Cars do good Too

Yesterday, while reading my Facebook statuses, I came across a story titled. “Cars Sucks.” http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/22/869005/-Cars-Suck
To me this is an as some blog about how destructive cars really are to our society. How they'll never be green option and how they caused our society to be so dependent on oil and threatening our security and the environment as a Nation.
Personally being so anti car, I agreed with his point of view. But then I asked my self, what has the car done good for the world. This is a challenge for me for I hate cars and the society I live in attitude is Drive here and drive now.

1. The Model T saved a Landmark. Back in the early 1920's, the San Antonio National Historic Missions weren't even on any body's radar as worth saving. But with a committed group of Model T owners, they offered tours of the the Mission that sat along the San Antonio River. With there effort, they got the message out that these places were worth saving and thus today all the mission except the Alamo are a National Park.

2. Cars Made Trucker Lives Easier. Well yes they did, by building the Interstate System, it is now easier for people who drive trucks for a living to move good a lot easier. For on any Interstate System regardless of where, there are no stop signs. No Traffic Lights, and knowing where you are along the highway is very helpful because by law, all of these Highways have mile markers. Try finding your way on a US or State Highway and it becomes more and more challenging especially when your 80,000 lbs make your stopping distance long and hard.

3. Cars made Talk Radio possible. I might get hit by this by Liberal views, but regardless of your point of view, talk radio wouldn't really be made possible if it wasn't for car radios. Yes its nice to hear your favorite song behind the wheel, but that don't help you think. Talk radio help you think as you hear a blow heart discuss the days news and how screwed up things are. Also it help made possible the Coast to Coast AM show. This late night Talk show talks not about politics, but about UFO's, Ghost, and mainly other subjects of the Paranormal.


Well thats all I can think of, maybe you can

Opinion Blame Misplaced.

In Today's San Antonio Express news, I was reading the opinion page and looking for maybe they printed my opinion I sent in last week. While skimming though it I came across this opinion.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/your_turn__may_22_2010_94615244.html?showFullArticle=y

"U.S. needs rapid rail

Well, at last we have a politico who says we need high-speed trains. Euro Rail has been Europe's main transportation for years, and Great Britain has just completed its new rapid-rail system. The Euro would be going 110 mph and had to slow to 45 mph when it came through the tunnel to Great Britain. Now, it's a delight to ride on the train from London to Manchester and look out at the cars that look as though they are going 15 mph.

Now we come to the U.S., which for years had the best rail transport in the world, but now we rely on air and bus. You can ride the train, but don't expect a fast trip because your train could be put on a siding three or four times to let a freight train go past. That's really stupid! Thank you, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood!

Amelia Fales"


Amelia Puts the blames on the wrong guy for causing our lopsided transportation choices. Ask any rail fan, and they would tell you that Amtrak usually gets the siding because of the size of the train, not the priority. But this has been going on for the entire history of Amtrak since It creation back in 1971. Unlike Europe, which devotes tons of government money to their trains, we don't because we believe that roads, and airlines pay for themselves. This has been our transportation policy for the past 60 plus years.

We, as a nation have and continue to sideline rail over highways and planes. The only way this will change is when gasoline stays at $4 a gallon for a long period of time. Then we'll demand alternatives that don't use as much fuel, but by that time it will be a little to late to demand such a service which takes years to get off the ground. If you want to put any blame down for a lousy rail service, blame the lack of political will starting back with Nixon, not the current guy in power who wants to change the status quo.

Maybe I'm wrong here, and she's thanking LaHood for changing the priorities from road to rail, but thats now how I read it.

Tolerance by Atheist Required.

I'm tired of hearing it how somebody is offend by the word God in the pledge. Why? I ask this because I'm not a Christian, or a Muslim, or a Jew, and nor do I care what you believe. I'm more incline to believe the beliefs of Buddha and Wicca. But every time I hear an atheist come out against a public profile of a religious symbol, mainly the the Cross, I wonder why are you against such a thing, for just being there will not change your beliefs or the world.

Atheist would claim the separation of Church and sue to there hearts content to remove symbols, mainly Christian. At the same time they also defend the teaching of evolution, a scientific Theory and despite the belief of the religious right, Intelligent Design isn't a theory, but a copy of Creationism simply retitled "Intelligent Design." And yes, there's tons of Fossil evidence as well as new discoveries in DNA that confirm Evolution. With out the theory, modern Biology doesn't make sense.

The Mojave Cross is just the latest example of people making a mole hill into a mountain. The Cross is gone now because somebody desired to rip out of the ground. Also Why nobody caught the thieves in the process is beyond me, after all somebody had to come in a big truck to take the cross away. Why they sued is simple, because they believe that Christianity is the root of evil. The thought they could remove a hateful symbol out of the ground. But since it is okay by the the Supreme Court to keep the cross up, in no time, there will be a bigger cross up at this location and bigger than a lousy 7 1/2 feet tall. So to all those who wanted the cross removed. :p

So what the solution to all of this childish behavior? Tolerance, by all people and beliefs. It is up to Atheist to except that a lot of people believe in god, and your just going to have to except like a good artist, we show off our art work.
please except that christians are not all bad like the Taliban, the West Bank Jewish Settlers and pro life movement. At the same time, it is up to the other side, the religious right, to except that not everyone believes that Jesus Christ is the son of god. Um, god having a son, sounds like Hercules. We all have our own beliefs and I ask everyone, please allow my beliefs just as much I will allow yours.
So Atheist, please allow us to be ignorant, because ignorance is bliss.
Christians, So what were going to hell, I want to go to hell. Despite all your preaching, we'll all find out eventually when we die.

It is up to everyone, Believer in god, non-believer to except the beliefs of other people. Always remember "One mans lie is another mans truth." At the same time, please don't shove it down my throat, for God is a girl and this song said so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvvK5UocZrA :p.

My advice is simple and old as a cowboy with a cross around his neck. "You can take a horse to water, but you can't make the horse drink." Or As I like to say: "You can't convince an Atheist that there is an Afterlife, they'll find out eventually. Also if you can see spirits like Mary Ann Winkowski, She'll always tell you those are the most fun dead people (atheist) to see at there funerals.

Sources for Articles are...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvvK5UocZrA
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beta/evolution/intelligent-design-trial.html
http://friendlyatheist.com/2010/05/11/mojave-cross-stolen/
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/21/cross-replaced-in-memorial-mystery/

Why Have Dick Lie Again?

A week ago or so, the Senate had there hearing on the oil spill. The three CEO of BP, Transocean, and Halliburton all pointed fingers at each others. But would it have made a difference to bring Dick Cheney along? After all, Obama already denounced the “ridiculous spectacle” of finger-pointing by BP Plc, Transocean Ltd. and Halliburton Co. over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Thats According to MSNBC Hardball Host Chris Matthews. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/37118030#37118030 A week ago he demanded that they should have got the former Vice President testify so he could show that his laws and his time in the White House would shown how that created failure of April's 20th disaster. This is because he was also the former CEO of Halliburton. Yea you could, but why waste the time? He would have just pointed fingers at the Obama administration.

What they should have done was have next to the CEO of Halliburton and BP, was to have the CEO of Exxon Mobile. Why have a CEO of another oil corporation? Because of the policies of Exxon have on Drilling. You see Exxon has a policy of having there engineers on station during the drilling process. As they hire contractors like Halliburton to cement the drill hole, the engineers from Exxon are on hand make sure that the proper material is used, that all are in coordination with each other so no accidents ever happen to Exxon again. The Exxon Valdez spill taught Exxon a lesson that BP is now learning that spills aren't just bad for the environment, there bad for business.

Having Dick Cheney at these hearing would have just made trash talk to be thrown by right wing radio talk shows on how socialistic the legislative branch is. retired, so leave the old man alone. Having him testify would have been no different then republicans demanding Bill Clinton show up at a hearing about another senator or congressman's affair.

Finding money for Highways? Why?????

At Yesterday Transportation Policy Board meeting, the complaints where few but most often noted was Toll Roads.

The Transportation Policy board of the The San Antonio metropolitan Planing Organization had there meeting yesterday and Item 10 was the Short Range Transportation Plan (FY 2011-2014). Also known As TIP for Short.

The Topic of hatred, Toll Roads especially for the loop 1604 and US 281. These areas in my opinion are not inside San Antonio at all. Take it from a South Sider, it you ain't in side Loop 410, then your somewhere else.

But this TIP, except for signage for the Mission Reach of the River Walk, there's virtually nothing for the south side. Representative for City council District 3 of San Antonio complained and asked why isn't there funding to help the congestion at Brooks City Base and I-37. The reson is that Brook City Base is a City of San Antonio project and not a County or MPO project.

Here's my advice, you wanted a parking lot, you got it. Yes it nice to have a Best Buy on the south side, but unless your in a car, its hard to get from one place to another in that location. The Sidewalks for the most part end at crosswalks that don't allow enough time to make it across. And once your on the other side of Military Dr, there's no connection from that sidewalk to the Target and HEB.
If you want a solution to that congestion, My advice is to built better connectivity for transportation options that uses your two feet. You know, sidewalks, public transit, and bicycles. Otherwise, you just create a parking lot.

We don't Want Oil, but We want what it creates.

As Oil gushes out into the Gulf Of Mexico, we as Americans do little to prevent future disasters. We as a nation has several occasions to prevent this spill from happening, but Americans don't care.

Lets go back to the 1970's and the oil crisis that took place. Believe it or not, we were producing more oil then then in any time in our history. http://www.eia.doe.gov/aer/txt/ptb1105.html On average, we were producing 8.4 million barrels a day, yet we had lines at the the gas pump. When gas hit $4 a gallon, our oil production reached an all time low of 4.9 million barrels a day and was declining ever since our peak of production in 1970.

Yet we as a nation want our energy regardless on where it comes from. We continue to drive everywhere, we continue to expect our outlets to have electricity coming out of them when we plug in our plugs. At the same time, we have said no to the production of these fuels in our back yard. We say no to that Oil platform off our coasts. We say no to that refinery in our towns and yet we demand that the product that these refineries provide be at our local gas station.

We continue to produce alot of electricity by Coal. The oil that is used to propel the Train from the coal fields to the powerplant runs on the oil that we refuse to find in our back yard.

We also complain about the green technologies of where we put wind and solar plants. In the Mojve, there's already a move to prevent a solar plant being built because it would destroy habitat for tortoises. We don't want a wind farm off MA because it will be bad for the scenery.

But its okay to get our energy from countries that suppress freedom and women rights. That kill gays for being as such and from people who don't give a damn about pollution. We live in a carbon Economy and when that economy is in a recession we demand that the energy is cheap but at the same time we are saying no to building that plant in our back yard.

The route we have chosen is set, and there's little we can do for change. Every chance we had to change the status quo was met with resistance and instead of saying no to the status quo, They win.

It started with Regan tearing up the Solar panels out at the White house and stopped funding for new sources of Energy research especially with the Alge. It stopped with the investments of Solar during the late 90's. And even right now as oil creeps back down to prices we can afford, the investments have started to dry up.

In the not to distance future, we will come to another oil crisis and yet we'll have the opportunity to stop using oil as our main source for energy. But we'll not want to simply because it to hard. Enjoy your two legs, you'll need them when your car runs out of gas. Or better yet, carry your bicycle with you for riding a bicycle is always better than walking.