's, let alone any of our jobs. What do you do Jeff for a living?? Do you think Paris could quickly assume your duties at work?? I would think not as I figure you would run circles around her, right??? They need pride and self-esteem, by handing them money your saying "you can't do this on your own, you don't have the stuff". Now that you've convinced them, they won't have it. Why do you think many people who retire suffer from depression or suddenly get sick? They no longer have a cause, a purpose for why their here and that thought is a depressing one!! Their is an older man who works in my office who recently retired, he passes by often. When you saw him before he retired he was bubbly and upbeat, now when I see him the fire in his eye is gone, he looks defeated. Obviously, in the real world your parents had the opposite to say to you Jeff, they said YOU COULD DO IT!!!! Now imagine your parents were on welfare, everyone you associate with was on welfare, all you know is welfare, what do you think your mentality will be in adulthood? I don't think it will be too positive, by then your role models have made an impact upon your prospective. I have many friends who grew up in that type of environment unlike myself and our attitudes are different. The ghetto is not a place, it's a state of mind.
Looks like a wish list for most of Appalachia and most Indian reservations. Too bad our leaders forget about these folks.
