Government motors post clunker sales down 47%

[Lowaicue]

You clearly need to visit the US... It is not economically feasible to have a grocery store within walking/biking distance to every home. While I have certainly seen bears while hiking in Yosemite and Denali and more than my share of mountain goats and elk while hiking here in Colorado, I do not fear any of them. They are a part of the environment and generally are far more afraid of humans than we are of them.

As for the roads... no... we do not have the money to pave every road in America. Again, it is not economically feasible. Just as it is in China and every other country that has a vast amount of land (see Russia, India, China, US, Canada, Mexico etc...)

When you look at Britain... it is about the size of Kansas. When you look at the Hong Kong area... it is about a third of the mass of our smallest state (though the population density is far greater). Yet even in Britain there are unpaved roads.

Of course I understand that. The problem is, and has been, that the USA has been designed round the car. Therefore little thought has been given to any other 'convenience'. Your public transport system, whilst acceptable in major urban areas is sadly lacking in the rest of America.
I think most people would agree with that even though it is very much a generalisation. So, what happens when the price of oil hits $200? When the economies responsible for the upkeep of the infrastructure begin to fail as they must?
When I was in the UK, to my eternal shame, I took the car for even the shortest journey. I could actually see the tobacconist from my house (it didnt qualify me for a life in politics though !!!! ) yet I started the car, drove the couple of hundred yards, bought my cigs and drove back. I would guess that more people in America would do that than wouldn't. Now I try to walk a couple of miles each morning, usually along the beach and over the headland. It is quite beautiful at about 7 am, dozens of boats plying their way drom the Pearl River to the various docks around the coast of Hong Kong. Egrets atop the rocks in the small river that one must cross and the occasional ... ahem ... smugglers boat with fridges, fags (cigarettes), veggies and viagra coming into or leaving the local village. You can have all your cars, trucks, tattoos and guns, I'll just walk.
Regarding the roads ... ? Perhaps you should send a cheque to me right now and sign up for the course, 'How British People Take the Piss out of Americans.'
It will last for six weeks and you will be required to pass a short examination at the end and write a ten thousand word dissertation.

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

Of course I understand that. The problem is, and has been, that the USA has been designed round the car.

Funny, I would have thought a country formed over 100 years before the car would have been designed around the horse. If you're referring to our interstate and highway system however, you'd still be wrong. Those were designed around massive military movements from one large population center to the other.

Therefore little thought has been given to any other 'convenience'. Your public transport system, whilst acceptable in major urban areas is sadly lacking in the rest of America.

As would any mass transit system in a country as large as ours. Further more, it's not needed to have such a sprawling system outside the major cities, as people don't often leave those area's regularly. But there are still methods. Greyhound buses will go damn near anywhere in the country, relatively cheap, and if you're patient. Trains? Ah yes we don't have a modern rail system, which is truely a shame and you would be right to critique about that.

I think most people would agree with that even though it is very much a generalisation. So, what happens when the price of oil hits $200? When the economies responsible for the upkeep of the infrastructure begin to fail as they must?

Well there are several alternatives, one of which is simply use our own oil. Our 'dependence' is self enforced as, up until quite recently, it was cheaper to export our oil and buy foreign oil. No longer the case, and we still have vast reserves should we need them.

When I was in the UK, to my eternal shame, I took the car for even the shortest journey. I could actually see the tobacconist from my house (it didnt qualify me for a life in politics though !!!! ) yet I started the car, drove the couple of hundred yards, bought my cigs and drove back. I would guess that more people in America would do that than wouldn't.

Probably, but there are just as many who wouldn't. That's their choice, for better or worse. I would walk however.

Now I try to walk a couple of miles each morning, usually along the beach and over the headland. It is quite beautiful at about 7 am, dozens of boats plying their way drom the Pearl River to the various docks around the coast of Hong Kong. Egrets atop the rocks in the small river that one must cross and the occasional ... ahem ... smugglers boat with fridges, fags (cigarettes), veggies and viagra coming into or leaving the local village.

Sounds fun, I just see the same old assholes when I go for my walks.

You can have all your cars, trucks, tattoos and guns, I'll just walk.

Gladly, and I'll walk as well, knowing that I have the freedom of choice in all those matters.

 

[USFREEDOM911]

Quite simple. Because many of those who run companies consider tattoos to be the mark of the criminal or the fool and would therefore find it difficult to invest money in such a person. They may well be wrong. Probably are. But it is they who pay the salaries not the tattooed. Oh now you are going to tell me that such and such a company mogul has tattoos. We can all find exceptions and as usual they prove the rule. Service tattoos are usually an exception, by the way.
However my main point, and it wasn't to you, was that overt declarations such as his, are likely to brand him either as a terrorist or certainly a terrorist sympathiser. I would guess that, much against his false belief, there would be few places in Ireland that would make him welcome.
I guess if he stays in America he will be Ok. After all there is not much to pick between any of you in the intelligence stakes.

Maybe it's time that the rest of the "world" let go of their preconcieved bigotry and welcome everyone with open arms.
But then Europe and Asia does have such a long history of being close minded.

 

[USFREEDOM911]

Of course I understand that. The problem is, and has been, that the USA has been designed round the car. Therefore little thought has been given to any other 'convenience'. Your public transport system, whilst acceptable in major urban areas is sadly lacking in the rest of America.
I think most people would agree with that even though it is very much a generalisation. So, what happens when the price of oil hits $200? When the economies responsible for the upkeep of the infrastructure begin to fail as they must?
When I was in the UK, to my eternal shame, I took the car for even the shortest journey. I could actually see the tobacconist from my house (it didnt qualify me for a life in politics though !!!! ) yet I started the car, drove the couple of hundred yards, bought my cigs and drove back. I would guess that more people in America would do that than wouldn't. Now I try to walk a couple of miles each morning, usually along the beach and over the headland. It is quite beautiful at about 7 am, dozens of boats plying their way drom the Pearl River to the various docks around the coast of Hong Kong. Egrets atop the rocks in the small river that one must cross and the occasional ... ahem ... smugglers boat with fridges, fags (cigarettes), veggies and viagra coming into or leaving the local village. You can have all your cars, trucks, tattoos and guns, I'll just walk.
Regarding the roads ... ? Perhaps you should send a cheque to me right now and sign up for the course, 'How British People Take the Piss out of Americans.'
It will last for six weeks and you will be required to pass a short examination at the end and write a ten thousand word dissertation.

If you truly believe that the "USA has been designed round the car", you are way past naive.

The USA was originally designed around the horse and later what ever the next form of transportation was.
It's not our fault that our country isn't on a tiny freaking island.

 

[Lowaicue]

Maybe it's time that the rest of the "world" let go of their preconcieved bigotry and welcome everyone with open arms.
But then Europe and Asia does have such a long history of being close minded.

Maybe it is time the rest of the world followed America into a semi feral existence. The fact is that they haven't. It is the present in which we must live, not an airy-fairy, disneyfied future.
Wherever we live very few of us can have our druthers. I'm sure there are aspects of your humble existence that you regret even though your own cognitive dissonance might persuade you it is not so.
If the man who pays you and gives you the wherewithal to feed, clothe and educate your family is a bigot there is not much point in telling him he is wrong.
I am sure you will find a point of argument and I am sure it will start with the word 'I'.

 

[cancel2 2022]

I think those speak for themselves. And I plan on getting "Eirn Go Bragh" on my right leg.

If you are going to put that on your leg then might at least spell it properly! Just curious, have you ever been to Ireland North or South?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Erin_Go_Bragh

 

[USFREEDOM911]

Maybe it is time the rest of the world followed America into a semi feral existence. The fact is that they haven't. It is the present in which we must live, not an airy-fairy, disneyfied future.
Wherever we live very few of us can have our druthers. I'm sure there are aspects of your humble existence that you regret even though your own cognitive dissonance might persuade you it is not so.
If the man who pays you and gives you the wherewithal to feed, clothe and educate your family is a bigot there is not much point in telling him he is wrong.
I am sure you will find a point of argument and I am sure it will start with the word 'I'.

You seem to be describing your own life in China, rather then trying to make it look like anything else.

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

If you are going to put that on your leg then might at least spell it properly! Just curious, have you ever been to Ireland North or South?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Erin_Go_Bragh

I've seen multiple spellings, so I picked the one I liked best. And yes I've been to both southern and northern Ireland, though most time was spent in the south with family.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Funny, I would have thought a country formed over 100 years before the car would have been designed around the horse. If you're referring to our interstate and highway system however, you'd still be wrong. Those were designed around massive military movements from one large population center to the other.

LOL. That was not the primary purpose. It was the primary purpose given, but it's an auxillary purpose at best in practice.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

As would any mass transit system in a country as large as ours. Further more, it's not needed to have such a sprawling system outside the major cities, as people don't often leave those area's regularly. But there are still methods. Greyhound buses will go damn near anywhere in the country, relatively cheap, and if you're patient. Trains? Ah yes we don't have a modern rail system, which is truely a shame and you would be right to critique about that.

We don't all live packed together like in France and Germany so a national system just will never work well.

However, at least a quarter of our population do live in heavily populated corridors, so it makes sense there. Problem is no one in the rest of the country wants to subsidize them through the federal government, and the states and localities never feel like they should take up huge projects like that... because they feel it's the federal governments job.

 

[cancel2 2022]

I've seen multiple spellings, so I picked the one I liked best. And yes I've been to both southern and northern Ireland, though most time was spent in the south with family.

Strictly speaking it should be Éire go brách or Éirinn go brách and I have never seen the word Eirn, it is most definitely not Gaelic.

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

Strictly speaking it should be Éire go brách or Éirinn go brách and I have never seen the word Eirn, it is most definitely not Gaelic.

The 2nd one is the most correct, from my understanding anyways. May end up with that one instead.