Batteries Make Much More Sense In Large Trucks Than Commuter

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight. It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs. The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter. DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.


Bret Cahill

 

[Tom Potter]

<BretCahill@peoplepc.com> wrote in message news:2fdb6bf1-
ad64-40b8-852a-5f99c21304f7@w7g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight. It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs. The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter. DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.

Human power vehicles make even more sense.

In China, trains take bulk cargo on long hauls,
trucks distribute it to warehouses,
and products are taken to stores and homes
vusing battery and human powered vehicles.

An even better system
would be to build circular tracks around population centers
and space warehouses around the track,
link up the population centers with long run trains,
use the circular tracks to distribute products to warehouses,
and then use human power to take the products to stores and
consumers.

China is far ahead of America in building
a cost effective, energy efficient, infrastructure.
I just took a train ride from Beijing to Tianjin
on a train that traveled over 330 kilometers per hour,
and it was vibration free and noiseless.

America was on the way to a good system,
( Trains, streetcars, small cars, clustered housing, etc.)
until it was derailed by the Eisenhower's expressway system,
Nader's "Unsafe at any speed" book,
and the Jews instigation of the Urban Rebellion in the 1960's
that cleaned out the Inner Cities.

--
Tom Potter

http://www.geocities.com/tdp1001/index.html
http://notsocrazyideas.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tom-potter/
http://tdp1001.wiki.zoho.com
http://groups.msn.com/PotterPhotos
http://www.androcles01.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/dingleberry.htm

 

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight. �It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs. �

Make that less than 2%. Why do I have to do all my own corrections?

The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter. �DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.

A lot, maybe half of all loads, are less than 70% maximum weight so A
5 - 8 ton battery mounted underneath the trailer would be good for 300
miles and last until the 5 hour break.

The industry supports many small carriers. A startup could focus on
the underweight loads.


Bret Cahill

 

[z]

On Sep 30, 7:12 am, Tom Potter <tdp1...@gmail.com> wrote:

and the Jews instigation of the Urban Rebellion in the 1960's
that cleaned out the Inner Cities.

--
Tom Potter

you were doing pretty good up till the end there

 

[z]

On Oct 15, 1:46 pm, BretCah...@peoplepc.com wrote:

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight. It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs.

Make that less than 2%.  Why do I have to do all my own corrections?

The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter. DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.

A lot, maybe half of all loads, are less than 70% maximum weight so A
5 - 8 ton battery mounted underneath the trailer would be good for 300
miles and last until the 5 hour break.

The industry supports many small carriers.  A startup could focus on
the underweight loads.

Bret Cahill

yeah, but for long haul trucking, a turbodiesel can be pretty
efficient. for city trucking, obviously electric with regenerative
braking is the way to truck.

 

[Bret Cahill]

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight. It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs.

Make that less than 2%. �Why do I have to do all my own corrections?

The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter. DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.

A lot, maybe half of all loads, are less than 70% maximum weight so A
5 - 8 ton battery mounted underneath the trailer would be good for 300
miles and last until the 5 hour break.

The industry supports many small carriers. �A startup could focus on
the underweight loads.

Bret Cahill

yeah, but for long haul trucking, a turbodiesel can be pretty
efficient.

But will that efficiency be cost effective at $10/gallon?

for city trucking, obviously electric with regenerative
braking is the way to truck.

That'll be the first market for EV trucks.


Bret Cahill

 

On Sep 30, 4:12 am, Tom Potter <tdp1...@gmail.com> wrote:

BretCah...@peoplepc.com> wrote in message news:2fdb6bf1-

ad64-40b8-852a-5f99c2130...@w7g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight. It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs. The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter. DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.

Human power vehicles make even more sense.

In China, trains take bulk cargo on long hauls,
trucks distribute it to warehouses,
and products are taken to stores and homes
vusing battery and human powered vehicles.

An even better system
would be to build circular tracks around population centers
and space warehouses around the track,
link up the population centers with long run trains,
use the circular tracks to distribute products to warehouses,
and then use human power to take the products to stores and
consumers.

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Batteries only in large trucks? I dunno... Are You Smarter Than A 16
Year Old?
http://ecomodder.com/blog/2008/01/26/16-year-old-builds-electric-pickup-truck/

Michael

 

[Androcles]

<mrdarrett@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:5b192416-c1f0-4fb9-bfdd-51712497da94@1g2000prd.googlegroups.com...

On Sep 30, 4:12 am, Tom Potter <tdp1...@gmail.com> wrote:
BretCah...@peoplepc.com> wrote in message news:2fdb6bf1-

ad64-40b8-852a-5f99c2130...@w7g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight. It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs. The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter. DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.

Human power vehicles make even more sense.

In China, trains take bulk cargo on long hauls,
trucks distribute it to warehouses,
and products are taken to stores and homes
vusing battery and human powered vehicles.

An even better system
would be to build circular tracks around population centers
and space warehouses around the track,
link up the population centers with long run trains,
use the circular tracks to distribute products to warehouses,
and then use human power to take the products to stores and
consumers.


Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show. What I'd like is a conveyor belt
to drop groceries to my door.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll

Rolling roads is an overkill. Door-to-door conveyor belts is
a practical possibility. I have a computer, I can order from
Tesco and they'll deliver. Why do I need to go and collect?

http://www.tesco.com/

Batteries only in large trucks? I dunno... Are You Smarter Than A 16
Year Old?
http://ecomodder.com/blog/2008/01/26/16-year-old-builds-electric-pickup-truck/

Michael

 

[Eeyore]

mrdarrett@gmail.com wrote:

"Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.

Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zoning%20letter%20English.Edited.06.pdf

Land of the Free huh ?

Graham

 

On Oct 17, 11:57 am, "Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:

mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
.....

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.

Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zoning%20letter%20English.Edited.06.pdf

What I'd like is a conveyor belt
to drop groceries to my door.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
Rolling roads is an overkill. Door-to-door conveyor belts is
a practical possibility. I have a computer, I can order from
Tesco and they'll deliver. Why do I need to go and collect?

http://www.tesco.com/

Do they charge you any more for delivery, vs. you-pick-up?

Michael

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

mrdarrett@gmail.com wrote:

On Oct 17, 11:57 am, "Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
....

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.

Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zoning%20letter%20English.Edited.06.pdf

What I'd like is a conveyor belt
to drop groceries to my door.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
Rolling roads is an overkill. Door-to-door conveyor belts is
a practical possibility. I have a computer, I can order from
Tesco and they'll deliver. Why do I need to go and collect?

http://www.tesco.com/

Do they charge you any more for delivery, vs. you-pick-up?

Michael

There is a convince store less than a mile from my house. Do you
want big trucks and loud factories a block or less from your home?


--
http://improve-usenet.org/index.html

aioe.org, Goggle Groups, and Web TV users must request to be white
listed, or I will not see your messages.

If you have broadband, your ISP may have a NNTP news server included in
your account: http://www.usenettools.net/ISP.htm


There are two kinds of people on this earth:
The crazy, and the insane.
The first sign of insanity is denying that you're crazy.

 

[Androcles]

<mrdarrett@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:9c8ea7ca-7dbc-40e8-b7db-9abd43a44cd6@x16g2000prn.googlegroups.com...

On Oct 17, 11:57 am, "Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
....

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.


Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

The problem you (and all societies) have is too many unnecessary laws.
When the portable (transistorised) radio became cheaply available in
the 60s the British license to operate one became unenforcable, the
people defied the law. As a consequence the license requirement was
withdrawn. It was only a way of raising taxes anyway, and today they
get the money from TV licenses. That too will die out, but only when
the people refuse to pay up (as I do). I can get all the TV I want from
the internet; I don't want much anyway but the couch potatoes do.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zoning%20letter%20English.Edited.06.pdf


What I'd like is a conveyor belt
to drop groceries to my door.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
Rolling roads is an overkill. Door-to-door conveyor belts is
a practical possibility. I have a computer, I can order from
Tesco and they'll deliver. Why do I need to go and collect?

http://www.tesco.com/


Do they charge you any more for delivery, vs. you-pick-up?

Michael
The competition has to do the same, so it's Ł5 or free on orders over Ł25.

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/home.htm
http://www.iceland.co.uk/
That's cheaper than gasoline, insurance, tyre wear, road tax, vehicle
maintenance, frustration in traffic jams etc..
I'm retired, I only use my car for pleasure. Many days it never comes out
of the garage. I could drive into London but there is a congestion charge
(Ł8 /day), nowhere to park, gridlock, it's just not worth the trouble.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/
As each vehicle enters the zone the plate is read by a computer, big
brother is watching.

 

On Oct 17, 8:50 pm, "Michael A. Terrell" <mike.terr...@earthlink.net>
wrote:

mrdarr...@gmail.com wrote:

On Oct 17, 11:57 am, "Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
....

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.

Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zo...

What I'd like is a conveyor belt
to drop groceries to my door.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
Rolling roads is an overkill. Door-to-door conveyor belts is
a practical possibility. I have a computer, I can order from
Tesco and they'll deliver. Why do I need to go and collect?

http://www.tesco.com/

Do they charge you any more for delivery, vs. you-pick-up?

Michael

There is a convince store less than a mile from my house. Do you
want big trucks and loud factories a block or less from your home?

A mile, eh? Our old house had industrial zoning right behind our
backyard (behind a long brick wall, which also bordered my house's
backyard). Noisy in the morning, and if you stepped outside around
7am, diesel fumes. Some moron even came by every midnight in a loud
car to check up on the building; probably the owner... drove me nuts.

We moved to the eastern edge of Sacramento, and one mile away there's
a rendering plant. Costco is 6 miles away; Safeway, 8 miles.

Not that I'm complaining, but a corner grocery in every
neighborhood... imagine the fuel savings. Isn't that how it used to
be in the 50s?

Michael

 

On Oct 17, 4:39 pm, Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

mrdarr...@gmail.com wrote:
"Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.

Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zo...

Land of the Free huh ?

Graham

Eh, free enough.

Freedom of speech: people routinely insult our President behind his
back. He just laughs it off, and says people are entitled to their
opinion. They don't get hauled off to the dungeons just for insulting
our leader. Can you do that in Britain?

Freedom of religion: isn't there some prohibition against the Royal
Family marrying a Catholic? How civilized.

If we go super-socialist or communist though, I might just pack up and
head for Brazil... or Costa Rica... or the Philippines... brew and
sell beer for a living, maybe distill it...

Michael

 

[Androcles]

<mrdarrett@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:6c7e7f92-80eb-4c81-8070-59bc1f656df0@w24g2000prd.googlegroups.com...

On Oct 17, 4:39 pm, Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@hotmail.com
wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com wrote:
"Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk*
to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.

Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zo...

Land of the Free huh ?

Graham


Eh, free enough.

Freedom of speech: people routinely insult our President behind his
back. He just laughs it off, and says people are entitled to their
opinion. They don't get hauled off to the dungeons just for insulting
our leader. Can you do that in Britain?

We are not cowards. If I want to insult a leader I do it to his/her face.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speakers'_Corner
You can't shout "Fire!" in a crowded theatre and cause a panic, but
you can at Speaker's Corner. You'll only be laughed at.

I can burn a Union Jack in Trafalgar Square and I'll be laughed at or
cheered on by a Scot.
Burn St. George's cross and a horde of screaming soccer fans will kick
my head in as the police try to rescue me.
Burn the Stars and Stripes in Times Square and see how free you are.

Freedom of religion: isn't there some prohibition against the Royal
Family marrying a Catholic?
How civilized.

No such prohibition exists. British Royalty are free to marry whom they
please, they just can't be monarch as well. You are confusing freedom
with privilege.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2707489.stm

Isn't there some age restriction on being president? At least 35, I
believe,
and one in eight presidents are assassinated. How civilized.

If we go super-socialist or communist though, I might just pack up and
head for Brazil... or Costa Rica... or the Philippines... brew and
sell beer for a living, maybe distill it...

Do that and your government will still tax you, so don't go back unless
you pay. Mine will not. I owe no taxes if I am out of the country for six
or eight months a year (I forget exactly how much) and I am free to return
whenever I choose - which I did in 2003 after 20 years living in the USA.

 

[zzbunker@netscape.net]

On Sep 29, 5:20 pm, BretCah...@peoplepc.com wrote:

The fuel tanks on commuter vehicles are over 4% of gross vehicle
weight.  It's generally less than 0.5% on semi rigs.  The semi can go
3 - 4 times further on a tank of fuel than the commuter.  DOT regs
tend to reduce the distance even more.

We need to focus on a cheap battery even if it is inefficient.

Well, the people with brains in the area have invented post GM
robotics.
Since the only thing semi rigs have to do with batteries is rigs.
And AAVs were invented since the only thing commuter
anything has to do with anything is DOT idiot, rather than
engineering, batteries, science, or electronics.

Bret Cahill

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

mrdarrett@gmail.com wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

There is a convince store less than a mile from my house. Do you
want big trucks and loud factories a block or less from your home?

A mile, eh? Our old house had industrial zoning right behind our
backyard (behind a long brick wall, which also bordered my house's
backyard). Noisy in the morning, and if you stepped outside around
7am, diesel fumes. Some moron even came by every midnight in a loud
car to check up on the building; probably the owner... drove me nuts.

We moved to the eastern edge of Sacramento, and one mile away there's
a rendering plant. Costco is 6 miles away; Safeway, 8 miles.

Not that I'm complaining, but a corner grocery in every
neighborhood... imagine the fuel savings. Isn't that how it used to
be in the 50s?

Sure if you didn't mind limited selection, and stale stock, like
today's convenience stores. There was a mom & pop store about six
blocks from the house I grew up in. The parking lot wasn't paved, so you
either stirred up so much dust you had trouble breathing, or waded
through the mud after a rain. The only thing they had that was fresh was
the bread & meat. The prices were about twice that of a supermarket, and
the inventory was very limited. The couple that owned the store were
rude and cursed at everyone. They refused to sell what you wanted if you
were a kid. They wanted to sell candy or ice cream that was about to
expire, no matter if you liked it or not. Also, they would sell
cigarettes or beer to anyone who walked in the door.

Our family made one trip a week to the Alber's grocery store in town,
and bought everything we needed for the week. We also had about a
week's worth of canned goods on hand, to allow for some flexibility in
the menus. It would have taken dozens of trips to the local store to
carry everything home, and if you drove, you still couldn't get
everything in one trip. Even back then, a lot of people did their
grocery shopping on the way home from work, at a store they drove by,
anyway. The small stores got a delivery of most items once a week, or
once a month, on canned goods. I don't miss 'The good old days'.


--
http://improve-usenet.org/index.html

aioe.org, Goggle Groups, and Web TV users must request to be white
listed, or I will not see your messages.

If you have broadband, your ISP may have a NNTP news server included in
your account: http://www.usenettools.net/ISP.htm


There are two kinds of people on this earth:
The crazy, and the insane.
The first sign of insanity is denying that you're crazy.

 

[Androcles]

<mrdarrett@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:2a99893a-85a2-4b08-a0c8-ccef9accb7eb@b38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

On Oct 18, 3:46 am, "Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:6c7e7f92-80eb-4c81-8070-59bc1f656df0@w24g2000prd.googlegroups.com...



On Oct 17, 4:39 pm, Eeyore <rabbitsfriendsandrelati...@hotmail.com
wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com wrote:
"Androcles" <Headmas...@Hogwarts.physics> wrote:
mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can
*walk*
to
the corner grocery store. Wow, what a concept.

Yeah, I do that. I take a bus when I buy clothes and a train to
get into London to see a show.

Well, thanks to our exceptionally brilliant and visionary leaders
(sarcasm seeping out, sorry), we typically can't walk to a corner
grocery store, because zoning laws prohibit corner grocery stores
within residentially zoned land.

There are exceptions: high-density cities like San Francisco still
have corner grocery stores.

We even need to pay some $4,500 to apply for a permit to grow
chickens, here in Sacramento, California.
http://www.acr.saccounty.net/pet-information/docs/Chickens%20and%20zo...

Land of the Free huh ?

Graham

Eh, free enough.

Freedom of speech: people routinely insult our President behind his
back. He just laughs it off, and says people are entitled to their
opinion. They don't get hauled off to the dungeons just for insulting
our leader. Can you do that in Britain?

We are not cowards. If I want to insult a leader I do it to his/her face.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speakers'_Corner
You can't shout "Fire!" in a crowded theatre and cause a panic, but
you can at Speaker's Corner. You'll only be laughed at.

I can burn a Union Jack in Trafalgar Square and I'll be laughed at or
cheered on by a Scot.
Burn St. George's cross and a horde of screaming soccer fans will kick
my head in as the police try to rescue me.
Burn the Stars and Stripes in Times Square and see how free you are.



Freedom of religion: isn't there some prohibition against the Royal
Family marrying a Catholic?
How civilized.

No such prohibition exists. British Royalty are free to marry whom they
please, they just can't be monarch as well. You are confusing freedom
with privilege.


Ah, the monarch. King Henry VIII and all, eh?

He's dead now. The Pope refused him a divorce from his first wife so
he cut off her head and divorced the Pope and his church instead; set
up his own church then kicked out the Catholics.
The Act of Supremacy 1534 declared that the King was "the only
Supreme Head in Earth of the Church of England" and the Treasons
Act 1534 made it high treason, punishable by death, to refuse to
acknowledge the King as such. As a consequence a lot of Catholics
decided not to stay and buggered off to the colonies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2707489.stm

Isn't there some age restriction on being president? At least 35, I
believe,
and one in eight presidents are assassinated. How civilized.

What, you want younger presidents?

I don't care what kind you have, you are the one complaining of
being civilised. In Britain a man or woman asked to fight for his/her
country at age 18 can buy a drink at 18 and vote at 18. In the USA
they are expected to take on the responsibility without the privilege.
I saw a TV cop show (real life) where a Yank cop hunted down and
terrorised, held a pistol to an under-aged kid's head, because he had
run from the cop after being seen BUYING a bottle of whisky.
Not even stealing it, it was wrapped in a brown bag. The cop's
excuse? He was "protecting" himself. That's your freedom.
How civilized.

If we go super-socialist or communist though, I might just pack up and
head for Brazil... or Costa Rica... or the Philippines... brew and
sell beer for a living, maybe distill it...

Do that and your government will still tax you, so don't go back unless
you pay. Mine will not. I owe no taxes if I am out of the country for six
or eight months a year (I forget exactly how much) and I am free to
return
whenever I choose - which I did in 2003 after 20 years living in the USA.


When I was last in the Philippines, 750cc of vodka cost 48 pesos, at a
time when 40 pesos = $1

Michael

 

[Bret Cahill]

Get rid of the residential vs. commercial zoning, for starters.

Most European countries have cities set up so that you can *walk* to
the corner grocery store. �Wow, what a concept.

Try getting around the Pomona - Fontana area of S. California w/o a
motor vehicle.

Batteries only in large trucks? ďż˝

Conventional batteries make much more sense in large trucks than
commuter vehicles.


Bret Cahill

 

[Bret Cahill]

� �Since the only thing semi rigs have to do with batteries is rigs.

WalMart just took delivery of the first hybrid electric Peterbilt.

Supposedly it can operate for a time battery only.


Bret Cahill