Losing control of the fuel efficiency debate

There comes a time when increasing gas mileage is a losing game, and becomes
impossible. I realize fully that mfr.s have made enormous strides (I used
to get 10 miles per gallon from a Pontiac convertible I had in college, when
gas was about 30c,) but there is a point where mileage can't be increased,
and demanding that it be increased is like demanding that they sew buttons
on zephyrs of wind.

 

Nothing of value will ever be accomplished until the public gets some
education and understands the difference between "Efficiency" and
"Economy".

Miles Per Gallon is a measure of economy, not a measure of efficiency
and a vehicle that has a lower MPG number can readily be much more
efficient than a vehicle with a higher MPG number.

 

The Iphone is a rather bad example since there most certainly were
devices that do *everything* an Iphone can do years before the Iphone
came out. Of course they were not produced / marketed by the great Apple
so to the great Apple's loyal minions they didn't exist.

 

I guess you live in a different US than I do. Bush and Co. are total
morons (as are all our current potential replacements), but during the
past half dozen years:

My fuel costs have decreased
My salary and bonuses have increased substantially
My health insurance coverage has remained good and the cost has been
relatively stable.

I don't really expect to ever be able to retire, but that is not a huge
concern since I expect to drop dead at about 70 anyway.

While I don't have any grandchildren to worry about, the claimed
"massive war debts" are no bigger than any of our previous wars which we
recovered from financially just fine while also covering the costs of
rebuilding the countries we blew up and/or defended.

I'd also be a lot more concerned with protecting my grandchildren from
some insane theocracy (of any persuasion) than some mythical "war debt",
since it's abundantly clear from all the examples around the world that
Theocracy = Poverty for the masses.

 

So does corporatism which is what the Bush gang is *really* all about.
The church leaders and their sheeple will be (already started) kicked to
the curb like a one night stand when the corporate boys have the power
they are after. Follow the money.

 

Problem #1: Too many people

Problem #2: How to increase fuel economy going forward:

Intelligent traffic light systems that know how many cars are passing
through their intersection and relay that information to neighboring
traffic lights for them to decide how to manage their own
intersection. They learn traffic patterns for their own intersection
over time, and can adjust immediately for drastic changes caused by
construction or accidents.

Instead we have urban traffic management systems based on 1920's
technology and ideology. Big deal that we have LED traffic lights.

(I had to strip a newsgroup from this post, so I chose to strip the
ford group)

 

And they have to WANT to get better mileage. The CAFE can be increased
tomorrow by using smaller engines, building smaller cars, but the buyers
still want the performance of the 200+ hp sedan.

We can save oil by eliminating the Sunday drive, cruise ships, pleasure
boats, snowmobiles, vacations, etc. It does not matter how much we gripe,
as long as we continue to buy the same vehicles and willingly pay $3.50 a
gallon, we are sending a message.

 

Very true, Ed. We are trying to reduce the total consumption of petroleum
products
because we are on a collision course with depleting American oil reserves.

 

We should be reducing consumption because our money is funding corruption
and terrorism in Saudi Arabia, the country we should have invaded.

 

WOW, good job! Witfall went silent on that one!
I'm ready for anyone who will take the republiturds out of office.

 

Part of any politician's challenge surrounding this issue is that there are
very few solutions left. The best solutions cause a kneejerk reaction among
the stupidest members of the population.

Example: No more federal funding for widening or maintaining urban highways
unless mass transportation has been developed as far as possible in a
particular city. Some cities haven't even tried. Or, to put it another way:
Sorry, folks, but you need to consider taking a train of a bus, even if it
means you have to sit next to..you know...those kinds of people. The ones
who clean hotel rooms and wash dishes in restaurants. The ones you'd rather
not have to see.

 

How about improving the technology for getting the thick, dirty oil out of
the ground in Oklahoma and Texas?
Half of the oil ever there is still there, because it takes to much effort
to get it out of the ground. And its full of sulphur.
Improving the MPG of vehicles is only half the battle.
And if the Iraq war WAS all about oil (which I believe it was),
then those oil reserves will be sunk into industry, and the military forces
protecting the oil fields, shipping lanes, pumping stations, etc etc etc.
I think John Q Public is going to pay out the ying yang for gas, and will be
driving the 4 wheel equivalent of a motor scooter in the near future. Gas
at $20 a gallon sounds about right, what with the dollar in freefall and
all. Good job BushCo!

 

I had the KR 200 when I was a kid. It was fun.

Mine was red.

http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/messerschmitt-kr200-roadst.html

http://tinyurl.com/3cf8gf

 

ROFLMAO

Now that will solve the problem......

 

Elect Hillary.

She wants the government that can't take care of people that can't take care
of themselves to take care of everyone....LOL

 

We're already being "taken care of". $3.29 a gallon yesterday.

 

She has you fooled. She is simply Corporate Mild. Same road, same
destination, little slower speed and less mayhem along the way.

 

I can afford gas for a boat. I used to own a Triton, so the first
thing I thought of was towing with an underpowered truck.

Not gonna happen.

 

You're getting off easy. $3.69.