Between socialist countries like France who use absurdly high gas taxes as a revenue source to the government and proposing that Exxon Mobile price gouging is an inherently good a-la John Stossel Libertarian engine for social progress. High prices will certainly 'change' things. But unlike Finland, Norway or France, those absurdly high prices would never come back to the very people penalized by the price's regressive nature. Unless you're counting on confiscating the excess revenue from the corporations themselves. And I beg to differ that quasi nationalization would have much of a chance of working in the US.

See the thing is, my dentist doesn't care what the price of gas is when he pulls up in his Benz CLK. $4, $6? Hell make it $10/gal. No problem. That's the regressive nature of pricing a commodity.

On the other hand I would like to see tax breaks even credits, hell let's make it a rebate on ultra high mileage vehicles such as hybrids, small bore scooters and such. Did you know for instance that those 3 wheel motor rickshaws you see in Asia are typically licenced as motorcycles in the US as long as you keep them off the highway? At around $6500 new for one of them, with an 8.5hp motor they make an ideal all-weather urban/suburban transport. Why not enlarge the definition of moped from 50cc sub 35mph to 150cc 50mph? Mopeds in many states don't require drivers' licences, registration, inspection, license plates or insurance. Why not discount the carrying costs for motorized wheeled vehicles under 150cc? A 150cc scooter/rickshaw can carry between 400 and 1000lbs gets 50-100mpg depending on the load, is quieter than a traditional motorcycle and pollutes less with a 4 cycle engine. 75mpg represents to me personally a reduction in the price of gas of about 60% mile for mile.

Occupy as in Germany 1945-61, Japan 1945-1979, Korea 1953-now.

I guess it depends on your goals and your likelihood of achieving them. The British army occupied Iraq for 37 years after WW1. They proved that it was essentially impossible to maintain a functioning country without some form of authoritarianism. So, unless the US is prepared for a decades long stay that will probably end in failure anyhow then there's little reason to proceed.

Clearly never. LW is a cold blooded narcissist bitch who's language barely couches or hides her utter contempt for her soon to be ex. "Of course he bought a sports car...gadgets...blah blah blah". How enlightened of you to neartly shoehorn your 7 year marriage into a patronizing sitcom image of typically male befuddled ineptitude. Maybe your marathon out loud bitching into the phone sessions to your co-hens all clattering about how much their husbands suck too, gave you some insight. Hmmm then again, maybe not.

So here's my recommendation. Get unhitched, buy a new wardrobe, color your hair, get some new meds from your Dr. And stew in your fury and anger until you wake up someday the parent of 20 cats.

EX Presidents tend to be a collegial jolly bunch too. They seem to happily shuck off the mantle. Then they get to live in a glorious retirement in the most exclusive club on earth. I'm sure Bush II will be seen in any number of public service photo ops with all the other ex Presidents all with the same smirk on their faces. You don't want to alienate anyone you have a good chance of having to work with on some dias-bound fundraiser.

Pick a number for 2 wheeled vehicles. Whatever it is make it easier not harder for people to use. I don't find licenced drivers to be all that good at that either by the way. And a 100cc or 125cc scooter is barely going to make it up to highway speeds with an adult on board.

As for Rickshaws, The Bajaj 4 seater has a 175cc one plug 8.5hp motor, goes 40mph loaded. Carries 1000 lbs, has a windscreen, canvas top, side curtains. Is it designed for Upper Michigan winters? Of course not. Dunno - figure something out, build a better one like one of those old Cushman metermaid wagons, swap out the 10" wheels for 13"?

Anyway the point is simple. These halfway or quarterway approaches to making 6000 lb trucks for personal use a little more efficient or making a $30,000 hybrid Honda Accord more efficient as a side effect of having low emissions is a waste of time. We shouldn't be worrying about whether the family land ark can get 17mpg with the electrically cooled cup holders running at warp 7. We're not going to get the government to force car companies to come up with a 40 or 50mpg CAFE average. And if you don't live in one of the 15 largest US cities then your neighbors loathe and detest the idea of mass transit and won't pay for it. So some other tact is needed.

I didn't think any of them were sexy or skanky. Just pretty much how people look when it's hot in NYC. But I am sick of the LV knockoff bag the size of a small doghouse. We get it. You shop in Chinatown. We Get it We Get it.

On the public's dime. Then stand back and wait to see the psychochristians trample each other to death trying to get to the state assembly to approve birth control on demand. Santicity of life, my ass.

Any cycle you can pick up at Dick's Sporting Goods will do the job. And riding in the street, because you have to, as opposed to those Saturday morning club rides, it's a safer bet to ride a bike you can afford to get banged up.