Who Killed the Electric Car?
I've sort of been pissed off all day. Last night, I was reading Dude, Where's My Country? and brushing up on the close family relationship between the Bush's and the bin Laden's. I woke up mad.Then, there was some shit on Jake Watch, which shouldn't have surprised me because there's always shit on Jake Watch anytime the name "Austin Nichols" is mentioned. I'm not going to get into that because I'll probably get myself into trouble.
And now, I've just gotten back from seeing yet another movie that I'm going to beg you to see if it ever comes to your town/country, Who Killed the Electric Car? Through it being beaten into my head via my parents, I consider it nothing more than my duty as an American to keep myself as well-informed about the political climate as possible, including keeping abreast of the activities of THE FUCKING OIL COMPANIES WHO ARE RUNNING THIS GODDAMNED COUNTRY! (For more on this, I'd recommend Dude, Where's My Country? I'm getting it from all sides today.) The message was important enough that I'll pass on commenting on Mel Gibson's highly disturbing cameo (I find his presence disturbing...his views on the electric car were OK). By the way, the Hydrogen Fuel Cell alternative is IDIOTIC. The cars cost $1,000,000 (!) to manufacture, the fuel costs significantly more than gasoline, and they will on the market at the earliest in two decades. I just wanted to shut up anyone who was going to come out of the woodwork to argue that point with me. Anyway, here's the trailer. It pretty much sums it up...I would go more into detail, but I think I should shut up before I bore everyone with a rant. I should probably just go find a compassionate conservative to yell at.
posted by Becky Heineke at 8/27/2006 03:30:00 PM
Comments on "Who Killed the Electric Car?"
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Agnes said ... (6:08 PM, August 27, 2006) :
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Elena said ... (6:21 PM, August 27, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (7:32 PM, August 27, 2006) :
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Nothing Really Matters said ... (11:21 AM, August 28, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (11:21 AM, August 28, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (11:22 AM, August 28, 2006) :
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Nothing Really Matters said ... (1:12 PM, August 28, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (4:44 PM, August 28, 2006) :
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Nothing Really Matters said ... (4:52 PM, August 28, 2006) :
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matt of comooxdom said ... (7:44 AM, August 29, 2006) :
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britpopbaby said ... (11:01 AM, August 29, 2006) :
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britpopbaby said ... (11:10 AM, August 29, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (2:36 PM, August 29, 2006) :
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britpopbaby said ... (3:38 AM, August 30, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (9:00 AM, August 30, 2006) :
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britpopbaby said ... (12:42 PM, August 30, 2006) :
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Becky Heineke said ... (1:42 PM, August 30, 2006) :
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britpopbaby said ... (9:38 AM, September 04, 2006) :
post a commentOh I have nothing good to add so I give you this link. It will makes you happy!!!!!
http://www.angryalien.com/
"The Texas Chainshaw Massacre" bunny still is hilarious, thanks, Agnes, and interesting topic again, Pg. I'd ellaborate anything but I'm still very busy!
OK, Agnes, that was kind of awesome. Thanks!!!!!
$1,000,000 I'll have to start saving up!
^^^ Yeah, they talked at the end about plug-in hybrids which should be available in the next few years that would get 150-180 miles to the gallon (!!!!!).
The great irony in hybrids (oh, I have learned so much about the car industry lately) is that they were only half-heartedly developed by American manufacturers and then scrapped...the entire thing was done as a front to give the indication that the car people were doing something to stop dependence on foreign oil.
Meanwhile, over in Japan, the car manufacturers got scared thinking we were serious and started their own hybrid program...and actually did some work with it. That's why all the decent hybrids are foreign and while Ford has a hybrid option, it hardly gets any better mileage than a standard car. Talk about dropping the ball! Who are these idiots?!
Dude, NRM, you were too fast for me. I meant to point at Simon. But yeah, that might be slightly outside even our budget, right? :) Add it to the list!!
PG how long is the list now?
Simon, that is unbelievable!! All the more sickening that here we were at it over 2 decades ago and what have we got to show for it? Nothing. Although apparently there are some people still who will retrofit your car to be electric, although it costs about $8000. :(
Also, the scene with Clinton on the lawn with the auto industry...they showed that in the film. There's no question that a HUGE factor in the manufacturing decisions of the automakers was the government AFTER Bush took (stole) the White House. Bastard.
Oh, I'll try to remember to e-mail you about links. But you may have to remind me because I've developed inexplicable absent-mindedness lately. It's not too hard. ;)
NMR, DUDE, we so need to make a definitive list!! I've lost count at this point. I know there were 5 things on the list at one point, but that was months ago! We need to find a place to post it so we don't forget any of our all-important goals. :D
NMR, DUDE, we so need to make a definitive list!! I've lost count at this point. I know there were 5 things on the list at one point, but that was months ago! We need to find a place to post it so we don't forget any of our all-important goals. :D
You are so right and we have not even done one thing on that list yet!
looks great - but I'm sure we don't get films like this in the uk. we get 'cars' the movie or snakes on planes. Nothing too serious as it will upset the middle classes.
M.
Oh, I am shocked by this. This is my shocked face :/ - you may notice it is the same as my not shocked face :/.
Okay - that line works better in real life.
My Dad says electric cars are so simple he could build one (he is a highly trained mechanic though) and he's been going on about them for years.
It's ridiculous.
I'm not making my point very clear here - just to clarify - I'm for the electric car and against the oil companies.
I wish everyone who owns a SUV would spontaneously combust. And why must Jake drive that BENZ!!!
Okay, scratch that. My Dad just walked in and I showed him the trailer and he went off about how elecrtic cars and crap and inefficent.
I can't remember why I though he liked them...:(
brits, tell your dad I'm afraid I'm going to have to beat him up. I wish there was another way, but alas...
Simon, Mel looked SO BAD. He had a crazy beard and all his shots were extreme close-ups in which he wasn't making a lot of sense. It was not flattering, but apparently he used to drive an electric car.
And TBL, yeah, the technology is there!!! It's just no one will do anything about it because Big Oil has their hands in everything. Not to mention, the car industry also heavily relies on maintenance and parts for money, something that would become less and less necessary with alternative fuels and cleaner burning engines.
You leave my Papa alone! He has his reasons. He works in the car industry - but for the cool Italians. ;)
^^^ I'm guessing he knows a lot more about what he's talking about than I do, since I only have an hour and half education on the issue from a propaganda standpoint. Hey, so does that mean you get free cars around your house?
We get a discount on all products owned by Fiat - which includes Ferrari's baby!!
Dad just said that it'll take at least 40-60 years to mass produce an effective electric car. They only run about 80 miles on one charge and the batteries are incredibly large. He said they were never a 'reality' for them to die out. He also squared me up and asked me, 'And where do you think electricity comes from?'. So I left the subject alone. He always gets me good on this stuff.
TBL, they did talk about the GM round-up. None of the electric cars were ever available to buy, only lease, so that was another indication that they weren't really serious about the program. They never provided a legitimate explanation as to why they rounded them up. They then took them to the desert and crushed them. Perfectly good cars. Sheesh.
Brits, OK, that's really cool and if I ever move to England, I'm so using your family discount for a Ferrari. Your dad has some good points...I wish I was there to argue with him. Actually, scratch that. I'd probably just make an ass out of myself. :) But the movie claimed that it took far less coal to create the energy needed to charge the car than it did to produce the gasoline, and then of course the gasoline engine has exhaust where the electric one doesn't. However, they were very limited in use. You couldn't take a long trip with them because, like you said, they have a relatively short charge period. But the people who were hired to make the batteries wound up not having their product put into the cars and they argue that had the right batteries been used, you could get a lot more mileage. They were also selling their products, though, so who knows?
All this did nothing but make me feel guilty for not driving a hybrid. This is why I need access to Jake's money. :)
Yeah, if he really cared about the enviroment he'd be buying us a Primus right about now.