tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post8222891772973305439..comments2023-11-05T05:28:34.444-07:00Comments on Voice of Reason: Continuing on the gas themeNemesishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00110470182822628791noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-36144867476936621802007-05-04T14:07:00.000-06:002007-05-04T14:07:00.000-06:00Hoo boy . . . anon, thanks for catching my typo! B...Hoo boy . . . anon, thanks for catching my typo! Because yeah, I don't so much want to stick <I>to</I> the Man!<BR/><BR/>Blackjazz, I get you now. I thought you were just calling us whiners before. But it seems like you're actually saying that if it takes hugely inflated gas prices to keep us (the US) from destroying the environment all by ourselves then that's cool with you. And I do see your point.Nemesishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00110470182822628791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-18898203611625794082007-05-04T11:56:00.000-06:002007-05-04T11:56:00.000-06:00The phrase is "sticking IT to the man". "Sticking ...The phrase is "sticking <I>IT</I> to the man". <BR/><BR/>"Sticking to the man" is a whole other enchilada.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-20739483648380115922007-05-04T11:09:00.000-06:002007-05-04T11:09:00.000-06:00I thought you might enjoy this article on Yahoo. ...I thought you might enjoy this article on Yahoo. It's about the top 25 Web Hoaxes and Pranks. I found it very amuzing. It doesn't include the gas e-mail but it does include a number of others that I've gotten and some that I haven't.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20070503/tc_pcworld/131340" REL="nofollow">Clickie</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-78689662806602039202007-05-04T10:29:00.000-06:002007-05-04T10:29:00.000-06:00I just got the opposite email - from a friend who ...I just got the opposite email - from a friend who has an in with a big gas supplier. She said to fill up your car TODAY (5/4) because prices will go up substantially tomorrow, and there may be supply shortages.<BR/><BR/>I wonder if it's true, or if the gas companies just need cash fast.<BR/><BR/>I must admit, even though I have half a tank in the ol' Windstar, I'll be filling up at Costco today.Natalie Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06881802413940621367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-79717164956243656742007-05-04T09:36:00.000-06:002007-05-04T09:36:00.000-06:00I think I might just email your post to everyone I...I think I might just email your post to everyone I know -I'm so sick of getting these stupid gas forwards.i i eeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11965669520527591687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-53370603778082040982007-05-04T09:07:00.000-06:002007-05-04T09:07:00.000-06:00A friend just sent me a gas email today, too! hah...A friend just sent me a gas email today, too! haha I almost sent him a link to this post!Aprilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02363320894528126629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-5110410903222900942007-05-04T02:51:00.000-06:002007-05-04T02:51:00.000-06:00Miss Nem - you know I'm a sucker for Bill Bryson! ...Miss Nem - you know I'm a sucker for Bill Bryson! But even so...<BR/><BR/>I'd really like petrol/gas to be *free* in the UK. I resent having to pay so much for the stuff just so that I can travel around. But deep down I know that the use of fuel is having a detrimental impact on the environment in at least 2 important ways:<BR/>1. The resources of the earth are finite and precious and should not be wasted.<BR/>2. The burning of fossil fuels is polluting the planet and especially the atmosphere.<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying that we should wind back the clock and all use horses - after all, horses cause pollution too ;-) And I also know that often public transport is not an option. But I am saying that there needs to be financial pressure to stop the waste.<BR/><BR/>I'm sure there are a lot of people in the US who are conscious of the environment (some have commented on this posting) and I don't want to get into the quoting of statistics. But the important point is that it's clear that the US pollutes the atmosphere too much and uses too much energy per head of population.<BR/><BR/>The Kyoto Protocol - an international agreement to limit the production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases - has been ratified by over 160 countries, but not the US. Why not? Because the politicians believe it would adversely affect the economy and make them unpopular with the electorate.<BR/><BR/>Of course, failure to act has it's own consequences. The New Orleans economy was affected adversely (!) when the hurricane hit. Proving linkage is obviously difficult, but it's possible that the extreme weather conditions were a result of gradual global climate change brought about by pollution of the atmosphere.<BR/><BR/>I think there's a lot that could be done to help. For example,<BR/>1. Walking or riding a bike for short journeys. (Hooray for you buying a bike!)<BR/>2. Being more sensible about heating and cooling homes, such as turning down the thermostat and wearing something warmer when it's cold, or opening a window instead of turning on the air conditioning when it's hot.<BR/>3. Using cars that use less fuel.<BR/>4. Using energy-saving lights.<BR/>5. Turning off lights when not in use.<BR/>6. Not leaving the TV on standby.<BR/>7. Properly insulating homes.blackjazzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18053535570328915580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-88837176561704954702007-05-04T01:35:00.000-06:002007-05-04T01:35:00.000-06:00How about we also stop spending our tax dollars to...How about we also stop spending our tax dollars to subsidize oil and gas company drilling and exploration? It would be nice if I didn't have to pay them twice. <BR/><BR/>We're going to have to buy a new (used) car this year. I'm determined to get a hybrid. Low emissions, low gas costs. <BR/><BR/>I echo the poor public transport question. I can't wait until we actually get TRAX and other options down here. If we think that just building more freeways will fix our problems, well that would make us California, now wouldn't it?Carinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13859567470814286102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-13612041145789293442007-05-03T15:58:00.000-06:002007-05-03T15:58:00.000-06:00One thing that bothers me about stuff like this is...One thing that bothers me about stuff like this is that it always just focuses on the economic benefits to people (i.e. trying to lower gas prices rather than trying to help the environment). But the truth is, money talks to people more than a lot of other things. For example, most UW students walk or bike to school. That's partly because we're in a liberal, crunchy granola state. It's also because they charge students $250 per quarter for a parking pass. We aren't even allowed to purchase one becasue we live in student housing (we have a special housing sticker but that's all). Imagine if BYU started charging students that much. Besides the fact that everyone would get their panties in a wad because they are cheap and entitled. They could stop building so many ugly parking lots and maybe Utah county would get off the American Lung Association's Top 10 polluted air lists (yes, Utah, Salt Lake, and Cache counties made the top of the list for short-term pollution for the problems they have each winter).<BR/><BR/>Anyways, sorry I went on such a little rant. I'm with Kristee in my frustration with public transportation versus driving. I love public transit and I love riding my bike. However, if it comes down to walking three blocks, waiting thirty minutes between buses, walking four more blocks, etc. versus hopping in my car and driving, I'm going to keep driving. But if, like here in Seattle, parking is expensive and public transit and bike trails are cheaper and more available, I have more incentive to take alternative forms. That's how I stick it to the man (since living here I only fill up once a month on average).FoxyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17950095008611661757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-51903444109966021482007-05-03T13:34:00.000-06:002007-05-03T13:34:00.000-06:00I'm so glad you followed up that email with the fa...I'm so glad you followed up that email with the fact that people will just fill up on the 14th or 16th; I never understood the logic of not filling up on a certain day.<BR/><BR/>Gas prices are higher in other countries because there are heavy taxes added to them. That's the last thing we need in this country--more taxes.<BR/><BR/>My issue is this: Why aren't we drilling in ANWR? How come we haven't opened any new refineries in TWENTY-FIVE years? 25 years people. There's something wrong with that. We need to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. Sure we need to look into alternative sources of energy, but that takes time; we need to use the resources we DO have in the meantime.goddessdivinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649750585495782767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-6653075061002261862007-05-03T13:05:00.000-06:002007-05-03T13:05:00.000-06:00Blackjazz, are you saying that because we're not p...Blackjazz, are you saying that because we're not paying as much as Brits we shouldn't complain? You'll remember it's not Americans who are known for their "mustn't grumble" mentality . . . <BR/><BR/>And even if our prices are lower than other people's that still doesn't mean they're not a rip-off. Don't you wish your petrol costs less?Nemesishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00110470182822628791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-52317546888190087562007-05-03T12:16:00.000-06:002007-05-03T12:16:00.000-06:00Amen, Black Jazz! I think we'd find all sorts of s...Amen, Black Jazz! I think we'd find all sorts of support for public transportation if gas was six bucks a gallon.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647036680595683100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-14819251865104924382007-05-03T10:56:00.000-06:002007-05-03T10:56:00.000-06:00If public transportation methods were as good as t...If public transportation methods were as good as they are in other parts of the world, I'd quit driving. But because we all think public transportation (I'm talking Utah) sucks, we don't want to pay for it to be expanded, so public transportation keeps sucking. Seriously - from my old house in Orem it was a 45 minute ride plus a bus change either at the Mall or at UVSC to get to BYU - 7 miles away. That sucks.Kristeeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13962392152495823796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-43022935491817590922007-05-03T08:05:00.000-06:002007-05-03T08:05:00.000-06:00Sticking it to The Man is way hotter than having g...Sticking it to The Man is way hotter than having gnats in your ears.daltongirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16307904950109679631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-9422097965957319322007-05-03T06:35:00.000-06:002007-05-03T06:35:00.000-06:00I agree that the logic is wrong, but so is the sen...I agree that the logic is wrong, but so is the sentiment behind it. Far from being decreased, it's time that US "gas" prices got real. They should double, at least.blackjazzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18053535570328915580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-17586681857509929892007-05-03T01:00:00.000-06:002007-05-03T01:00:00.000-06:00The key is that when you seek alternative transpor...The key is that when you seek alternative transport, if you're doing it because of the price of gas, write and tell them that. That way they don't need to wonder about falling sales, because there's a direct link between prices and consumer action staring them right in the face. And there's a calculation that they use, too, to calculate the number of disgruntled consumers, like for every one that wrote a letter there's a thousand who felt the same but didn't write. The number for a phone call is less.choshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07724444970503533654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13684790.post-77332729049834762942007-05-03T00:36:00.000-06:002007-05-03T00:36:00.000-06:00I got this email today, too. My big problem with i...I got this email today, too. My big problem with it is this: <BR/><BR/>"There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up. If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take $2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil companies pockets for just one day."<BR/><BR/>So... that's assuming that all internet users fill up their cars every day. You have to factor in how often the average person fills up their car before you say how much not filling up on one day will "cost" the gas companies.<BR/><BR/>And yes, I'm a smug bike commuter.Cicadahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14992280321382438701noreply@blogger.com