Since I posted this (or since I thought I posted it; just realized this morning it didn’t work), I’ve been not only in Pennsylvania, but in New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Got in about 9 p.m. from a 569.2-mile drive (that’s just from PA), and I’m now trying to read papers, read messages, etc.
I’ll try to post some things from while I was gone before I go to real-time.
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Brad –
How fast were you going? 55?
I did 510 miles last weekend in under 7.5 hours and got 28 MPG. I guess I was driving like crazy.
Mike, good point. So, Brad, how fast were you driving?
Energy is an issue where liberals and conservatives are both right and wrong. Liberals correctly understand that oil is a finite commodity in which production can only reach a certain “peak” level. That peak has probably been reached and we will have to adjust our lifestyles accordingly. On the other hand they resist many solutions that could alleviate the pain of peak oil. Nuclear for instance could greatly soften the blow, along with wind turbines off Nantucket. Both resisted by liberals.
Conservatives for their part understand the pricing mechanism and how the profit motive can be used to address this issue. But they are completely deluded into believing additional drilling will solve this problem. Even if all drilling restrictions were immediately lifted and oil companies given extravagent tax incentives U.S. oil production will still continue to fall. During the first 7 years of this century oil production is running below what it did in the 1950s. That decline is inevitable.
Very good, bud. That’s why I proposed the energy party — to hell with the strictures of right and left; let’s do what it takes to be energy independent and save the Earth.
And I was going too fast. So was everybody else, but that’s no excuse. Don’t tell Samuel.
I also got about 28 miles to the gallon. Which is not too bad, considering the car has an oversized engine with a supercharger.
Did I go looking for a car with and oversized engine and a supercharger? No. But this was in good condition and cost less than $8,000. The car I really want — a hybrid Camry — would have cost at least 3, and more like 4 times that.
I was thinking about that driving home just a few minutes ago. I can’t afford the fuel-efficient vehicle, so I end up paying a lot more for gas. It’s sort of a case of you have to have money to save money, rather like the truly poor who can’t afford any kind of car and end up buying their groceries at convenience-store prices. Different degree, but same problem.