Electric Cars vs.Gas Guzzlers

[TRexall]

Walking would be most fuel efficient, although it's still debatable what the additional contribution by the walker would be to greenhouse gasses

I don't think flatulence would be considered an alternative fuel
altho I hear some people are using methane from cows to power their factories.

 

[arrie]

I don't think flatulence would be considered an alternative fuel
altho I hear some people are using methane from cows to power their factories.

Could be, it's methane, same as cows. That's also a greenhouse gas (if not burnt).
And since the walker would require more energy, than he would driving a car, he needs to eat more, and thus relieve himself more of winds, thus contributing more methane to the atmosphere.
And as such, some people are already really potent, without the extra energy intake. I can see some serious Greenpeace problems here, they will completely prohibit the person to walk in the end, much like what they do with the whaling ships.
(If someone reading this are from Greenpeace..... 3,2,1.... you had a bad dream)
(If someone reading this thinks we are talking absolute bollocks..... yes we are, nothing like a bit of comic relief from time to time.)

 

[TRexall]

Could be, it's methane, same as cows. That's also a greenhouse gas (if not burnt).

This could be a tremendous resource to energy hungry cities,which when harnessed properly could be a huge benefit.
I'm sure this would require more attention from "The Scientific Community" and hence an environmental impact study would be needed.
Even Greenpeace should take note:especially of the impact of methane on Polar Bears,might mean a Nobel Prize to some enterprising scientician.
as even the polar ice caps could be affected.

 

[HiTech]

Social Engineering?
The Canadian government doesn't rip off drivers with extremely high gasoline taxes like other countries.

Perhaps rightly so, but they sure put the screws to you folks with nationalized (socialized) healthcare. I prefer the opportunity to choose my own healthcare provider and their plans.

 

[arrie]

This could be a tremendous resource to energy hungry cities,which when harnessed properly could be a huge benefit.
I'm sure this would require more attention from "The Scientific Community" and hence an environmental impact study would be needed.
Even Greenpeace should take note:especially of the impact of methane on Polar Bears,might mean a Nobel Prize to some enterprising scientician.
as even the polar ice caps could be affected.

We have joked about it before (somewhere in another thread).
Imagine all the collection stations, every two or so blocks apart, that can be frequented when so required.
The gas is then transported to a generator, close by, where it's burned and some form of watts are put back into the grid.

Cool he.

 

[Space Varmint]

Ok Entrepreneurs. Let's take this to the next level. Any good sales men around? We will go to the gov't and get the funding for a system to do away with gas cars completely. We will put tracks in the highways. Your car will hold enough charge to get you 60 miles and when you hit the highway it recharges. The juice on these tracks will get your car to top speeds of 120 MPH. We can build a demo race track like the ones we had when we were kids in the living room. Those cars went so fast they flew off the tracks. Now who's in? Let's get some funding! Oh, and there will be solar panels and wind mills along the highways. If you think it's too dangerous, try to run across the interstate now. It is possible to inductively couple the power to the car. We will work that out when we get the funding.

 

[Space Varmint]

Just think about it. The same opportunities would be available as with gasoline powered engines. They could be designed for greater efficiency or greater performance only now on the grid. At home with the tremendous savings that could be achieved in said system, we strive to come off the grid. Do you realize that many of the power companies including my power company (GA Power) will actually pay you to produce your own electricity in access of a standard usage? It is all computerized. Remember when all of NY Ny went out? It was a grid switching problem. We will not go into rather it was done purposely or not, but it was proven the technology is in place. Granted it always takes money to make money but it is possible to completely come off the grid with technology that has been around for some time now. You could barry trash in your backyard and by simply taking pipes that are capped on one end and drilling holes in them and cutting at an angle, you could pound these pipes into the ground and put valves and taps on them and produce your own methane gas for cooking and heating. Hot water can be produced by doing nothing more than having tanks or even pipes around the roof that are painted black containing water. The sun will heat that water even in the winter time and if they are on the roof, well there is all the water pressure you need.

The US should apply their smarts and show the rest of the world...we still got it!

 

[kchriste]

Perhaps rightly so, but they sure put the screws to you folks with nationalized (socialized) healthcare. I prefer the opportunity to choose my own healthcare provider and their plans.

The USA spends more per-capita on health care than Canada and millions go without any care at all. I guess that explains the short waiting lists in the USA. The capitalist/free-market model works great when the consumer can walk away from the "product" and choose not to buy it. But it really gouges any consumer who is desperate.

 

[audioguru]

I have noticed that poor people use more health care than rich people. The hospital emergency waiting rooms in Canada are full of poor recent immigrants.
I think there is much more poverty in the USA than in Canada so the poor people there are using more health care.

 

[TRexall]

I have noticed that poor people use more health care than rich people. The hospital emergency waiting rooms in Canada are full of poor recent immigrants.
I think there is much more poverty in the USA than in Canada so the poor people there are using more health care.

It's not that poor people use more health care,rich people can just have a physicain flown in by helicopter if they need to ,while poor folks have to wait in line for hours before a doctor will see them.
The health care is usually inadequate at best,and the doctors make many mistakes as to prognosis and end up getting sued.

 

[Ubergeek63]

I have noticed that poor people use more health care than rich people. The hospital emergency waiting rooms in Canada are full of poor recent immigrants.
I think there is much more poverty in the USA than in Canada so the poor people there are using more health care.

I wish! What happens is that the rich get the care they need to stay healthy, the career dolers go to the ER for a minor cold, and the rest of us die because we can not afford to go when we should!

 

[TRexall]

I think the idea is to live a healthy lifestyle..then you don't need alot of "healthcare".
Just stop mixing your meds and you won't have the bad side effects.

 

[arrie]

I think the idea is to live a healthy lifestyle..then you don't need alot of "healthcare".
Just stop mixing your meds and you won't have the bad side effects.

You'll be surprised, since I moved into this newly built house, I've been ill more than half the time I've stayed here.
Not good, even now, PND is driving me nuts. My lifestyle is the same as it has always been.

 

[kchriste]

I have noticed that poor people use more health care than rich people.

Probably due to the poor nutrition and unhealthy life style that is typical of many. The cigarette smoking, junk food eating, welfare bum sitting in front of the TV all day isn't going to last as long as the guy out on the golf course everyday. Living in a rough neighborhood increases their chance of going to the hospital with a broken nose, knife wounds etc.
And then there are the people who are poor due to health reasons to begin with. Someone with a mental or severe physical disability is more likely to end up poor because they are at a disadvantage from the start. Sometimes it is just a vicious circle for people like that: the typical begger on the street has a hard time collecting welfare because he has no fixed address and he can't get a place to rent without money to begin with. Can't get a job either, because he smells and looks scruffy from living on the street.

 

[HiTech]

The USA spends more per-capita on health care than Canada and millions go without any care at all. I guess that explains the short waiting lists in the USA. The capitalist/free-market model works great when the consumer can walk away from the "product" and choose not to buy it. But it really gouges any consumer who is desperate.

The system works well for those who work to constructively support the system. Our capitalist system isn't flawless, but I am one citizen that doesn't want government deciding such things for me and my family. I don't need the help of my village to raise my family, nor do I need government controlling my various insurance policies and other aspects of my life.

 

[3v0]

The system works well for those who work to constructively support the system. Our capitalist system isn't flawless, but I am one citizen that doesn't want government deciding such things for me and my family. I don't need the help of my village to raise my family, nor do I need government controlling my various insurance policies and other aspects of my life.

I agree.

The one thing that has never made sense to me is the need for middle men know as health insurance companies.

I would much rather go to a local hospital and sign up for a plan where they both collect the money and provide the care. It would make sense for them to have connections to other health care providers for when care is needed outside of what they could provide in house.

Keep it private but get rid of the parasites.

 

[HiTech]

That's all well and good, provided you have wise and honest administrators at the helm. My local hospital tried that and the C.O.O. ended up making a real mess of healthcare coverage as well as one huge embarassment to the medical staff and the town community. He got canned in the end.

 

[3v0]

That's all well and good, provided you have wise and honest administrators at the helm. My local hospital tried that and the C.O.O. ended up making a real mess of healthcare coverage as well as one huge embarrassment to the medical staff and the town community. He got canned in the end.

To do it properly you would have to employ people to do the insurance tasks. But with one less industry taking a bite out of the pie it should be easier to provide care at an affordable price.

But as you pointed out there is still room from corruption and or incompetence.

 

[Torben]

The system works well for those who work to constructively support the system.

And shafts those who cannot (note that I did not say "will not") constructively support the system, and whose families--if they exist--cannot support them.

The semi-socialist way isn't perfect either but at least it gives everyone a chance. The fact that there are those who will just ride on this is an imperfection.


Torben

 

[3v0]

The way I understand it the only people who can not get health care in the US are the working poor or people on fixed incomes with some money but not enough to pay for insurance.

It is clear that something needs to be done about it but I would rather see the current system fixed then trash it.

How much medical research is done for profit and how much of that research we would loose if the US adopted socialized medicine?

And shafts those who cannot (note that I did not say "will not") constructively support the system, and whose families--if they exist--cannot support them.

The semi-socialist way isn't perfect either but at least it gives everyone a chance. The fact that there are those who will just ride on this is an imperfection.
Torben