Beaky,

Have you started to reduce the size of your cars yet, not from what I see on ROAD WARS, this is a 30min program on bad driving and police chases, all the USA chases still show bloody great pickups, you are going to have to address this sooner rather than later. Most of the UK car will do 50/60 to the gallon, I think your are in the 10/20 band, you are the bad boys when it come to this. It's only the low cost of fuel that's causing this when you are paying �6.50 per gallons you will startto do something. How your 50mph speed limits helps is a joke. Now wonder you have power cuts!

Tony

[This message has been edited by Tony Hughes (edited 01-02-2011).]

i don't understand how the UK is producing as much CO2 as it is....all the factories are closed!

Its either the buses (I hate following them!) or the farts from the huge ammount of junk food consumed.

I drive a 2007 Kia Optima. Mileage was a concern when I bought it.

Hey,

TWD the buses are supposed to be sustainable, don't follow them go around as fast as you can!

Exactly, Bill. Couldn't have said it any better myself.

Taike

Interesting topic, Bill:

We live in an imperfect world. In time, the ascendancy of the United States will wither because our government has betrayed us with unwise trade agreements and by blatant attempts at wealth re-distribution. Having created the United Nations, we allowed it to become an unlanced boil. The problem is not China... much as I gripe about cheap products and poor quality. (We saw the same model with the Japanese after WWII.) Evenutally, they learned about quality through Deming... and still, their economy hit the skids.

In a few years, the Chinese will be griping about cheap American labor and we will have no unions, pensions, health care system or anything else related to civilized society. What goes around always seems to come around again.

You are not wrong, Taike. It is a shame that you appear to hate us... but I understand. Our culture is disappearing and our children do not understand history. We have begun to trod that unwise path to self destruction. Was Nikita Kruschev right? Probably... but I hope we can turn it around.

Our entire world is shrinking. We must find a way to resolve issues by equitable and peaceful means. This does not mean that Somali Pirates should be given a free pass to plunder as they see fit. Nor does it give us (the U.S.A.) the badge of world's policeman. Where is the middle ground? How can we prevent zealots from killing so many innocent people?

Here's hoping that 2011 brings peace and prosperity... as well as freedome to all of us... everywhere.

Dave Rice

Bill, thanks for initiating this fascinating & enlightening thread. It's particularly interesting to me as an American who's ancestors immigrated here from China back in the 1800's, in search of California gold as well as to help build the US transcontinental railroad. I wonder if my ancestors could have ever imagined that America's relationship with China would be so totally reversed now, because back then, rampant discrimination was common place & anti-Chinese laws aimed at Chinese immigrants were enacted by the US government, as evidenced by the Chinese Exclusion act of 1882 and not repealed until 1943. No longer are many Chinese interested in immigrating here, and some have returned to china for more promising opportunities in China than here.

Nah, Bill, I don't hate you and your fellow citizens. What I do hate is constantly pointing an accusing finger at others while conveniently ignoring what goes on at home. This goes for every nation on the planet, not just the USA.

I am not a fan of boycotts or trade embargos, be it against Cuba, South Africa, Vietnam (thank goodness the latter two are over and done with). They don't work and only create more hatred in this world.

There isn't ONE nation that stands above all others. It's about time we put to end to this kind of nonsense and learn to see the benefits of cooperating with each other. At the same time we should respect cultural differences instead of looking down at one another. Democracy comes in many different ways and disguises, not just the one we believe in. My new home country, Laos, is a communist state. Yet, you'll see more smiling faces there and enjoy more hospitality than you will in much more affluent countries. I've said it before and I speak from experience, the poorer the country, the more hospitable its citizens. The more affluent the country, the least hospitality you'll enjoy. And, yes, Lao citizens are free to travel.

In fact, I urge all of you learn more about the rest of the world. I promise you, it'll be a big eye-opener for most of you and you'll wonder why you had so many misconceptions in the first place.

We all depend on each other whether we like it or not. Unless you want the US to boycott Japanese goods. Then what are you going to play? The kazoo?

Taike

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Bo pen nyang



[This message has been edited by Taike (edited 01-02-2011).]

I've never seen any indication that Taike hates us...by 'us' I assume you mean Americans. He may sometimes get a little annoyed at some of the blatant arrogance displayed by some of our American members here. But then, so do a lot of other non-Americans here (and I suspect, a few Americans as well). Few would dispute that Americans do seem to have something of a 'greater than thou' attitude, and seem less aware of the world around us. There is certainly nothing wrong with national pride (I like to think I have it) but we need to understand that others have the same pride in their country and culture. As much as it pains us, we are NOT the center of the universe. Sorry.

chas

Hi Charles:

I hope you noticed that I prefaced my statement about "hate" with the word "appear."

Like most Americans, I want our nation to be liked by every nation with honorable intentions. I respect Taike a great deal for his honesty and integrity. It just sounded like he was "predisposed" to disliking the U.S. as many around the world appear to be. That is their privilege... just as it is ours to dislike obvious tyrants such as Hugo Chavez and that little imp from North Korea... not to mention Mr. Idiotidad from Iran. Anyone who has the stupidity to deny the holocaust is unworthy of friendship... or respect.

For those of you who may have forgotten, the United States with it's industrial capacity and resolve was largely responsible for the defeat of the Axis powers in WWII. No, we did not do it alone but we did have the courage to stand up and be counted.

Finally, the jury is still out on global warming and I'm not sure I concur with the estimates regarding carbon emissions. I certainly agree that we (the USA) should do our part to reduce them... but not to the extent that we do all the giving and the rest of the world gets a free pass. Everyone should adhere to the same reduction rules... third world or otherwise.

With all of that said, can we get back to stuff regarding General Arrangers? (LOL!) Otherwise, lets just take this topic to the Bar... or perhaps the parking lot... again, laughing!

My best to all of you!

Dave Rice