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7844. iiibbb - 2/26/2012 12:42:36 AM we can't afford mars... i don't care who proposes it 7845. concerned - 2/26/2012 12:56:26 AM The space program, even during the '60's, consumed a small fraction of the Federal budget when compared to entitlements, the military or any other significant function that you can name.
With 50 years of technological advancement since then, one would be hard put to make an argument that Mars is forever beyond our reach so we should just forget about it. 7846. concerned - 2/26/2012 1:03:03 AM But my big concern is that space based technology will eventually become more than economically self supporting, and it is criminally shortsighted to be forfeiting any possibility of being a part of that. But that is exactly the position our 'enlightened' 'technologically advanced' president has taken. 7847. concerned - 2/26/2012 1:05:41 AM "With 50 years of technological advancement since then, one would be hard put to make an argument that Mars is forever beyond our reach so we should just forget about it."
Such an argument is very static AND zero sum, but about all that the Left can summon in such circumstances. 7848. concerned - 2/26/2012 1:08:45 AM I remember for years going back and forth with Wombat and others about missile defense - they could never concede that technology might advance, and yet here we are with missile defense a fact of life and becoming ever more se.
I recall about 2008, placing a wager (I believe it was for $100) with AC, regarding whether the world has reached 'peak oil', a favorite LW 'term of art' then. Now, it is never used by anybody and I am ready to collect on the wager. Is Alistair Connor anywhere around? 7849. concerned - 2/26/2012 2:04:56 AM I remember for years going back and forth with Wombat and others about missile defense - they could never concede that technology might advance, and yet here we are with missile defense a fact of life and becoming ever more se.
I recall about 2008, placing a wager (I believe it was for $100) with AC, regarding whether the world has reached 'peak oil', a favorite LW 'term of art' then. Now, it is never used by anybody and I am ready to collect on the wager. Is Alistair Connor anywhere around? 7850. concerned - 3/4/2012 9:06:32 AM The Chevy Volt - shockingly wrong:)
GM has suspended production for 5 weeks due to lack of demand. The average buyer has a household income of $170,000 so wouldn't seem to need a $7,500 government subsidy to afford one. But, even so, Green monomaniacs appear to believe that Volt sales figures would be considerably more embarrassing without this taxpayer funded subsidy.
The Chevy Volt, on a good day in warm weather, has a range of 80 miles on a full charge which would be barely enough to take me to work and back. Of course, that drops dramatically during cold weather, and if one uses the heat on those zero degree days to even defrost windows, etc., I doubt that the Volt could make even 20 miles on a charge unless one uses its internal combustion gasoline generator, but then you're hardly taking any advantage of its electric capabilities. All heat for the Volt apparently comes directly from its $8,000 battery, resulting in miserable pre-heat performance with the cabin temperature only at 39F after 35 minutes of preheating in a 20F environment. Ruh Roh! 7851. iiibbb - 3/4/2012 4:32:15 PM I love your juxtaposition of these two posts...
gloating about the successes of one technology developed in the interest of national security in the face of nay-sayers
against nay-saying another technology in the interest of national security.
You are a smorgasbord of crazy. 7852. iiibbb - 3/4/2012 4:33:54 PM Alternative energy - what a waste of time and money 7853. Wombat - 3/4/2012 7:44:30 PM iiibbb: "Smorgasbord of crazy." Perfect description of Concerned. Hat tip. 7854. concerned - 3/4/2012 9:01:18 PM Leftists' opinions need to be discounted, because, as amply demonstrated here, they have no understanding of the value of practicability. 7855. iiibbb - 3/4/2012 9:03:37 PM What is not practical or desirable about developing an electric car?
Are you saying it's unattainable? 7856. concerned - 3/4/2012 9:05:07 PM More demerits are due here because I wasn't talking down a technology - I was talking down a particular product. And if handed $45,000 to buy any car of their choice, I could virtually guarantee that neither iiibbb nor Wombat would buy a Volt. 7857. iiibbb - 3/4/2012 9:05:48 PM Not saying I'm not guilty of poo-pooing futurists 7858. iiibbb - 3/4/2012 9:08:13 PM Probably true at this point.
But I think it should be pursued, and I think it's in our country's interest that it be subsidized. 7859. concerned - 3/4/2012 9:09:37 PM How about this? Instead of foisting a not ready for prime time product on consumers, why not develop an alternative clean fuel or electric technology until commercial fleets can adopt it, sompetitively, before doing the big sell to private citizens? 7860. concerned - 3/4/2012 9:11:02 PM But I think it should be pursued, and I think it's in our country's interest that it be subsidized.
Ok, but how about decreasing the subsidy for households making over $100,000 a year and increasing it for households making less?
7861. iiibbb - 3/4/2012 9:25:42 PM Foist? No one is making anyone buy that car. It is not an uncommon practice for a company to introduce not ready for prime time products if only to establish themselves as the leader. That kind of thing can pay big dividends down the road... just look at the Prius and how hard a time other companies have had trying to introduce similar hybrids.
I would say 50% of me not buying it would be just by virtue of the fact it's a GM... there are few GM cars I've ever driven that I liked.
Why foist it on a commercial fleet?
Re: subsidizing households making $100,000.
Kinda socialist of you to suggest that the rich be punished for being rich.... not that I don't agree with you.
Nobody likes it when I say that if you make more than a certain retirement income in a year that you lose all or part of your Social Security benefit.
7862. Wombat - 3/4/2012 9:26:10 PM I bought a VW diesel when I got back from Iraq last year. It's a zero emission vehicle aleady, gas mileage is excellent, and if biodiesel hits the market (another government program worth pursuing), the switchover should be relatively painless. 7863. iiibbb - 3/4/2012 9:42:32 PM That's actually the car I would be most interested in getting, but biodiesel is notorious for gelling... so I'm not quite sure the VW's win over just a plain-old Honda Civic or something.
I'm going to be buying a used car in the near future and I'm having a devil of a time deciding since I'm soon to be moving where there is a lot of lake-effect snow (although not this year).
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