vsmith
1st Class Member
SoCal
Conductor
Posts:839
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 | | 05/11/2008 11:42 AM |
| Why is it only about oil? What about solar? wind? geothermal? Whatever happened to carbon capturing with coal? How about finding alternative to using corn to make ethonal so our food prices dont skyrocket?
Where's the leadership in finding self sustaining alternatives to oil? asleep at the switch thats where.
We Americans just DO NOT seem to get it...we only think in terms of cheap oil as a birthright and cannot wrap our minds around why is oil so high and no other alternatives even dare to enter the minds of the average consumer, have we been so conditioned by the cheap gas prices of the 90's that we cannot accept that this era is gone never to return? The20th century is over folks, no more cheap gas, PERIOD. but as long as people keep living in the past, like to blindly insist on driving large gas guzzling vehicles that get less than 20mpg the only change that going to happen is people scrunging for loose change under their seats to fill the tanks of thier SUV. Ready to consider trading in the SUV for an electric golf cart? dont scoff, some expert say $7 a gallon gas may only be 3 or 4 years away...how many US auto makers are ready to address that?
Welcome to the 21st century. Its a simple fact, to quote Pogo "We have met the enemy and he is us!"
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 Kitbashing, welcome to the Dark Side | |
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Mik
Indiana, Pa
Foreman
Posts:306
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| | 05/11/2008 11:56 AM |
| My van is 26 years old and gets 13 mpg. I don't replace it for a very good reason. There's nothing used around here worth buying for less than $1800 or so and I might be able to scrape up $18.... 
Besides, every fuel sipping 4-cylinder car I've ever owned was a POS....all 5 of them. They just don't seem to last as long as the heavier engines. | |
Mik
Unattended children will be given espresso and a free puppy | |
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thekollector
Brakeman
Posts:35
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| | 05/11/2008 12:42 PM |
| Posted By vsmith on 05/11/2008 11:42 AM
like to blindly insist on driving large gas guzzling vehicles that get less than 20mpg
Miles per gallon has next to nothing to do with the overall situation. How many gallons you use does. My 1/2 ton truck turned 100,000 on Christmas eve and today is showing an additional 851 miles. If I traded for a higher milage sedan, it would take more years than I have to recoup the additional cost through fuel savings. And I can still tow the antique German tractor to a summer show.
The wife is still working and drives a 2001 Sport-Trac purchased new in Aug. 2000. We knocked out a 3500 mile trip out west last spring and the darn thing has just now topped 41,000 miles!
I don't care what gas costs as long as I can get it anytime I want it, unlike the last "crisis".
Jack | | | |
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Richard Smith
1st Class Member
Port Orford, Oregon
Foreman
Posts:380
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| | 05/11/2008 1:41 PM |
| Fuel economy is more than mere mpg. I drive a Dodge Ram pickup long bed and only get around 15 mpg. I need the large bed as I live in a very rural area and have to depend on myself for hauling lumber and supplies. Too, since my wife practically never goes anywhere by herself and I am usually with her or vice versa we got rid of the Lincoln and downsized to a single vehicle. The Lincoln by the way averaged better than 20 mpg on the highway.
We have acquaintances that own small, compact, uncomfortable vehicles (3 of them) that have commented more than once about our big "gas-guzzler". The truth though is that they have two homes that they travel back and forth to by airplane with one car in Oregon and the other two at their other home. They drive a lot, with "gas-saving" conveyances of course and average about 30 mpg.
When one does the math however it's not they that are fuel conserving. They average easily 30,000 miles a year which equates to 1,000 gals. of gas per year plus oil and maintenance on three vehicles and that doesn't count the at least twice a year airtrips. I have averaged 7,000 miles a year since I bought the pickup new in Dec., 2000. At 15 mpg that works out to a mere 467 gals. annually, less than half of their consumption and the vast majority of my fuel useage is for neccessity, not sight seeing. The hypocrisy reminds me of the vehicles I used to see in Berkeley with environment stickers all over and spewing smoke out of their exhausts like a Pittsburgh steel mill.
I'm not faulting anyone for traveling nor am I saying they should run out and buy a large vehicle but it does little good to buy a gas saving vehicle and then use that as an excuse to drive 30,000-50,000 or more miles for pleasure while criticizing others. You don't know what the other fellow's situation is. | |
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kormsen
in the middle of the westparaguayan semi desert
Foreman
Posts:486
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| | 05/11/2008 3:38 PM |
| I need the large bed ((car)) as I live in a very rural area
i noted, that most envirementalists(?)/greens live in the big cities, and simply don't understand the needs of folks that live on, from and with the land.
(maybe, because much of the energy, that is used for their citylifestyle, is used by others, who provide them with endproducts only)
i bought my first non-pickup after i stopped ranching. | |
 construction site - keep off! | |
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flatracker
1st Class Member
Dunlap, TN
Foreman
Posts:138
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| | 05/11/2008 3:57 PM |
| Hmmm...an alternative energy source. Most definately needed...BUT meanwhile ALL the aircraft in the world plus most of the trains use fuel made from oil. Believe me, there are a LOT of airplanes airborn all the time..etc. About the only thing that would be feasible for a LONG time to come, would be someting to fuel our cars in the interim, without using food related products for it. Of course the Govt. has a lot of our tax money tied up in bio fuel, so they will NOT stop that avenue of thought, sad to say. Also, how long do you think it would take to put out enough cars, trucks, tractors, semis, etc. to make a difference in the near future. Ronald was right about the environmentalists
causing havoc, which we will all have to pay for.
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Bob Martin | |
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Rayman4449
Gardner, KS
Foreman
Posts:423
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| | 05/11/2008 4:47 PM |
| Hey, what exactly is a Ring Ding anyway? haha " border=0>
Raymond | |
Want MTH DCS Protosound 2 in a non-MTH engine? I can help.
www.rayman4449.dynip.com
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vsmith
1st Class Member
SoCal
Conductor
Posts:839
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| | 05/11/2008 4:49 PM |
| | next someone will ask what a Moonpie is | |
Kitbashing, welcome to the Dark Side | |
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Doug Tome
Brakeman
Posts:10
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| | 05/11/2008 5:28 PM |
| CNN News ran a enviromental story about a project being worked on right now. They take regular pond algae and pump the water and algae through clear plastic tubes in a clear green house type building. The light coming into the building and the tubes increases the algae.
They are taking this algae from the tubes and working on creating a fuel source. They have several different algae classes (different colors of green). They are working on trying to determine which class of algae works best for various applications. They have one such plant in New Mexico.
They can produce a consistant amount of algae throughout the year. While ethanol is only produced at year's end when they harvest the crop.
As far as ethanol goes, using corn is a money wasting venture. What you get for what you have to produce and the cost is not justifiable (except to the farmers growing it). The average consumer pays more for food, etc.
You can take the large green weeds growing in culverts and empty fields across the United States and make ethanol for fuel. The cost for this is the cost of harvesting and transport to the ethanol plant.
Since most of our train items are made in China. There may be a big price increase coming by year's end. CNN has another article on big flat screen tv's and a price increase affecting them by year's end. Guess where most big flat screen tv's are made? China. | | | |
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vsmith
1st Class Member
SoCal
Conductor
Posts:839
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| | 05/11/2008 5:47 PM |
| | Soylent green? | |
Kitbashing, welcome to the Dark Side | |
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KYYADA
Brakeman
Posts:46
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| | 05/11/2008 5:53 PM |
| | China's currency was I don't know about now under valued by around 40% this creates a huge advantage for them in foreign trade as it lowers the price of their products. Governments have been complaining to them about this so maybe that is what is about to change. The man that predicted oil a few months ago at 127.00 a barrel said it could go as high as 200.00 by the end of the year. He estimated that could push prices up to the 8-10 dollar range, but he doubted it would go quite that high that was his high range....hope he is right! Imagine a truck getting 5 mpg going cross country 2000 miles = 400 gallons @ 10.00 a gallon is 4000.00 dollars in diesel fuel cost alone! If that happens expect to see prices to go through the roof! | | | |
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DennisB
southwestern Ontario
Brakeman
Posts:52
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| | 05/11/2008 7:24 PM |
| | Two years ago we moved to southwestern Ontario, where the climate is warmer, fuel costs lower, and a general lower cost of living. We can now take public transit and bicycle across a smaller city that has all the amenities. Since moving I now have more money for my hobby and my wife and I are generally happier living in a more affordable climate. And yes, we are retired and living on a fixed income. Fortunately, we don't have a "fixed mentality" and are able to adjust. Is that what is meant by the phrase "Freedom 55"? | | | |
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KYYADA
Brakeman
Posts:46
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| | 05/11/2008 8:19 PM |
| Is the time right for Hemp? Henry Ford knew ethanol was the fuel of the future back in the 20's. He built a car out of hemp and ran it on ethanol made form hemp in 1941 here is a video of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rgDyEO_8cI
Also one acre of hemp produces more paper than four acres of trees and the process is not as bad on the environment. The first drafts of the Constitution were written on paper made from hemp. Hemp can be grown in all 50 states and in southern states you can get up to three crops per year! It takes around 10 years to produce a stand of trees for pulp. | | | |
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stumpycc
1st Class Member
Kansas City, Mo.
Foreman
Posts:176
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| | 05/11/2008 9:17 PM |
| next someone will ask what a Moonpie is
Okay, what is it?
Cliff  | |
I think the old Steamers are the best and coolest looking of ALL the trains!!!!
"The less you know, the less likely you are to be Subpoenaed" clc 25-01-2007 http://community.webshots.com/user/ccouch1963 | |
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vsmith
1st Class Member
SoCal
Conductor
Posts:839
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nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Foreman
Posts:473
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| | 05/12/2008 12:31 PM |
| Boy that moon pie sure is a ugly looking thing now here a pretty lookin and TASTING ring ding, oooo they are so good cant get enough, but you need to be careful, they make your a-s big in no time he he he    
Nick.. |
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cmjdisanto
1st Class Member
Colonial Heights, Virginia
Foreman
Posts:184
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| | 05/12/2008 1:18 PM |
| Moon Pies? Ya ain't lived until you've sampled one. Big here in the South. Ring Dings huh???? I remember those being called "Ding Dongs" when growing up. Now don't tell me some group found a way to put a negative/alternative context on the name and forced the change | |
 MLS Member since September 2005 | |
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nick s.
1st Class Member
Upstate NY
Foreman
Posts:473
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| | 05/12/2008 1:53 PM |
| Dingy,Dongy, all the same thing ha ha ha 
Nick | | | |
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KYYADA
Brakeman
Posts:46
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| | 05/12/2008 2:28 PM |
| | Ever put a Moon Pie with the wrapper on in the microwave for about 10 seconds and eat it with a spoon? Yum Yum | | | |
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KYYADA
Brakeman
Posts:46
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| | 05/12/2008 2:32 PM |
| | I was reading on the net that if 11% of farmland in the US went into hemp production we coulld produce all the ethanol needed for fuel. That could be a net statistic as they are not reliable at times. | | | |
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