saabsister
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posted on September 12, 2001 12:52:04 PM new
What are we willing to sacrifice to diminish the chances of yesterday's events recurring? Are we willing to cut down our dependence on oil - fewer vans and SUVs, better and alternative heating sources? Are we willing to pay higher taxes in order to afford more secure airports - FAA employees to monitor security equipment instead of minimum wage workers? How about higher airfares?(My last trip to California costed less than half of what it did in 1975. How many things are cheaper more than 25 years later?) Are we willing to pay more in taxes to secure our water and electrical supplies?
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gravid
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posted on September 12, 2001 01:04:39 PM new
Why should we do all these things? As an exercise to prove our character?
If the money was spent wisely why should it not be enough to provide secure services?
Most of these SUV's (I don't own one I have a Honda) get better mileage than an average car of 20 years ago. The oil is there if they want to pump it. Better yet go off oil for fuel at all.
Is anyone paying for airport security from taxes? All the guards I see are employed by the airlines and the airports. They could probably pay them a living wage and a few other employees and it would just mean your ticket would be 40% cheaper instead of 50%.
They could pay $20 and hour and it would not guarentee good security. The problems with the system are rarely the fault of gate workers who are overworked and given silly instructions.
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saabsister
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posted on September 16, 2001 06:52:55 AM new
I'm going to bump this up because I'm interested in the answers. Perhaps it was too soon to pose these questions when I did. But I'm interested in whether we feel that we can extricate ourselves from our dependence on oil from the Mideast and in an indirect way affect policy there.
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bearmom
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posted on September 16, 2001 06:59:46 AM new
We could have developed cars that run on other fuels years ago. The technology is there. But the oil companies are not going to let that happen so long as they have such a strong lobby in Washington, and the money to control technological advancements. Ask them how much they are willing to sacrifice!
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krs
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posted on September 16, 2001 07:49:13 AM new
In the words of the esteemed Harry Browne, "To give up freedoms in the name of freedom doesn't make sense".
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saabsister
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posted on September 16, 2001 08:01:01 AM new
Yup, krs. The freedom to own the biggest, baddest SUV on the road even though indirectly it may cost some kid his life defending all that oil. My husband owns an SUV too before I get flamed. (Maybe I'm pissy because an SUV is what landed on my car and sent me to the hospital.)
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krs
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posted on September 16, 2001 08:04:06 AM new
What's too? I don't have an SUV, at least not in the current sense of the word(s).
gavid, "(I don't own one I have a Honda"
Thought the Honda was totaled and you have a Chrysler.
[ edited by krs on Sep 16, 2001 08:06 AM ]
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jamesoblivion
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posted on September 16, 2001 08:07:27 AM new
Is that what your folders say?
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saabsister
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posted on September 16, 2001 08:07:42 AM new
Not you specifically, but all anyone has to do is look in any parking lot around here and it's obvious that SUVs are the most popular vehicles on the road -followed closely by vans.
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cassiescloset
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posted on September 16, 2001 09:49:06 AM new
I wanted to buy a small, fuel efficient car last year. This was to be my contribution to preserving the environment. I was not able to purchase the vehicle of my choice because I feared for my personal safety and that of my family.
The large SUV's could easily demolish a small vehicle with one glance away from the road (and onto their cell phone, no doubt).
I have noticed the aggressive driving of SUV owners. I have been stopped at stop signs and have had SUV owners manuever their instruments of distruction around me. I have waited for kids to cross the street (in a crosswalk) but had an SUV go around me--no mind to the children.
My son's friend was hit by an Expedition driver (who was talking on a cell phone) while crossing the street in a crosswalk. The woman driving the SUV felt it was her God given right to make a right turn on a red light even though there was a teen aged boy crossing in the crosswalk in front of her.
One sacrifice is to reduce the amount of fuel we consume. This would help lessen our dependence on middle eastern oil. In Southern California, where I live, I am shocked at the number of neighbors that DRIVE their children to school each day. The local school is just around the corner, but many stay-at-home mom's drive their kids to and from school. These same moms will drive their kids to school instead of walking but spend the hours the kids are in school working out at the gym!
Many parts of the country have a climate which supports walking 90% or more of the time.
Leave the Expedition or Suburban in the garage and walk. This is what you can do to help your country.
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