12-01-2005, 02:46 AM | #1 | |
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The War Against the Car
(sigh.....)
The War Against the Car November 11, 2005 ; Page A10 Commentary - Wall Street Journal Quote:
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12-01-2005, 06:03 PM | #2 |
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Yes, I agree, sigh. I don't know of anyone who wants to "do away with cars," although I do know of people, myself included, who would like to see alternatives available, whether electric or hydrogen fueled, or whatever, as well as more efficient, use of existing fossil fuels that, if not now, will at some point be in short supply - or machines that don't pollute quite so much.
This particular writer sounds to me like someone who is trying to stir up trouble against those darn environmentalists, those awful liberals, who are trying (as he subtly suggests) to take away our cars. Somehow I don't think that's an accurate view of the siutation at all. But it's great fun to play "ain't it awful." Sells newspapers to get people riled up. Pam |
12-01-2005, 09:41 PM | #3 |
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What will make this a possibility is a complete redesign of the cities and suburbs.
For example, the school I attend (university) is 50 miles away from my home. If I moved to that town, my husband and I would have to maintain separate residences because he lives here, six miles from his work. This is one of the things I run into in demonstrating the Segway at The Science Place: People just LOVE it but here in Dallas there really isn't a good place for it. The suburbs sprawl for miles and miles and the downtown is far away from them. It makes design and implementation of ANY mass transit very difficult. Europe has a different situation. Most of those towns grew up around old medieval towns, which were compact and designed for foot traffic. Everything was in a reasonable walking distance. It's actually easier to get non-car transport systems started in places like that. ...alas. |
12-02-2005, 09:53 AM | #4 |
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Dallas has always been an issue in this regards. I lived there from 63-82, on and off, and the sprawl really does not make it Segway efficient for getting all your needs met, unless you're willing to really limit your options.I don't know if the downtown area is becoming rehabbed. That would be nice. I went to my niece's for Thanksgiving - she lives over by DFW airport, and was amazed at how much it has grown - There were two major malls within a mile of her home, but unless she wants just what those malls provide, she's going to have to drive.
Pam |
12-02-2005, 10:55 PM | #5 |
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This is so typical of todays widespread jaundiced journalism. The young monkey wanted to speak his or her gut without bothering to fact check. The mantra may be cars but forgets that their beloved gasoline engine was made as something to utilize the waste, yes waste, of petroleum production, because it burned too fast for the lighting of the day (kerosene), and was dumped. It wasn't until the 1890's that the gasoline engine became popular. But wouldn't that be about when cars were invented?... No, silly child, the Studebaker company was making cars, mostly electric, since the 1850's but found that because they were throwing the gasoline away and engines could run on it, it was cheaper in the long run (for the consumer) than using a diesel engine, which burned peanut oil at the time, or an electric motor and batteries. We also won't mention that the Stanley Steamer was a car long before it was a carpet cleaning device and that in 1906 it was faster and more powerful than a gasoline engine if somewhat more pricey (hence it's downfall). No let's get out the myoculars and focus on the simple things that are in our driveway and repeat the mantra, "this is the pinnacle of automotive evolution".
Pin-headed myopic little children write stories and dopes buy into the bull. -- swiftly flying |
12-03-2005, 11:48 AM | #6 |
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Regarding the 'young monkey' and 'pin-headed myopic little children': This article was written by Stephen Moore, senior economics writer for The Wall Street Journal and a member of its editorial board. And president of the Club for Growth PAC.
JohnM Anything worth doing for 2 hours is 10 times more worthwhile if done for 20 hours. RUSA #235 |
12-03-2005, 05:28 PM | #7 |
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I guess I stand corrected. I should have said "senile monkey" and "pin-headed, myopic, large gasbag" but to be fair, I did just notice that it was an editorial commentary rather than pretending to actually be journalism. With that said, I don't mind at all because that's what happens when you have an agenda to push.
-- swiftly flying |
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