JayB

Compare total C02 emissions from non-commercial vehicles to total C02 emissions from residential power consumption. Then compare the number of keystrokes that you've expended harping on SUV owners versus owners of poorly insulated homes, etc. Ignoring other sectors may not be implied, but it's certainly what you and your fellow travelers have done.

What percentage of total CO2 emissions in the US comes from non-commercial vehicles versus residential power consumption?

As usual, you're a fucking idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about. Have you checked out the sales figures for Priuses lately? Another good argument. You're on a roll. Have you checked the figures for Prius's and/or economy cars as a total of all non-commercial vehicle sales? Improvements in technology enable people to choose a vehicle that gets the same mileage, with more power, and this is what most people have chosen to do instead of opting for the Geo-Metro/Dodge Neon. If fuel prices remain at present levels, or go up considerably, then consumer preferences may change and these changes may manifest themselves significant changes in vehicle preferences.

It's not that they can't build them, it's that people don't want to buy them. Trying to move this one on the producer side instead of the consumer side is dumb. If this is the goal, then adding a $1 a gallon tax on retail sales of gasoline would make much more sense, and would spread the costs onto all of society instead of concentrating them on a single industry that merely caters to consumer preferences. You'd also have to exempt commercial users and build in tax credits for lower income people in order to avoid making this tax inflict unnecessary pain on poor people who need to drive and can't swing down and pick up a Prius on a whim. CAFE standards make about as much sense as fighting obesity by penalizing grocery stores unless fruits and vegetables make up at least 40% of their sales volume.

Reminiscent of Lenny and the rabbit farm....

Anyone know anyone that works there? I remember looking at the share of total income that came from deferred interest on option ARM loans, total ARM originations in California, the quantity of exotic loans held on their books, etc and wondering how that would play out. Hopefully the pain will be confined to the executive suite.

Anyone who makes comments that must be one of the people that naively clings to the archaic practice of allowing their income to govern their expenditures and/or borrowing. You probably still have equity in your home, too. Sad.

Jenkem Saves...

That's quite possible. Are there any independent studies out there that have made a serious effort to quantify these intangibles? The person I was speaking with's main gripe was that per him the costs associated with collecting fares was high enough relative to the total value of the fares that they'd be better off making the system free, and they'd increase ridership, ease congestion, etc in the process. I have no idea if that statement was accurate or not, but if the goal is to move people rather than to cover costs or turn a profit, then a highway-like funding paradigm might make more sense.

Although I am generally opposed to violence, i would happily shove a large caliber gun up your butt, and pull the trigger, if it would only shut you up. You know Dru, this sort of post isn't really your style. I was going to chastise you for threatening even ludicrous and unlikely violence, but then I read the preceding posts and decided I should give you a thumbs up instead. I know just the man for the job... w034XKUf52o

What's the story with the light rail in Portland? Seems like the system has been well received and is expanding, but I've also heard some grumbling about net-losses per rider.

Any word on whether the Shell-Whistler deal is back for 07/08?

Knothole in the fencepost and/or the cats, most likely.

Interesting. Thanks.

The union attorneys are working pro-bono?

Backstage types.

Are all the local theaters unionized?

Knew we could count on you to monitor this one with the requisite intensity, Crux. The only question left unanswered is, "Where is Karl Rove in all of this?" Maybe not the only question. It will be amusing to watch Subcommandante Conyers deal with the attempts by the party leadership to park this one in committee indefinitely.

I haven't been a member of the Janjaweed militias, either... Is there a formal term for this incredibly weak argument?

I definitely think it's their election to lose at this point.

Didn't the Republicans move to bring the measure to a vote or something like that, only to have the Democrats shut it down? Maybe a Kucinich follower can give a blow-by-blow with all of the correct parliamentary terminology.

This reminds me that I should check snopes.com to see if there is or ever was a company selling rapture insurance..

Don't have to join, but you do have to pay the dues. The effective difference here is what, exactly? That's on paper. In practice, on the job-sites, you can pretend that workers who don't wish to join the union are subjected to nothing worse than a socratic dialogue, but I think you know perfectly well that this isn't the case.