More Ice?

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

There is a very practical and valuable aspect to Americans' love of the freedom that cars enable.

Throughout North America - even in Mexico - people enjoy the freedom a personal car brings. I doubt that any amount of global warming/cooling will change that.

That said, France's TGV train (Train Grande Vitesse - High Speed Train) is really fun to ride. If any of you visit France, you owe it to yourself to try the TGV out. It is super-smooth, quiet and when you look out the window, the cars going 130 km/h on the autoroute seem to be going backwards: that's how fast the TGV is! Paris is the hub of the TGV system, so a long weekend in Paris can include a side trip to Strasbourg or London or Geneva, for example.

FL

[RickD]

There is a very practical and valuable aspect to Americans' love of the freedom that cars enable.

Throughout North America - even in Mexico - people enjoy the freedom a personal car brings. I doubt that any amount of global warming/cooling will change that.

That said, France's TGV train (Train Grande Vitesse - High Speed Train) is really fun to ride. If any of you visit France, you owe it to yourself to try the TGV out. It is super-smooth, quiet and when you look out the window, the cars going 130 km/h on the autoroute seem to be going backwards: that's how fast the TGV is! Paris is the hub of the TGV system, so a long weekend in Paris can include a side trip to Strasbourg or London or Geneva, for example.

FL

I was going to travel to Francenot really to try the TGV, but then I realized how much jet fuel it takes to get to France. I'm doing my part to conserve fossil fuels.

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Curiously, I just posted this in the news/politics forum where I'm a Mod:

Ah...a forum after my own heart. What is its name?

I was going to travel to France (not really) to try the TGV, but then I realized how much jet fuel it takes to get to France. I'm doing my part to conserve fossil fuels.

Airplane travel is extremely polluting on a per capita basis. The only thing worse is RV travel. Stay at home and leave the big polluting to the experts. Oh...and the worst polluters in the world on a per capita basis are the Australians. SHAME ON YOU, Kurieuo and danieltwotwenty.

FL

[PeteSinCA]

FL, RepublicanOperative.com. It's more rough-and-tumble than here, but there are far worse places on the Internet (on both sides of the liberal-conservative spectrum). On RO I occasionally have folks on both ends of the spectrum accusing me of favoring the other side in my Moderation. I find it wryly amusing and figure it's a sign that I'm reasonably balanced.

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Thanks...I've registered. I'll be nice even though you all seem to be a bunch of pinko commie Lenin lovers.

FL

[1over137]

Have fun FL on that forum. This one is for you too dead

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Have fun FL on that forum. This one is for you too dead

I don't speak to those who live in former Soviet Socialist states. Please, someone tell Dr Hana that she has insulted me by her post, above.

FL

[RickD]

Hana, FL wanted me to tell you he loved your post.

[jcgood]

The Mysterious Kingdom Of Us ....a parable with rhyme by JC Goodman (aka jcgood)

I asked mself; the ruler of my kingdom and all the clever people I could find... after receiving reactionary hate mail from certain of my most influential subjects...how should we get from here to there? But not just here to there....here to there as lethargic and stressful and wasteful of energy as possible.

Aha!...the most clever had put their minds together for thirty days....and...hatched this ingenious plan!

...First; we will build something called suburbia...it's never been done. It's not a real city..it's just a parasite..you see....with no tax funds for you and me...
Then when everyone's transport is going so slow...we blame it on "regulation" and tie with a bow.

Then we need something that everyone can use....millions individually; each sporting their crafts. At the same time; same place daily.....to clog up the wafts.

What a huge success!...we finally see...selfish individualism works with stunning, appropriate anarchy. We shant want to get anywhere fast or efficient at all...

Divided we clog.....United we fall....into....gasp... a model of ....cooperation...for all.

Oh No.....the socialists are coming....run!!!!!!

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

The Mysterious Kingdom Of Us ....a parable with rhyme by JC Goodman (aka jcgood)

I asked mself; the ruler of my kingdom and all the clever people I could find... after receiving reactionary hate mail from certain of my most influential subjects...how should we get from here to there. But not just here to there....here to there as lethargic and stressful and wasteful of energy as possible.

Aha!...the most clever had put their minds together for thirty days....and...hatched this ingenious plan!

...First; we will build something called suburbia...it's never been done. It's not a real city..it's just a parasite..you see....with no tax funds for you and me...
Then when everyone's transport is going so slow...we blame it on "regulation" and tie with a bow.

Then we need something that everyone can use....millions individually; each sporting their crafts. At the same time; same place daily.....to clog up the wafts.

What a huge success!...we finally see...selfish individualism works with stunning, appropriate anarchy. We shant want to get anywhere fast or efficient at all...

Divided we clog.....United we fall....into....gasp... a model of ....cooperation...for all.
Oh No.....the socialists are coming....run!!!!!!

Yo, man! I's in da burbs wit' da snoblower an' it quit
Da blower's tensioner Wheel chewed da drive belt
O' da impeller, Yo! Yo! she dun bit/she done bit/she done bit
Duh dust! Yo! yo-yo-yo! ain't got no help
Wit da shov'lin sno! wit da shov'lin sno, ain't got no help

Yo! so I's gonna get my V12 macho car
Belchin' blue smoke all da way, so far,
So far into da Big City
To pick up a new drive belt, Yo!
dat coss me just $1.99, yo!
But I burned $10 in gas, Man!

Maybe I'll plant a tree?
Forgive me?
Yo?

FL

[PeteSinCA]

Thanks...I've registered. I'll be nice even though you all seem to be a bunch of pinko commie Lenin lovers.

FL

You've been approved. It's Josef Dzhugashvili with whom I have a problem.

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

You've been approved.

That is a very active forum! I'll look around before intoducing myself. I also have to find an appropriate avatar...Thanks!

TT

[jcgood]

One other point from my point of view.
The U.S. government is actually complicit in our history of apathy concerning air pollution and energy conservation.
Because there is such a meager tax on gasoline and diesel fuel; there is but a miniscule incentive to conserve.

Isn't it ironic...the same, tired generalization about "socialist" countries..." there is no incentive....cradle to grave, etc"....
applies here. A $3 a gallon federal/state gas tax....would be the best thing...to get people to actually re-think our conservation policies, get people to work
building infrastructure....and walk and lose BMI.....win...win...win!!!

I would expect there would be a lot of groaning and demonstrations if this happened. I don't believe it will happen....but expressing this idea of a solution
reveals my values. Actually...there is a stong correlation between property values and public mass transit. That is one of the reasons suburbia has thrived in
the U.S. Many people have sought more reasonable housing in the suburbs. Mostly; rapid mass transit to many U.S. suburbs ie. Los Angeles ...have been optional.

A reactionary response is not a serious response. We cannot be so arrogant to think that we are already doing our best
because we are "America"...whatever that means.

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

I don't think you'll get too many votes to raise gasoline taxes from your fellow Americans. Anyway, raising taxes has no effect on the size of cars sold. In both Mexico and Canada where gas hovers around $1.35/liter ($5.15/U.S. gallon), people still buy SUVs and full-size cars because that is what they want. The size of vehicles in North America is a cultural preference.

FL

[PeteSinCA]

I don't think you'll get too many votes to raise gasoline taxes from your fellow Americans. Anyway, raising taxes has no effect on the size of cars sold. In both Mexico and Canada where gas hovers around $1.35/liter ($5.15/U.S. gallon), people still buy SUVs and full-size cars because that is what they want. The size of vehicles in North America is a cultural preference.

FL

"Canuckia" ... where have I heard that word recently ...?

It's a mix of want and need. Back before I married I owned/drove a VW Rabbit (called the "Golf" in EuroLand). It suited my needs, beyond just gas mileage. After marrying and the birth of our firstborn, we got a Ford Escort station wagon. It could carry us and our stuff where we needed and wanted to go without inducing the need to visit the chiropractor as our 2-door Rabbit did (though I kept the Rabbit, instead trading in Mrs. S' pre-marriage poor gas mileage vehicle). Soon after the birth of our un-PC third child, we bought the first of 2 1/2 decades of minivans. Except for times when we had one car or when I had "inherited" a hand-me-over minivan, I've driven commutermobiles - compact or subcompact, 25-35 mpg. With our munchkins growing up, we recently traded in the minivan bought in 2002 for a mini-SUV, which should get 25+ mpg on the freeway, while being comfortable for when 1 or more of our munchkins are riding in the back seat(s).