Posted by madpoet (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 3:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I traded in my small suv for a passenger car last spring. I've done all I can to cut down on my driving. I would buy an even more fuel efficient car if I could afford one. Most people I talk to say the same thing. The government needs to poop or get off the pot and force the auto industry to make better vehicles instead of setting lax standards and long timelines. It's sad when a 1986 truck gets the same mpg as a 2006. You can't tell me they've not improved the design in 20 years! Get real! When we have to make the best of bad choices (in vehicles AND candidates for government offices) what can we expect?

Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

In 1978 I lived in Topeka and bought a brand new car. It was a new model called the Mazda GLC. The sharp little car got 45 miles per gallon on the highway, with the air conditioner on and hauling a heavy load! I got better than 30 mpg in town. It was a great car. I drove it for 148,000 miles before trading it in. My question is: if they could make a nice car 30 years ago that got that kind of gas mileage, why can't they now? The answer: they can, but won't. America needs to wake up soon and cut down on usage, start drilling for domestic oil, and seek alternative sources of energy or we will be paying $12 a gallon for gas. It's coming if we don't wise up, and soon.

Posted by emporian (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 5:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I just think it is funny that people b***h about gas prices as they climb into their Ford Explorer or Chevy Tahoe, or Big Pickup. As long as we are still willing to pay it and think we need to pay it to fuel these big machines, they will continue to stick it to us. I have a Fullsize 4x4 Chevy Pickup. It sits in the garage unless I need to tow or haul something. The rest of the time I drive a 1995 Saturn SL2 that gets 30 mpg.

Posted by netloafer (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 6:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My wife's cousin who lives in California bought a Hybrid. He did so because he was told it would improve gas mileage and because it was the "right" thing to do. The last time he visited with us he compared his gas mileage on his hybrid with our Volvo station wagon. He gets 30 mpg in the city. We get 27. We get 31 mpg on the highway. He gets 28.

He paid far more for his hybrid than we did for our Volvo.

The problem with all they hype about going green is that too much of it is just that - hype.

Posted by truelovecharlie (anonymous) on March 19, 2008 at 10:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I find it amusing that people gripe about the price of gas but think nothing of paying over a dollar for bottle of water or pop at a convenience store. If you multiply the ounces out in the pop or water you buy to drink, it is far more than the cost of gas and the profits are huge on the pop and water sales. There are 128 ounces in a gallon so you can say you pay, not even, 2.4 cents per ounce for gas. The pop or water you buy at the convenience store costs a little over 10 cents per ounce or almost $13.00 a gallon! Food for thought.

Posted by alfalfa (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 12:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I strongly object to the accusation we are commiting genocide in Iraq. However wrong you feel the war is, our servicemen and women are not in the genocide business. Our US blood and tax dollars gave the Iraqis a chance for a better country without Saddam to hold his iron fist over them. The murderers are not from the USA. The war may not have been well thought out or even the right thing to do, but the US armed forces went into it to liberate Iraq, that might not have been the intent of our government but it was the intent of the military. Had the mentality of the region been different, this might have worked out quite well, no matter what, our nation did not "choose genocide over personal sacrifice and morality". That is simply left wing propaganda.

Posted by neighbor (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 1:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

There's some that claim they are saving themselves money by buying an additional vehicle that gets better gas mileage, while keeping the gas hog on side for utilization as needed. They're paying for the second vehicle, additional tags and taxes, additional insurance premiums, double the service costs, etc. It will take a real long time to save enough money on fuel to pay back the added expense of buying the car alone. MAYBE you're using less fuel, unless you are taking more trips because your car gets good mileage.

Posted by old_soldier (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Genocide? Hey Eric, eat %^$#. I spent 14 months in that country and genocide is the LAST thing the US is doing to the Iraqis. Saddam was taking care of the genocide issue- we stopped it. If you havn't been there to see first hand what is REALLY going on, shut the hell up.

Alfalfa, I would like to buy you dinner.

Posted by biggest_small_townKS (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow! after reading Mr. Priest's comments, I was astounded to find the the San Franciso chronicle landed in my driveway disguised as the Emporia Gazette, hmmmmmm?
First of all on the price of oil and emissions and vehicle fuel efficiency, us individuals have very little, oh maybe a miniscule affect on that Mr Preist. Yes, we can affect the demand a tiny bit by changing our driving habits and the types of vehicles we drive, oh, and also by adjusting our home thermostats and such; but beyond that, our affect is null. If you really believe there have been no changes for the better in fuel habits and emmissions since the 70's, I really question where you were during that time period??

As for your claim of our service men and women committing genocide...SHAME ON YOU! You can believe we are in Iraq for what ever reason you choose to believe, that's your choice and those that you claim are murdering genocidals are the same ones that are giving you that choice! WISE UP and get off the koolaid. Oh and I would just love to have seen you live under the oppressive murdering and torturing wrath of Saddam and his cronies, you wouldn't have lasted 1 day!
LAY OFF the troops that give you the ability to spout off at the mouth and not have your tongue cut off for doing so!

Let me guess, your one of the tree huggers that think you know what is good for everyone else and should have a say in that, but none of what you say should apply to you?

Old_soldier - BTW, Thank you so much for your service and bravery and giving me the ability to tell Mr. Priest how misguided I think he is.

Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think you are being too hard on our liberal left-wing radical socialist friend, Mr. Priest. I'm sure his role models and heroes---Rosie McDonnel, Sean Penn, Jane Fonda, Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon, Hugo Chavez---think he is quite intelligent and a good little puppet.

Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 20, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

They expect the number of private vehicles on the road in China and India (which, together, are more than 7 times the US population) to explode from something like 20 million to over 1 billion vehicles in the next few decades. I do what I can, but I'm not sure me replacing my incandescent lights with flourescent is going to be quite enough to offset that....

From http://www10.mcadcafe.com/nbc/articles/v...

"More vehicles will be produced in the next 20 years than were manufactured in the previous 110-year history of the industry,"

and

"ultimately, China will be by far the biggest automotive market in the world. So big, in fact, that it alone will consume more vehicles than the rest of the world combined."

So hopefully, new, cleaner, technologies will take hold as the # of vehicles grow. Or things could get really ugly (and dirty, smoggy, smelly, etc....)

As for the genocide remark, geez, what a brain-washed fool.
If you want to know what genocide really is, look at Darfur today. Or Rwanda a few years ago. Is that our military? Only if you believe Reverend Wright......

Posted by alfalfa (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Old Soldier, thank you for your service. I think it would be more appropriate for myself or perhaps Mr. Priest to take you out to dinner, rather than the other way around. Each of us, especially those of us who speak out on any subject, owe the military of this nation both present and past a debt of gratitude far beyond a meal, but that would be a good place to start.

I am ashamed that only 11 replies have been made to this editorial, and several don't even mention the genocide comment. No matter how you feel about the war, our citizens were SENT there by our government, elected by us. There is no evidence to support Mr. Priest's genocide claim, or those of many other far left "I hate America or at least the conservative part of it" radicals. They hate Bush, don't agree with the war, so will stoop to any level and any comment to persuade others to oppose it, including labeling our fine men and women in the military murderers, that is what genocide is, completely ignoring the fact that our military stopped genocide in Iraq. The very LEAST any of us here who care about America and believe in those serving can do is fight these comments with comments of our own. There ought to be 50 comments on here by now scalding Priest for what he said, and demanding an apology. If anything, the folks serving in Iraq are the shining example of personal sacrifice and morality, and I am proud of them, and proud to be an American. What is wrong with that, can't you be against the war and still love your country, and those who defend her, Mr. Priest???

Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm with ya alfalfa, old_soldier and others. I think maybe people are just so sick and tired of this far-left wing tripe they're getting to the point they don't even bother with a response. But it's ironically funny he titled his article "Cure The Insanity". He definitely is in desperate need of a cure for his own insanity.....

"He is a tyrant..... that makes my blood boil...."

Former President Millard Fillmore, speaking about Abraham Lincoln.

No matter who you are, or what you do, there will always be someone that hates you (sigh).

Posted by CAFEmporia (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think that many people who agree that the federal government needs to make changes which would encourage more efficient energy models were, indeed, put off by the word "genocide", and are therefore silent regarding this thread. Saying such a thing is not some left-wing or liberal rhetoric, though. As a liberal, I agree on this point with those of you who imply you are conservative.

Such words are used too easily and without forethought. The same can be said for other words or thoughts such as claims that the average Iraqi is better off than before our invasion. In many, many ways, that is decidedly untrue. In other ways, yes, things are better at least in the potentialities of the future. But that is all ideological rhetoric and irrelevant to the initial message involved in this thread.

I agree with Mr Priest that we are, indeed, handling our energy crisis poorly. The best we do is to subsidize biofuels which increase costs, actually increase pollutants, and cannot, as they are currently made, replace oil imports or ease the worldwide shortages which are already upon us. Government support for research into other fuels has been half-hearted at best. The corporate culture has been to prioritize short term profits rather than long term responsibility.

I think he makes some good points - though as a former Marine, I, too, am peeved about that "genocide" comment. Too often, we (humans) tend to respond in a fit of anger rather than waiting until we are better prepared to present our arguments in a more positive way.

CAF

Posted by open_eyes (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I said in my comment FAR-left. I'm not anti-liberal, even though I tend towards the conservative side. I'm anti extremeism at BOTH ends of the spectrum. Be honest - you have to admit, the overwhelming majority of "genocide" sentiments come from the EXTREME FAR-left. Unfortunately these days, the extreme far-left seem to have some kind of hold over most sensible liberals.
Yes, he made some good points about our dependence on foreign oil. But once China and India's demand for the worlds oil increases dramatically, as it will, oil prices will only go further in the same direction. Maybe that will be the impetus for people to finally start seriously looking for cheaper and cleaner alternatives. I hope.
But I'll stick by what I said. Throwing out "genocide" like a fool is FAR-left extremism.