Great post. It’s happening to my brother at another chain and he still would not go to the polls. He is changing though after decades. Still, humans scare me.

I was parroting R. Scumbag of course with the rugged individualist comment. I loved too how you weaved an argument that works on dual levels. For the Progressive mind and the practical selfish one. You did this right down to the environmental pollutants counter argument to Rush’s “it’s your fault” arguments. Sorry to repeat that things name.

I think the only place a jerk will counter you is with helping those who are uninsured and dying. Getting them to say that out loud however is a victory in many debating circles anyway. Well done.

After taking my Mom in to the hospital I waited in the emergency room. I saw a guy pacing in a miffed sort of way watching a non English speaking black couple trying to get admitted. Clearly they were getting their health care through the emergency room. I avoided his attempts to catch my gaze FIVE times. Finally he caught the tiniest portion of my eyes and spoke. I got up and was a total ASS. He mumbled a lot, spoke about Liberals, and had sound bites from R. Scumbag, but I was amazed at how he was FOLLOWING me. He was stuttering. People seem to respect getting abused. Go figure. He told me in apologetic terms that I misunderstood him. He said “no no no I don’t care if a guy makes a million bucks it’s just that….” I cut him off with “I know you don’t and that makes you a loser.” On and on he tried to explain his thoughts. He so wanted my approval. There is a weird psychology going on in Abuse Radio . Seems to work though.

A WalMart in Laguna Niguel?!
They have too many stores in
LN to begin with! Argggh!

Why do you think I don't shop there

they do have size issues and, for some, price issues. I was in the market last August. I am a large man. Tried the Honda hybrids. Didn't fit and not much cargo space. Tried and loved the Toyota Prius (2005), but the dealer just wouldn't budge on price. I found the Honda CRV (front wheel drive) to be roomy, well built, 28 miles to the gallon combined, one of the cleanest cars on the road. And I have had no problems in Chicago winters without the 4 wheel drive (drives down the mileage anyway).

Golfmonkey,

Hybrids are GAS powered vehicles.

Small engines get better gas mileage. At highway speeds you only need about 15 HP (if you have designed nice aerodynamics into the vehicle). A larger engine would be nice however for a reserve of acceleration for safety. A hybrid solves this by having a relatively small engine (~35 HP) which, while the car is loafing, charges a small battery bank. The entire time however it is only a 35 HP motor running in its most efficient range. You are not asking it to throttle way down or way up. When greater power is needed for acceleration the batteries kick in. When little power is needed the batteries kick in(with some Hybrids).

So to answer the question: Why are Audi non hybrids doing so well against the hybrids; I would have to say that in attempting to take over the world Germany must have produced a damned fine engineering tradition that creates very efficient engines. I would love to see them produce a diesel hybrid!

I might also add that hybrids have regenerative breaking (throwing more energy back into the battery while stopping rather than simply heating up break pads). This makes them even more efficient, yet they still lose out to a far more efficient engine. Also the Audi I spoke of got something like a 75 mpg rating, but the Canadian drivers with light feet, who test it, got the 100 mpg rating. If you hit the gas you’ve just dropped your gas mileage like mad.

So are there more efficient vehicles out there? Depends what you call a vehicle. If we speak of only a stripped down vehicle; No air conditioning, heater, radio, etc. that fits only one person and is low to the ground and only goes maybe 20 miles per hour, then BMW years ago made one that got:

2000 miles per gallon! That is two thousand miles per gallon.

At that level however one has to look into the energy needed to create and maintain highways. I have never worked that out. I assume it’s so high that such gas mileage might not make sense.

Of course if you want INFINITE gas mileage just pull a trailer behind your bicycle with a 4 foot by 4 foot solar cell. You’ll go ~20 miles per hour on the flats in the SUNNY Midwest States forever. (Well until nightfall!) If you want to keep going you'll need ~100 pound battery -high tech- and another 4 foot by 4 foot solar cell on the front of the bike to charge it during the day. That is all pretty ungainly but we are making strides. Nothing like that used to be available over the counter but now it is. Solar Cells are also very inefficient. If we could get another factor of 4 increase in efficiency then those cells need only be 2 feet by 2 feet. Not too ugly for the back of a bicycle. A little odd on the front unless you are already carrying equipment up there.

And Golfmonkey, you know if you ask a question you will get more than the answer. Sorry.