idrankwhat

Ouch, that's $420 per barrel! Yea, we'd definitely be working on alternatives at that price.

IMO, you absolutely HAVE to own up to your mistakes. Otherwise the remainder of what you say will be suspect.

How'd they do it? The only way I can see the blame being shifted to the Democratic Congress is to say that they screwed up enough to allow the Republicans to take over both the Executive and Legislative branches at the turn of the century.

Possibly stop adding to it but I don't think we should release it. Higher prices are making a difference in people's habits. Ford is selling more compacts and fewer trucks now. People's habits and mindsets are changing which is good in the long run. Also, we may need those reserves if Cheney gets his way and starts a war with Iran or if McCain gets elected this fall. $0.02

I've shown you repeatedly how Israeli foreign policy is illegal. I've shown you the war crimes. I've provided link to text, audio and video that support my argument that Israel brings on much of the violence that they receive due to their policy of apartheid and zionist manifest destiny. I've shown you how Israel violates our own demands. And to say that I'm disappointed that you will acknowledge absolutely NONE of that information is an understatement. To say that I'm upset by your insistence on calling me anti-semitic because I point out the crimes of Zionists, not all Jews, but those who think that the land outside their boarders is there for the taking regardless of the crimes and human rights violations necessary to achieve that goal is also a VAST understatement. That tactic is cheap and dishonest. If you want to dispute the information that I provide and want to show me how the Israeli actions are legal then please be my guest. I would welcome that discussion. If you're going to ignore everything I post and call me names in your straw man arguments then don't expect another reply.

Yes- Clinton. Can't talk history about a standing President. You mean the last seven years aren't "history" until this year passes? Not sure I understand that one.

I think the folks on the right were saying virtually the identical lines about Clinton in the last year of his term- respect, civil rights, hurting defense, vandal. It's all in your viewpoint. True, but one of those is quantifiable and verifiable.

We can have that right now, with decade old technology. I have two kids too. I'd prefer that they don't suffer from the consequences of oil driven foreign policy, that they get a better education because I was able to put more money in their college accounts instead of my gas tank, and that their lungs, brains and the remainder of their bodies develop without being subjected to fossil fuel pollutants. As for the idea of letting the market solve the issue, how can suppressing, or in some cases repossessing and destroying the technology that the consumer wants in order to maximize profits with old technology considered letting the market decide? A market driven solution would involve letting the consumer buy what they want.

Fixed it. Not precisely accurate but close enough for this narrow aspect of the conversation.

Like I said, there are extremists on both sides.

How can Israel claim that they want peace when they continue to steal land and use fleschette shells? The "who shot first" question moot. Something has to be done to get a dialog started. One of the main criticisms of Hamas is that they refused to recognize Israel. Earlier this week they publicly stated that they would. That's a major event, whether our media and leadership like it or not. Also the recent truce offering included the cessation of the rocket attacks in exchange for an Israeli cessation of targeted assassinations and military incursions into Gaza. Sounds like a proposed cease fire. Will the Israeli's and the US accept it and start a dialog? My bet is no. The land grab hasn't been completed. Yep. And the leaders also have to realize that any small single event from either side cannot be allowed to derail an open dialog. There are extreme factions on both sides that don't want any concessions made. I'll give that comment the attention it deserves.

Seems that there's some potential on the peace front. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080424/wl_nm/palestinians_hamas_truce_dc_3;_ylt=Ah2NfulOq.4D8mtLGaCCjXcE1vAI http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7362937.stm Let's see how our "boy blunder" (43) handles the opportunity this week. Will he thank Hamas for the gesture and pressure Olmert and Abbas to take advantage of the window and start negotiating in earnest? Or will he demand that Hamas chop down the largest tree in the forest with..........a herring?

Gotta go with "b" if those are our choices. He ran the country as effectively as he ran his businesses. If they weren't run into the ground then the profit came from millionaire welfare at the expense of the taxpayer.

There was a baby born in the hospital and he weighed ten pounds. The odd thing about him was his body weighed five pounds and his balls weighed five pounds. All the nurses and even the doctor didn't know what to do with him. Then, the chief surgeon walked in and asked what was wrong. The head nurse replied, ''We don't know what to do with this baby.'' So the chief surgeon took one look and said, "You should put him into a mental institution." ''Why?' asked the head nurse. "Well," replied the chief surgeon, "take a look at him. The boy is obviously half nuts."

I wonder how much better off we'd be if, instead spending trillion$ of dollar on self destructive social programs, and lots of other crap, we'd not take that money from citizens in the first place - so they can have the resources to invest in R&D on alternative energy sources and fuel efficient technologies. Social programs? You mean the farm bill and the defense budget? Actually, none of it matters. Any money that comes out of our Treasury for R&D for alternative energies will be funneled to the oil companies so that they can sit on the patents for as long as possible. We'll make the actual shift to alternatives when they're good and ready. Maybe a little earlier if the public demands it or makes it happen on it's own.

Really? I can't recall a single complaint about tortilla prices. They're out there, but overpopulation is only one aspect of the problem. The reason that tortillas (corn) is more expensive is because we're stuffing it in our gas tanks instead of letting people eat it. Once again, our government has chosen to support the wrong execution of the right idea. I'm waiting for them to come out and say "hey, we gave you an alternative and look how bad an idea it was. Oil is obviously the answer. We never should have thought otherwise."

I just finished watching it. It's outstanding. I had no idea that so many cars were available, that they performed as well as they did and that there was such an outcry to save them. One might have assumed that a "liberal media" might have clued us east coasters in on even a small portion of the controversy. I heard absolutely none of it. The movie makes a slam dunk argument for the wisdom of electric vehicles and exposes some very reasonable motives for their removal from the national inventory. I think the tell tale shot was when the protesters offered GM $1.9 million for the remaining 78 EV1's and GM didn't even blink.

From Wiki: "....California Air Resources Board (CARB) mandated electric car sales by major automakers. In response, makers developed EVs including the Chrysler TEVan, Ford Ranger EV pickup truck, GM EV1 and S10 EV pickup, Honda EV Plus sedan, Nissan lithium-battery Altra EV miniwagon and Toyota RAV4 EV. Automakers refused to properly promote or sell their EVs, allowed consumers to drive them only by closed-end lease and, along with oil groups, fought the mandate. Chrysler, GM and some GM dealers sued in Federal court; California soon neutered its ZEV Mandate. After public protests by EV drivers' groups upset by the repossession of their EVs, Toyota offered the last 328 RAV4-EVs for sale to the general public during six months (ending on November 22, 2002). All other electric cars, with minor exceptions, were withdrawn from the market and destroyed by their manufacturers. To its credit, Toyota not only supports the 328 Toyota RAV4-EV in the hands of the general public, still all running at this date, but also supports hundreds in fleet usage. From time to time, Toyota RAV4-EVs come up for sale on the used market and command prices sometimes over 60 thousand dollars." The customers wanted them, and they still do. But the people who have the most influence on our government don't want them on the road. That's why the do things like buy patents in order to curtail the usage of NiMH batteries in automobiles. Wiki: "Patent encumbrance of NiMH batteries In 1994, General Motors acquired a controlling interest in Ovonics's battery development and manufacturing, including patents controlling the manufacturing of large nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries in the United States. In 2001, Texaco purchased GM's share in GM Ovonics. A few months later, Chevron acquired Texaco. In 2003, Texaco Ovonics Battery Systems was restructured into Cobasys, a 50/50 joint venture between Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) Ovonics.[12] Chevron's influence over Cobasys extends beyond a strict 50/50 joint venture. Chevron holds a 19.99% interest in ECD Ovonics.[13] Chevron also maintains veto power over any sale or licensing of NiMH technology.[14] In addition, Chevron maintains the right to seize all of Cobasys' intellectual property rights in the event that ECD Ovonics does not fulfill its contractual obligations.[14] On September 10, 2007, Chevron filed a legal claim that ECD Ovonics has not fulfilled its obligations. ECD Ovonics disputes this claim.[15] NiMH patent expires in 2015." The new Tesla Roadster that just started delivery uses Li-ion batteries.

I'd be happy if we could go back 10 years and drive what was available then. A Rav4 EV would work nicely for starters.

Sorry for the bluntness, but what the fuck is the point of making this statement? ""I just don't want there to be any confusion," Rice said. "The United States is not going to deal with Hamas and we had certainly told President Carter that we did not think meeting with Hamas was going to help" further a political settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/22/AR2008042200608.html I mean Carter has more success in one week than the Bush administration has had in eight fucking years and she's trying to distance the administration from the progress. Sure, the progress is nothing concrete but it was a major hurdle to the peace process. Now the only people who are standing in the way are the people with the power to make something happen. FUCK! Hamas offers the olive branch, Israel answers by not agreeing to talk to Carter and then issues more building permits, and Condi says "hey, we had nothing to do with it". No wonder people are pissed at us. Our words have the credibility and authenticity of a soy corn dog!

I'm simply using hyperbole to make a point. I've been asked, usually when talking about things like executive pay, "well wouldn't you accept it if you were in their position"? And my answer is "No". My philosophy towards business is to grow the business and provide a secure environment for the employees. If I was offered a two million dollar pay package I'd say "why not give me one million and use the rest to give a pay raise to my employees and/or buy some new equipment to make things run more smoothly. I'd be sitting pretty in the big house at the end of the street. My employees would be happier and probably more loyal and dedicated. I'd have less employee turn over and overall, I'd probably have a more efficient and profitable business which benefits my investors. And if my business doesn't do well, then I take an even bigger pay cut while I do everything I can to keep the business afloat and my employees employed. I wouldn't take the multi million dollar escape package and let the company fail. Company leaders, and world leaders for that matter, are supposed to be stewards for their employees and constituents, not the economic equivalent of destructive parasites.

A salesman from KFC walked up to the Pope and offers him a million dollars if he would change "The Lord's Prayer" from "give us this day our daily bread" to "give us this day our daily chicken." The Pope refused his offer. Two weeks later, the man offered the pope 10 million dollars to change it from "give us this day our daily bread" to "give us this day our daily chicken" and again the Pope refused the man's generous offer. Another week later, the man offered the Pope 20 million dollars and finally the Pope accepted. The following day, the Pope said to all his officials, "I have some good news and some bad news. 'The good news is, that we have just received a check for 20 million dollars. The bad news is, we lost the Wonder Bread account!'''

It's not a dollar for dollar shift, although I don't have time right now to look up the figure. Also, nuclear and solar would be better alternatives to the 50% of the supply that we get from coal. And I'm not likely to wait for the Chevy Volt. Last night I started looking in earnest to see what I need to do to convert our Camry to 100% electric. I wouldn't have had to make the conversion however if they hadn't shredded so many electric cars over the past decade.

The only time this is ever said is when those friends and those kids don't take anything from your will. I disagree. Some people have priorities that extend further than their own immediate families. What good would it do me to have tens or hundreds of billions of dollars to hand down to my heirs if the food that they ate had to be synthesized because my business profited off of pollution, unsustainability and human suffering? Case in point. http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/25/magazines/fortune/charity1.fortune/

While I don't think you meant this to be an actual question for most of us I'll give you my honest answer. No, I would not. But I'm weird that way. I don't shit where I eat, I think that having the weaponry to destroy the world 5 times over is plenty, and I think that when I die that I don't want my kids and their friends looking at me and asking "what the hell was that selfish, greedy bastard thinking? Thanks a lot asshole".