We embrace diesel over here in Europe purely because it delivers on gas mileage. So it’s a little more pongy than ‘normal’ fuel, who cares if it’s better for the environment and your bank account!

Thanks for commenting.

While it’s harsh way to learn, maybe your auntie made a good point, Heidi. A good reality slap would cure a lot of the world’s ills.

I know what you mean about the Volt and believe I commented to that effect on someone else’s blog.

As for a backbone? It’s no good supporting one that’s riddled with disease and can’t do the support job it’s supposed to if there are alternatives. A green infrastructure WILL come about in time so why not start now instead of injecting money into a business that won’t deliver the goods we need?

As for oil companies raking in the profits whenever possible… Well, I’ve posted about that before. http://www.lionsledbysheep.com/2008/09/11/oil/

Thanks for furthering the discussion, Heidi.

I know what you’re getting at, Richien, but it’s business that’s begging for government involvement - bailouts left, right and centre! Maybe if the gov had been more involved then the banks wouldn’t have got us into this awful mess in the first place.

I don’t know where you live but in England we have a state run national health service that would be a disaster if it was in private hands. Our water, gas, and electricity all used to be state owned too, but were sold off - prices rocketed!

But yes, I agree that supply and demand, and bankrupcty courts are ideal mechanisms for businesses world. That said, without some government involvement businesses run out of control, as is the case with banking and the auto industry not producing the right product for the market. The problem is getting the amount of involvement right and ensuring it drives the business in the right direction without needless bureaucracy.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Richien.

Thanks everyone. Happy New Year,
Steve

I challenge any reader to give me one example of a government run enterprise that would not be better if it were run by private enterprise.

We should let the bankruptcy courts handle this problem. They have been doing it for hundreds of years. There is a procedure that must be followed and it can be done relatively quickly.

Then, the companies can emerge from the ashes without the heavy costs of previous mistakes.

I was reading about the new electric car the Volt. Sounds great, but carries a price tag of over $40k. Someone like me will NEVER be able to afford that car. We need clean, reliable public transportation everywhere. NOW. Where I live there is NONE. So, during the oil “crisis”, oil companies could charge anything they wanted for gasoline here in the south because people had no alternative. They HAD to pay whatever was being charged. In the north - specifically New England - people just stopped driving and took the bus. Gas prices didn’t go nearly as high as everyone predicted, even though they have a much higher overall cost of living. Why? Because people had an alternative.

You know, an old auntie of mine, who was in her 20’s during the Great Depression, always said that a real Depression was just what this country needed to experience again to stop the greed and bring people back to reality and to what is really important in life. I think I’m beginning to agree with her.

The one problem with that excuse is that my long departed father drove a Mercedes-Benz diesel car in the States for many, many years.

Currently, Mercedes is introducing a new diesel model which actually meets the specifications of California’s emission laws. I wonder if Ford might change its mind?

As far as I am concerned I don’t worry that much about the big three whiners. You see I don’t drive a car and I wish the darn things would go away and stop poisoning my air!

Yes, it’s possible the world will never recover economically. We don’t have the resources to waste on the commercialism and extravagance that we fell in love with in recent decades, so a booming economy may well be a thing of the past. Oh, things will get better, but I doubt they’ll ever reach the dizzying heights of the past 20+ years.

Wall Street and the bankers? I can’t believe they’ve been handed so much and now can’t account of where most of it has gone!

Keep spreading that sunshine, Kent. Thanks for adding to the conversation.

Glad you enjoyed the post, Joycey. Thanks for dropping in.

‘Give up their power willingly?’ Yeah, fat chance. But then there’s never going to be a revolt either, so where do we go from here? We’ve painted ourselves into a right corner, haven’t we. If we could just stop seeing EVERYTHING as disposable, which wouldn’t need a drastic change in how we’re governed, that would make a tremendous impact on our ‘raping of the earth’. Of course, that goes back to our old friends profit and greed. It’ll be a long time in coming, but we will have to address this issue or face extinction. There’s no other way out.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Don’t Tell the Illuminati.

Have a terrific Christmas, everyone.
Steve

The massive financial screwing the Feds and their Wall Street pals gave us is one from which we will never recover. Our great-great-grandchildren will barely make a dent in what is still owed - if we last anywhere near that long. Even another World War (like the one that pulled us out of the “Great Depression” - what was so damned great about it?) wouldn’t fire up our economy enough to save it. And, we couldn’t fight such a war anyway - our troops are spread too thin as it is.

I do find it interesting that the Wall Street slime was handed all the money they wanted and Congress never even shook a (grasping) finger at them. But, the lousy managers of the Big 3 are slapped around, insulted (rightfully) and threatened - but will still get the our money.

And the UAW “leadership”? Same as the Big 3 management: self-serving ego monsters.

Can you tell I’m outraged? I think I’ve spread enough sunshine for now…

ONLY WHEN WE HAVE A CURRENCY THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF NATURE, AND LOANS THAT ARE PAYED BACK TO THE EARTH, WILL WE HAVE A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY.

SUCH A SYSTEM WILL NEVER COME VIA A VOTE. THE PEOPLE WHO CONTROL THE MONEY SYSTEM WILL NEVER GIVE UP THEIR POWER WILLINGLY.

TV is partly to blame, you’re right. But it’s a lot deeper than that. It’s become part of our culture so it’s something we have to un-learn. All that crap about ‘keeping up with the Joneses’, etc.

Thanks for commenting. Have a great Christmas,
Steve