Lives have Changed

[Dani]

It's not just gas that has gotten so much more expensive here, apartments too.

I bought my first own apartment in 1993, when I was 21 years old... during the regression. That was in the suburb of the big capital city I'm living in. I paid less than 40.000

[Pugwash]

Being the assbrains that we actually are, and letting us be driven by money cartels and assbrains like the so-called local "Greens" (just a bunch of ignorants who are using fear and ignorance to drive people), the majority voted against nuclear.

Would you live next door to a nuclear power plant? How about putting it near your kids' school?

It's not just Greens, it's Not In My Back Yardies. Nuclear isn't a 100% safe solution and there's no way to adequately deal with the waste. It may just be our best solution, but it's so very, very far from ideal.

[yellomen]

It seems that those day's are a thing of the past.. and may very well be refferred to as "back in the day" when talking about a ride around the island...

No worries about this... in a few years we will have very environment-friendly cars for a ride around the island... only that roaring sound will be different with an enige like a lawnmower

[Guest avitt]

Well, you still live in arguably one of the nicest place in the world

Yup.

The USA: Where even the harshest critics still choose to stay...

[Dani]

Yup.

The USA: Where even the harshest critics still choose to stay...

The US is not the nicest place to live..I em sure its good but i have never seen it on top of any chart when juding best place to live..

i have seen my country their for about 5years running

[hiker01]

I don't know about the rest of the planet (USA) anyway... but In Hawaii we have seen our lives changed literally .. in what seems like overnight

the week that the price of gas really started to escalate .. everything that had a price on it followed suit .. no other way into the islands except by container or air..

everything in the markets jumped 50 cents to a dollar .. there was no gradual increase here...so we adjust as alway's ..

But what was really surreal was this weekend .. the costal and shoreline roads along Waimanalo ... going around to Makapuu (where Sea Life Park is) is usually crowded with vehicles out for the weekend beach cruise ... this is the first time that on a Saturday the roads were empty.... I called a buddy on the other side of the island from where I was and he said the same was previlant on the leeward side... no one can afford to burn the high priced fuel anymore..

Now granted .. Americans are the most glutenous gas guzzlers on the planet..... but that was our lifestyle...."Crusin"...

It seems that those day's are a thing of the past.. and may very well be refferred to as "back in the day" when talking about a ride around the island...

Where I'm at/from, what I've noticed is not the traffic (I bike to the bus station and take the bus to the train station), It's the major increase in ridership. I now felt like in Tokyo everytime I ride the train. It's driving me crazy. Before I would be able to sit, now no way. It's shoulder to shoulder on the vestibule! And I live in a very affluent town in my nick of the woods! What that tells me is that we in the US are in for some major changes in our life style. At least we have time to adjust! We always have!

The sad thing is that the politicians that we elected to make the right decisions for us are the ones screwing us up! One side will not approve offshore drilling so when the Alska drilling came up for a vote guess what???? Time to get even, that didn't pass either! The US of A have shitload of oil all over its domain, but the politicians are playing games with each other and the poeple are the ones suffering! Ayy yayay!

I think I'll just buy more reps! That'll help the Chinese to buy more gas!!!! Maybe I'll move to China or somewhere in Asia!

[Leifhaus]

I've been reading stories about young bands can't afford gas to do their summer tours. That is a right of passage for every rock/punk musician, to tour across America in an old van playing shitty shows and sleeping on people's floors. Too bad, those were some good days.

I think horses may come back as a means of transportation. And of course somebody needs to clean up after them, so there will be some new jobs created for you guys.

[jkerouac]

I told my wife that the new gas prices make me feel as if I am on vacation in Europe..... but without the hassle of having to fly for nine hours, and without the benefit of the European culture. Of course I also realize that your prices have shot up just as US gas prices have.

I particularly feel for the millions of people who could barely afford to eat a decent meal before the prices shot up. Now the starvation threats are even more serious.

In all, we in the US and in Europe are still the lucky ones.

I told my wife that the new gas prices make me feel as if I am on vacation in Europe..... but without the hassle of having to fly for nine hours, and without the benefit of the European culture. Of course I also realize that your prices have shot up just as US gas prices have.

I particularly feel for the millions of people who could barely afford to eat a decent meal before the prices shot up. Now the starvation threats are even more serious.

In all, we in the US and in Europe are still the lucky ones.

[AllergyDoc]

Heard on the news that AAA said July 4th traffic was down only 1% from last year. Consumption has changed very little:

Finished Motor Gasoline Consumption (Thousands of Barrels per Day)

Current Trend

June 8, 2008 - 9,318

May 30, 2008 - 9,301

May 23, 2008 - 9,347

May 16, 2008 - 9,301

Historical Comparison

June 1, 2007 - 9,454

June 2, 2006 - 9,329

June 7, 1998 - 8,345

[Pugwash]

I've been reading stories about young bands can't afford gas to do their summer tours. That is a right of passage for every rock/punk musician, to tour across America in an old van playing shitty shows and sleeping on people's floors. Too bad, those were some good days.

I have it on very good authority that most newish bands are using splitters instead of transits. Even medium-sized bands are using them instead of tour buses.

[Guest avitt]

The US is not the nicest place to live..I em sure its good but i have never seen it on top of any chart when juding best place to live..

i have seen my country their for about 5years running

That's great for Norway!

But I'm pretty sure that the US will top the "most envied" chart...

...I'm off topic.

[Leifhaus]

I have it on very good authority that most newish bands are using splitters instead of transits. Even medium-sized bands are using them instead of tour buses.

What's a splitter? A trailer?

[P4GTR]

It sucks to see US members complain on not being abel to fill their 4l suv or 5l SL merc..

My girlfriend and I both drive 4 cyl. vehicles. Coupes, sedans, hatches... Most of the younger generation car guys in the US are into 4 cyl cars. Turbo 4cyl, nissans, hondas, audis, vw's, toyota, etc.. Not American cars, not big V8 muscle like in the 1980's.

Those V8 generations, the "baby boomers" are the wasteful SUV driving lunatics. The younger generations X,Y, and now Z seemingly despise them, our "parents" and the mess created by them. Ask any all black wearing kid outside a mall. They will tell you their parents left this country looking like the morning after woodstock, then wrote 10,000 rules to make sure we don't have half the fun they did.

Whats happening now is that dying breed, throwing one last hoo-rah before they pass the torch, which will now have to burn using hydrogen, and give off eco-friendly emmissions.

[Pugwash]

What's a splitter? A trailer?

http://www.diggervan.com/splitter.asp

http://www.magnetstudios.co.uk/backline/mics.htm

"Europe is home to the 'splitter van' - an economical but safe way to transport people and equipment in the same vehicle. A splitter van is basically a large cargo van with a large passenger compartment (usually seating six to eight people) separated by a fixed bulkhead from a rear equipment compartment."

http://www.tourconcepts.com/usbands.htm

[KB]

In Oz many are getting their cars converted from petroluem to gas, although the major oil companies keep forcing the gas prices to rise there will always be a big saving once you have converted.

Is there a reason why this is not an option worldwide?

In fact the Aussie government has a subsidy in place to pay for the bulk of conversions.

Ken

[client9]

I am actually excited about these rising gas prices. They may mark the end of an age, but they present new and exciting opportunities for those who are willing to work hard and be creative.

[Guest avitt]

I am actually excited about these rising gas prices. They may mark the end of an age, but they present new and exciting opportunities for those who are willing to work hard and be creative.

I look at it the same way. After a long period of dormant complacency caused by the "affordable" prices that we've enjoyed in the US for so long, the new gas prices (or rather, the rapid rate of price increase) will provide the incentive to awaken ingenuity.

[sssurfer]

Would you live next door to a nuclear power plant? How about putting it near your kids' school?

Yes, I would (no kids here, sorry -- as I already told).

BTW, "your" country put lots of nuclear plants exactly at the border of my country -- so this is sort of an academic debate.

Please no misunderstanding, I have nothing against your country*, and especially nothing against you. I just adressed your questions.

*It clearly showed how stupid we are here in my country.

Nuclear isn't a 100% safe solution and there's no way to adequately deal with the waste. It may just be our best solution, but it's so very, very far from ideal.

I absolutely agree. I did not want to suggest it is the ideal solution. But it was a better solution than petroleum along 50 years to search on more efficient "clean" energies.

Now, all that time got wasted in my country.

[andreww]

Would you live next door to a nuclear power plant? How about putting it near your kids' school?

It's not just Greens, it's Not In My Back Yardies. Nuclear isn't a 100% safe solution and there's no way to adequately deal with the waste. It may just be our best solution, but it's so very, very far from ideal.

I live about 2 miles from a nuke plant. I grew up about the same distance from a coal burning plant. There are always things in this world that can kill you, like cars, planes, guns, etc. I consider the risk to be minimal when you take other risks into consideration.

[andreww]

I am actually excited about these rising gas prices. They may mark the end of an age, but they present new and exciting opportunities for those who are willing to work hard and be creative.

Im a little more skeptical. Watch the documentary "Who killed the Electric Car" and tell me if you are still as optimistic.

http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/

[Dani]

I live about 2 miles from a nuke plant. I grew up about the same distance from a coal burning plant. There are always things in this world that can kill you, like cars, planes, guns, etc. I consider the risk to be minimal when you take other risks into consideration.

I live some what near a water plant making clean electric for consumers

Ahh the joy of being from Norway its like winning the global lottery maybe that is why we are so against immigratns no free pass to the price money mr

Cheers

[lanikai]

We're developing the windmills .. (now huge propellers for energy)

but the sociological impact ..... the social changes.. "overnight" .. gets a little getting used to after the initial shock ..

we need to go back in time.. this may be a good thing for families to spend more time together at home on weekends.... children need to find their imagination again instead of expensive video games...

We will adjust .. it is just a jolt for the popultion to see this literally overnight.... I could imagine what the initial shock was like during the great depression

maybe the auto companies that bought out threatening patents will have come full circle.. kharma ..... thier sales are the lowest in history... and they created it...

[SportsterRider]

I get the impression that the rest of the world isn't as hard hit as the US as our petrol ('gas' to you) was already over double what you paid. We never had the luxury you had so we're where you'll end up. It's smart cars and public transport from here on in. Get ready.

This price rise opens the eyes of the world to just how much cheaper you had it in the US. I don't think Americans ever really understood what that disparity meant. We think a 1.6l is a big engine and a 1.1 or 1.3 is the norm. When we think of a huge, extravagant engine, we're thinking 2.6l v6 or, at the outside, an old rover 3.5l v8. Something like a 5l is the reserve of huge luxury cars, like a 5.3 jag or rolls. Even the famed european Countach was a 4l.

The days of muscle cars as treats for your kids are over.

Keep in mind that European countries tax their gasoline differently than the US does. This was a large part of why there was such a difference in prices. Your famed public transportation system is paid for, in part at least, by the taxes on your petrol. Europe is also a much more compact area than the US, so the smaller cars/engines made/make sense there.

As far as public transportation and smart cars go, we already do that in areas where it's appropriate. Keep in mind, the US is a VAST country. Public transportation just isn't practical in large parts of this country, and large SUV's/Trucks are still a necessity in many walks of life over here. Sure, the grocery getter Hummer will likely go the way of the Do-Do, but many of us need a 10mpg pickup truck for the work we do. I travel 425 miles to the jobsite, one way, in my V10 Dodge truck that get 11mpg. In order to do my job, I need it. A smart car won't pull a 5500 pound trailer into the Kentucky mountains on lease roads.

Also, the days of muscle cars as 'treats' have been over for years (assuming you're talking about 60's-70's muscle cars as the term really only applies to cars from that era), except for the very wealthy. And for those folks, gas prices don't mean squat. As far as 'fast' cars go, there are plenty that get excellent fuel economy and most of the 'kids' over here are into 4cyl Subaru's and Mitsubishi's anyway.

[SportsterRider]

Comparing the price of vehicle fuel in different countries is worthless without discussing taxes.

The price of fuel is almost the same (2005 data, but the relative prices will be very similar today) the world over. The U.S. taxes fuel at a rate lower than any other country except maybe Mexico.

+1

[SportsterRider]

Would you live next door to a nuclear power plant? How about putting it near your kids' school?

It's not just Greens, it's Not In My Back Yardies. Nuclear isn't a 100% safe solution and there's no way to adequately deal with the waste. It may just be our best solution, but it's so very, very far from ideal.

I live 10 miles from the Shippingport Nuke plant in PA. It's NBD to folks that live right beside it. Frankly, it's the cleanest power plant I've ever been around.