Comments on: Slow-moving, but also Wrong http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/ America's favorite blog Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:11:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16587 Tue, 30 May 2006 14:05:14 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16587 Pete IVDL, You're not helping me here. Guess I'll have to be content with the picture on the cover of Best of... C'est la vie. Pete IVDL,

You’re not helping me here. Guess I’ll have to be content with the picture on the cover of Best of… C’est la vie.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16550 Sat, 27 May 2006 23:42:29 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16550 A breast? A breast? Whose? I lust for a picture of one of Dame Kiri te Kanawa's, but I think she's from New Zealand, not Australia. Still, she is from your neighborhood, globally speaking. A breast? A breast? Whose? I lust for a picture of one of Dame Kiri te Kanawa’s, but I think she’s from New Zealand, not Australia. Still, she is from your neighborhood, globally speaking.

]]> by: Pete IVDL http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16543 Sat, 27 May 2006 20:41:46 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16543 At $6.30 a gallon ($1.40/litre), I found myself for the first time in my life "putting $50" in the car and NOT filling the tank (60 litre). Then I sat down and figured out what my taxable component of the petrol is... The Guvmint taxes fuel at around 47c per litre. Because I use the car to run my business, I can claim back 63c per litre (much more if it was diesel). So, thinking about this, the Guvmint makes a big ballyhoo about taxing fossil fuels to save the planet, but they then pay businesses even more to use the fossil fuels. I'm sure it's much more complicated than that, but that's the way it pans out. Even boobies in parliament would have more ability than the CRI people there now. Just trying to keep y'all abreast of the situation... At $6.30 a gallon ($1.40/litre), I found myself for the first time in my life “putting $50″ in the car and NOT filling the tank (60 litre).

Then I sat down and figured out what my taxable component of the petrol is… The Guvmint taxes fuel at around 47c per litre. Because I use the car to run my business, I can claim back 63c per litre (much more if it was diesel).

So, thinking about this, the Guvmint makes a big ballyhoo about taxing fossil fuels to save the planet, but they then pay businesses even more to use the fossil fuels.

I’m sure it’s much more complicated than that, but that’s the way it pans out. Even boobies in parliament would have more ability than the CRI people there now.

Just trying to keep y’all abreast of the situation…

]]> by: david http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16486 Thu, 25 May 2006 04:54:21 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16486 It was those damned Swedes trying to do something enlightened, but forces in the markets that matter certainly crushed that attempt to solve a serious problem back when the solution could have helped save the polar ice caps and the polar bears. We weren't (and ain't) bright enough as a species to mandate changes on which the survival of the species as we understand decent survival depends. We know how not to fuck over the planet, and have known for at least 3 decades (more like 5) we were seriously fucking over the planet, which makes the fact that we are fucking over the planet a crime against the future of humanity. We're idiots, so I guess it is actually appropriate that George Bush is now the two-term president of the most significant single nation-state force on the planet. I promise to be more optimistic in the morning. It was those damned Swedes trying to do something enlightened, but forces in the markets that matter certainly crushed that attempt to solve a serious problem back when the solution could have helped save the polar ice caps and the polar bears. We weren’t (and ain’t) bright enough as a species to mandate changes on which the survival of the species as we understand decent survival depends.

We know how not to fuck over the planet, and have known for at least 3 decades (more like 5) we were seriously fucking over the planet, which makes the fact that we are fucking over the planet a crime against the future of humanity. We’re idiots, so I guess it is actually appropriate that George Bush is now the two-term president of the most significant single nation-state force on the planet.

I promise to be more optimistic in the morning.

]]> by: Nick http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16479 Thu, 25 May 2006 02:22:52 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16479 The closest thing I can think of is the original Volvo Light Component Project (LCP). My recollection is that it was developed in response to market pressures during the gas crisis of the 70's. I'm pretty sure it achieved a combined milage of somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 mpg, with over 100 on the highway (I welcome any corrections). Of course, gas became plentiful again and the LCP was scratched. The fact that none of us are driving LCPs means that it wasn't really a decent solution. I would argue, however, that it would have been had it been mass-produced. The closest thing I can think of is the original Volvo Light Component Project (LCP). My recollection is that it was developed in response to market pressures during the gas crisis of the 70’s. I’m pretty sure it achieved a combined milage of somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 mpg, with over 100 on the highway (I welcome any corrections).

Of course, gas became plentiful again and the LCP was scratched. The fact that none of us are driving LCPs means that it wasn’t really a decent solution. I would argue, however, that it would have been had it been mass-produced.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16413 Tue, 23 May 2006 18:31:58 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16413 I'm not aware of market forces having actually brought about a decent solution to any global problem. Forces larger than the individual do drive events, but with no regard for humans or any other forms of life. Seems to me that either there will be major shifts in consciousness driven by something much larger than how much a tank of gas costs, or else humankind is well and truly boned in the bunghole, to steal an image from Jon Stewart. I’m not aware of market forces having actually brought about a decent solution to any global problem. Forces larger than the individual do drive events, but with no regard for humans or any other forms of life. Seems to me that either there will be major shifts in consciousness driven by something much larger than how much a tank of gas costs, or else humankind is well and truly boned in the bunghole, to steal an image from Jon Stewart.

]]> by: Sharon http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16411 Tue, 23 May 2006 17:31:37 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16411 Yes, the Europeans have chosen to make explicit the real costs of burning fossil fuels and operating a private vehicle instead of using public transportation. We here in the US of A have chosen to hide those costs and allow the oil companies to externalize them onto the backs of taxpayers. Yes, the Europeans have chosen to make explicit the real costs of burning fossil fuels and operating a private vehicle instead of using public transportation. We here in the US of A have chosen to hide those costs and allow the oil companies to externalize them onto the backs of taxpayers.

]]> by: Murray http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16410 Tue, 23 May 2006 16:59:05 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16410 Nick, I believe that in Europe the reason that gas is $6/gallon is because they HAVE a $3 tax. Nick,

I believe that in Europe the reason that gas is $6/gallon is because they HAVE a $3 tax.

]]> by: Nick http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16396 Mon, 22 May 2006 21:31:06 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16396 Very true, Kelli. I'm guilty of consistently forgetting that. I suppose we could raise the price of gas for cars alone through a tax, or the like, which might keep the price of oil for other uses down. I'm happy as long as the price of <i>driving</i> (at least using an oil-burning engine) keeps going up. We can argue the merits (or lack thereof) of artificially controlling the price of anything, and we can argue my comprehension of economic theroy, but of course it all becomes irrelevant at this point, since there is no way that placing a $3/gallon tax on the pumps will fly anywhere in the world.... Very true, Kelli. I’m guilty of consistently forgetting that.

I suppose we could raise the price of gas for cars alone through a tax, or the like, which might keep the price of oil for other uses down. I’m happy as long as the price of driving (at least using an oil-burning engine) keeps going up.

We can argue the merits (or lack thereof) of artificially controlling the price of anything, and we can argue my comprehension of economic theroy, but of course it all becomes irrelevant at this point, since there is no way that placing a $3/gallon tax on the pumps will fly anywhere in the world….

]]> by: Kelli http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16395 Mon, 22 May 2006 20:29:02 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/05/19/slow-moving-but-also-wrong/#comment-16395 As seductive as cars are, heating my apartment is even more so. High oil prices hit the poor and working class closer to home than a choice between driving and riding the bus. Don't get me wrong; I would love to see more responsible methods of transportation becoming popular, but not at the expense of widening the gap in quality of living between the rich and poor in this country. As seductive as cars are, heating my apartment is even more so. High oil prices hit the poor and working class closer to home than a choice between driving and riding the bus.
Don’t get me wrong; I would love to see more responsible methods of transportation becoming popular, but not at the expense of widening the gap in quality of living between the rich and poor in this country.

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