<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Sep 13 2007, 01:45 AM) [snapback]511809[/snapback]</div> I learned that word from the hair and makeup guy at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles when I was in a show there some years ago. He also told me what a "fluffer" was.... [blush!] You can get a real education in the performing arts!!! About the video.....gee, do you think every schoolteacher in South Carolina was moaning in incredulity and disgust at her comments? Gal's a rocket scientist for sure!!! :lol:
If you have the Sundance channel, turn it on right now (12 am). A show about Biodiesel and veggie oil. Hopefully will shed some light to those who still don't think it's one of the great alternatives to petrol, at least when it comes to commercial and military vehicles. And to all those who still quote "research" on biodiesel which shows it as just another evil product, just consider the source... All that negative research is paid for by the big oil companies, same ones who pay scientists to "PROVE" that there is no global warming and that the Prius is dirtier than a regular car. Anything can be "proven" just depends who pays the "scientists." If the Catholic church pays a scientist, he will "PROVE" that the Earth is flat, trust me! Just like the tobacco companies had scientists who "PROVED" that tobacco is not bad for you. So do a good, thorough research, listen to both sides and come to your own conclusions and always consider the source of your research.
Great quote from the show: "There is no magic bullet. There is an integrated solution, where Biodiesel plays a role, hydrogen plays a role, solar energy plays a role, Hybrids play a role..."
This is what happens when an H1 has an "accident" with a Civic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dm4BBWwRvc Whether you hate the Hummer or you love it, I think most, especially those who've been personally hurt by crime, will love seeing what happens in this video. Enjoy! P.S. And unlike my accident, this guy was even luckier. My H1 got an inch long crack in the paint and it seems from this video his didn't get any cracks or scratches on the paint. =)
And on this one you can see the difference when it comes to crash safety between an AM General Hummer and a GM H2............. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-YXCvCHBbA And again this thread wasn't meant to be about safety superiority, but since a few brought it up, a response was required.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(n8kwx @ Sep 13 2007, 08:55 PM) [snapback]512242[/snapback]</div> Fossil fuels subsidized?? By who? How much? Last I checked some members in Congress are actually calling for "after the fact" taxes on legally obtained profits (otherwise known as "windfall" taxes) from select (code for "very evil") oil companies. How would you feel if a legislator came to you and said "Uh, Mr. Doe, we feel you just made too much money this year in your line of work. So we decided to take away more of your hard earned profit this year...". My response, fine, I'll just keep raising my price of my product. So guess who pays in the end??? Hint, even those big evil corporations don't print money. Sure, solar power is great. Its clean and has perhaps a few other advantages over conventionally produced power. But it currently is not competitive with conventional fuels. If it was, I promise you would see thousands of solar contractors pop up and everyone would have a solar array on their roofs. In fact, the Federal government and many state and local governments heavily subsidize solar power and it still currently is not cost competitive or as reliable as conventional power. I pay 9 cents per KwH for electricity. Probably a fairly average rate. Show me solar panels and a system that can compete effectively 24/7 with an ROI (don't forget to include installation costs, maintenance, batteries, life of the cells, etc.) with the 9 cents per KwH I currently pay and I'll get them tomorrow. Rick #4 2006
Got any of a Hummer hitting a pedestrian or reversing over a child in a driveway or the death and destruction they cause others or how their crash safety compares to riding on a bus? <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Sep 12 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]511048[/snapback]</div> From the title of the thread I thought I was going to get the answer from you. Why is this in the Prius forum, like the main forum? Shouldn't it be in FHOP?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Sep 14 2007, 08:39 AM) [snapback]512457[/snapback]</div> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("Time's Worst 50 Cars of All Time")</div> ...and from a pragmatic point of view, what is it's function? There are lot's of better choices for hauling people and/or things more efficiently - it's seldom used off the pavement....which leads to the obvious it a "Hey Look at ME!!!" vehicle. ...darn - I've got to change my sig!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Sep 14 2007, 06:16 AM) [snapback]512423[/snapback]</div> As far as I could tell from the news report; the business owner was not injured in the robbery. His pursuit of the robbers took him on a high speed chase through a residential neighborhood and then he demolished the Honda (luckily the right one). Were the right people inside at the time? It did not seem that the business owner was in mortal danger from the robbers when he took up the chase at dangerous speeds past people's homes. Did he intend to run over their car from the beginning of the chase? I would think that the business owner will face charges for taking such drastic actions without just cause. Thank you for showing the current mismatch that we have on the roads now with the ever taller trucks vs cars. What is the reason for trucks being so tall. Vanity. Try and explain your vanity to the loved ones of people in cars, run over by big trucks. How do your rights compare to theirs. What if the victims were your close family?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MegansPrius @ Sep 13 2007, 02:42 PM) [snapback]512013[/snapback]</div> Although this thread has advanced quite a bit past this, I just wanted to say thanks for posting the source of that misleading stat. Context (and misinterpretation) makes a huge difference here, as "SUVs are involved in 3% of accidents" is far different than "rollovers account for 3% of accidents".
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Sep 14 2007, 12:59 PM) [snapback]512607[/snapback]</div> Actually the OP of that stat said he'd heard it on NPR recently. They broadcast an SUV story on Sept 3 but I don't have time to listen to it to confirm if that was the one. Though SUVs still don't fare that well in the stat I quoted, given that SUVs account for 50% of rollovers, and rollovers still account for one-third of auto accident fatalities. But I am a total context junkie.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(viking31 @ Sep 14 2007, 07:07 AM) [snapback]512438[/snapback]</div> Gulf War I Gulf War II (I guarantee you that if there was no oil in the Middle East we wouldn't be there.) Oil and gas leases on public lands. Rural Electrification act. Nuclear power liability exemptions. Pipeline easements. Coast Guard and Navy guarding oil and gas tankers. And most important - the effects of pollution are barely accounted for. How much will our government (and private sector) spend if global warming does raise sea levels? <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(viking31 @ Sep 14 2007, 07:07 AM) [snapback]512438[/snapback]</div> I wouldn't be happy at all - I am a Libertarian. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(viking31 @ Sep 14 2007, 07:07 AM) [snapback]512438[/snapback]</div> Any subsidies for renewables pale in comparison to fossil fuels. And they are not consistant. They have come and gone many times. That's not good for business. I don't support subsidies for renewables, I just am just trying to point out that the playing field for renewables is NOT level.
Sorry, the second link apparently wasn't working, so here's the new link which shows the difference when it comes to crash safety between an AM General Hummer and a GM H2 and the reason why I feel safer in my Prius than in an H2 or any other SUV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-YXCvCHBbA
I wish my solar panels were heavily subsidized by the Government. I am only eligible for $2k. I think that will cover half of the sales tax. However, I am still happy with my system. Based on calculations I should break even in 10 yrs. System warrantied for 25 yrs. So I will have 15 yrs of money in my pocket. It does not need to create power 24/7 with net metering. I create power during the day and dump it back into the grid. The power company gives me credit so that I can draw the same power back out at night without paying for it. Anything more on top of that I pay for. It costs around $0.14 per kw around here. It is, however, not ready to be put on cars. Unless you just want a trickle charger to prevent your batteries from draining.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Sep 14 2007, 07:21 PM) [snapback]512802[/snapback]</div> To cover my electrical needs I'd need a $55K system. My yearly electrical expense is about $2000, which means it would take 27 years to break even, which is 2 years after the system is inoperable... So until solar technology greatly improves or prices drastically drop this doesn't make financial sense to me.
Oh so everything you have ever owned has become inoperative as soon as the warranty expires, that's clever!! Have you found that video of a parent reversing a H1 over their small child yet? How about hitting a pedestrian?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Sep 15 2007, 05:51 AM) [snapback]512945[/snapback]</div> I think your days on this forum are numbered.
