Comments on: Still beating.

By: Squid

Squid — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:01:58 +0000

woots for Slan

By: DeathWyrmNexus

DeathWyrmNexus — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:53:51 +0000

You’ve been bitten up to hell and back. I was a bit rough, apologies.

By: Jane St.Clair

Jane St.Clair — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:50:37 +0000

*no* Srsly, what is wrong with me today.

By: Jane St.Clair

Jane St.Clair — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:50:08 +0000

Those are Chuck Norris’ tears. Humans have to concept of what will happen if his beard’s tears are loosed on the world.

By: James the Conquerer

James the Conquerer — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:37:16 +0000

No way.
If beardgoo were a cancer cure, I’d be stuck forever in a lab producing it.

By: DeathWyrmNexus

DeathWyrmNexus — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:35:53 +0000

Cure for cancer now?

By: James the Conquerer

James the Conquerer — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:35:09 +0000

That’s because it’s summer. Duh.

By: wallFly

wallFly — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:33:51 +0000

i actually read a statistic once that showed, unequivocally, anyone who has ever eaten at mcdonalds has eventually died. it’s true.

By: wallFly

wallFly — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:32:10 +0000

(sigh) it’s really, really sad when someone completely misses a chuck norris joke. kind of embarrasing really. she’s making chuck norris’ beard weep!

By: suicide_blonde

suicide_blonde — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:02:15 +0000

According to worldviewofclimatechange.org, vehicle exhaust accounts for 30% of US carbon emissions.

By: froofrou

froofrou — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:47:13 +0000

It’s not that American emissions aren’t a problem, it’s that compared to the entire problem, they are something like 1% of the total. If you factor in everything that contributes that we have control over. I’ll have to see if I can find the article I read. The numbers we’re being fed are just numbers, and they aren’t really given in context. The problem is, there isn’t a real context.
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Climate change is a serious issue, but it’s the baby on the tire at this point

By: suicide_blonde

suicide_blonde — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:42:04 +0000

I agree that some people need bigger vehicles than others, and I don’t know of any risk of big vehicles being “taken away” from anyone. The American people were marketed into believing that they needed larger vehicles to keep their families safe to begin with; just like we are marketed into most of the things we don’t really need until we are convinced otherwise, like a new car every five years, or a larger house, or name brand tennis shoes. And fear is one of the best excellent marketing tool – remember when tire commercials started featuring little babies sitting in the tires? And yet, most of our parents didn’t drive SUVs and we all got along just fine.

With regard to fuel economy and the overall effect on climate change, I’m not sure what data you’ve read that indicates that American vehicle emissions aren’t a major part of the problem, but it’s definitely different data than I have seen. Another kind of effective fear-mongering is when industries claim that we’ll suffer some kind of economic collapse if we start attending to environmental issues. It’s a fallacy that has been disproven time and time again, particularly in countries which pay for the healthcare of their citizens. Oh, and to go back to my initial point, conservatives freaking out that there stuff is going to get “taken away” is all part of the same fear-mongering cycle: “don’t allow progress or they’ll take away your guns! They’ll take away your cars! They’ll take away the sanctity of your marriage!” Please.

By: froofrou

froofrou — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:21:09 +0000

Higher rollover rating, but you are still more likely to survive the crash. Rolling over in a Volkswagen Beetle, for instance, isn’t pretty. Especially since the damn thing spins like a top.
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And I was going for the shock of exaggeration with the semi truck. I’m sorry that wasn’t clear.
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My initial point is that some people need bigger vehicles for daily life, whether they live on a farm, or simply have a big family, or for whatever reason. I don’t like the fact that there is a danger (however small) of my choices to drive a big vehicle with low gas mileage being taken away from me. I also don’t like the fact that because they are going to grandfather in bigger cars, trucks, and SUVs already on the road as far as stricter CAFE standards are concerned, those people who do have to buy a smaller car due to that being the only thing available aren’t as safe as someone who is able to drive a bigger car, truck, or SUV. The numbers as far as fuel economy and overall effect on climate change are so small and tenuous as to be silly to base the life of an entire industry on.

By: suicide_blonde

suicide_blonde — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:09:20 +0000

Exactly The Steve. Crash test ratings aren’t based on getting hit by a semi.

Also, as an aside, many larger vehicles have a higher risk of rolling over in an accident than a compact vehicle.

By: James the Conquerer

James the Conquerer — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:50:06 +0000

Yeah, I’ll take this over a tin can anyday. Love my gas hog.

I put a link in my name.

By: The Steve

The Steve — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:47:41 +0000

There’s not a commercial vehicle on the planet that will hold up against a semi. You’re talking about 80,000 lbs. fully loaded.

Get real Froo. That kind of weight would put a serious hurt on an M1-Abrams battle tank, a semi is going to kill everyone in your precious “land yacht” in a highway speed collision.

I understand the horsepower and off-road arguments, as well as cargo/passenger space. Safety is not a valid argument for driving a large vehicle.

By: Jane St.Clair

Jane St.Clair — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:16:15 +0000

Actually, I think you only specified that they were washing each other, you didn’t mention the method used for said washing.

By: Jane St.Clair

Jane St.Clair — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:14:32 +0000

I thought it was Stonehenge, but I wasn’t sure.

By: tyler

tyler — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:08:59 +0000

… I’m kind of amazed that after I stopped posting last night, me joking around and accidentally insulting Anniee caused this. I’m proud in a sick way and disgusted with myself at the same time O.o.
And Anniee, taking being called “fat” as an insult doesn’t prove that you hate fat people. It proves that you don’t want and/or don’t find that body type desirable, that’s all.

By: Squid

Squid — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:44:08 +0000

and getting rid of habeus corpus was a good move too, right along with warrentless wiretaps, which I’m sure were never used to spy on political opposition. Don’t forget about all the great pics from Abu Graib (sp?) that went all around the world. I’m sure that made the terrorisit’s numbers shrink and didn’t aid in their recruiting at all. Of course that was all the soldiers’ own ideas of what to do while bored and not ordered from Rumsfeld and approved of by W. (wink)

By: Anniee451

Anniee451 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:30:20 +0000

Oh, link obviously.

By: Anniee451

Anniee451 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:30:01 +0000

Veritas, is that you? It SURE explains a lot if it is. If not, move along.

By: eddiepscetti

eddiepscetti — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:22:10 +0000

That was going to be my guess.. thanks for spoiling it for me!

By: bad fairie

bad fairie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:16:48 +0000

stonehenge at a lunar eclipse – that part got trimmed oof, but it’s still cool, at least i think so

By: bad fairie

bad fairie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:00:45 +0000

thanks for noticing, it’s stonehenge – had to trim off the part that showed the lunar eclipse but still cool. even matches the pic on my ‘dashboard’ here

By: bad fairie

bad fairie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:50:33 +0000

i can’t believe you caught that, but missed dong! want to borrow my glasses?

By: bad fairie

bad fairie — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:18:08 +0000

and don’t forget the anthrax that was sent vie us postal service

By: eddiepscetti

eddiepscetti — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:53:06 +0000

Sort of like UB40 doing The Eagles without the backbeat.

By: tyler

tyler — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:05:59 +0000

I know, I love that article. It’s wonderful. (Although disturbingly correct.)

By: froofrou

froofrou — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:35:22 +0000

It was a bath. Now bask in the mental image. BASK, DAMMIT!!

By: froofrou

froofrou — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:33:54 +0000

A minivan won’t pull either a trailer or a boat with ease. Not enough horses under the hood. I’m sorry, I’ll never feel that it’s necessary to make everyone drive tin cans just because. Some people have large families that won’t fit into a 5 passenger car *raises hand* Some people have outdoor needs that require more than what is contained in a minivan *raises hand* And some people don’t want to tangle with a semi truck in said tin can Semi trucks we will have with us always, and as we don’t have the money, time, or manpower necessary to build separate roads for them to drive on, people need to be safe on the road.
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Blonde, how will that 5-star rating hold up against a semi?

By: viking gal

viking gal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:33:32 +0000

I don’t know if ANYthing is worse than froo’s McCain/Lieberman shower thing. I’m still getting flashbacks!

By: viking gal

viking gal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:32:17 +0000

My hatchback can fit two tall adults, their luggage, plus 3 cats (each in its own carrier). And that doesn’t count if I put the rack on top. So no, most people don’t need a land yacht.
Farmers on the other hand often haul pigs, tools, etc. over open land and/or muddy dirt roads. So…

By: slan agat

slan agat — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:31:02 +0000

Dude, I don’t want to hear about how you use your grammar, OK? That’s just…eugh. That’s worse than the McCain/Lieberman thing froo’s got going.

By: suicide_blonde

suicide_blonde — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:28:41 +0000

But most people don’t really need a land yacht. Also, my car can fit five people comfortably (really!). I have put a 7 foot christmas tree inside the vehicle and closed the hatch back (and the tree wasn’t bundled!). Also an 8 foot folding party table. It’s so roomy, I’m considering using it to smuggle Mexicans over the border. Or, drugs.

By: viking gal

viking gal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:28:22 +0000

Folks with farms have a need for land yachts. I know that from my father’s tales of his farm hand days.
Folks without farms, but with multiple rugrats can drive minivans–which could be made to get better mpg!

By: DeathWyrmNexus

DeathWyrmNexus — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:28:08 +0000

Punish? *gets floggers and scowl ready*

Wait, nevermind. *wanders off*

By: froofrou

froofrou — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:26:06 +0000

My land yacht is a necessity, and one I can’t get away from. Personally, I think it’s a subtle form of population control.

By: suicide_blonde

suicide_blonde — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:24:47 +0000

Also if so many Americans didn’t drive around in land yachts you wouldn’t have to worry so much about being hit by one.

By: suicide_blonde

suicide_blonde — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:24:11 +0000

That’s not true, my Prius has a 5 star safety rating, side curtain airbags and gets about 50 mpg and weighs 2900 lbs.

By: viking gal

viking gal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:20:12 +0000

Nah. The only bad researchers are those who give up, and those who damage the original sources.
*offers cookie to froofrou*
Chocolate chip?

By: viking gal

viking gal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:18:44 +0000

The lower mass wouldn’t be a problem if everyone drove lightweight vehicles. Or we put speed limiters on all of the heavier vehicles, like they do to equalize things on Nascar races… (I used to room with racing geeks)
Would I want a speed limiter on my car? No. But then again, I drive a hatchback, and I don’t live on a ranch! Given the lack of working ranches in the Northeast, I have a ‘thing’ about the SUVs that bully their way around on our roads. But I don’t feel that way about farmers. Anyone who owns a Hummer should have mud on their vehicle at regular intervals!

By: froofrou

froofrou — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:15:40 +0000

I had the reports he cited all ready to go, and I have no idea what troll got into my bookmark file and ate them. I’ll keep looking. I actually went and found the National Highway Safety Administration report and it tracked, but where the link is……I dunno.
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I’m a bad, bad researcher *goes and punishes self*

By: froofrou

froofrou — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:13:43 +0000

I’m not debating the necessity of emission standards. I’m debating the safety of a tin can with a motor. The only way to get better gas mileage at this point is to make the cars even lighter, making them even more dangerous. I’ll not have it, I say! Not. Have. It.

By: Seth

Seth — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:12:36 +0000

That’s good enough. I mean, I’d like to see the methodology of the studies, but he cites more than one. I understand why its true, with more mass, a car slows down less quickly, and thus a person has more time to decelerate, creating less force on internal organs and such.

But basically, those are still imaginary numbers because they don’t account for the lives saved by other technologies. The studies are saying “All other things being equal, X more people will die per pound less vehicle weight.” Which is true, but all other things are not equal.

By: viking gal

viking gal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:11:02 +0000

Here is a cite on the effect of air pollution on illness and death rates due to lung disease–rates were controlled to eliminate the effect of smoking. Same study also points out that the death rate from automobile accidents has increased significantly since the 1970’s due to the increased number of miles driven per person per year since then. –a physics research society, not a political think group, by the way.

By: froofrou

froofrou — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:04:28 +0000

Ok, this is on CNBC, but it’s a blog, so do with it what you will. I have another cite, but I’m searching for it

By: froofrou

froofrou — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:02:39 +0000

Hang on, let me get the article……..

By: viking gal

viking gal — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:56:50 +0000

I wouldn’t want anything to do with a penis blessed OR cursed by Dick Cheney. Call me picky, but…

By: tyler

tyler — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:54:57 +0000

……. dick cheney had his ability to bless taken away, death. he can voodoo curse things, though.