Who Does GM Think They're Kidding?

Josh was telling me about this movie "Who Killed the Electric Car" and as I am obsessed with buying a hybrid/electric car (my current choice is the 2005 Toyota Prius, if only I had an extra $20,000 lying around) I decided to spend a little time looking into purely electric vehicles and came across this article. My immediate gut reaction was "You gotta be kidding me!" GM seems to be a little confused about the differences between the general public and those persons who would actually be researching electric/hybrid cars if it thinks it can print this garbage as a defense and have people swallow it hook line and sinker. The point of the program was to test the vehicle out. One would assume that feedback from the testing would then be incorporated into later, mass release ready models. If there was a fundamental flaw in the design, which it seems there was, it still doesn't make sense to destroy the cars. It would have made more sense to sell those cars "as-is" at a loss than to spend additional money in their demolition. Instead of defending itself, GM should just admit it made a mistake and then make a genuine commitment to introducing more fuel efficient/conservative, responsible vehicles ASAP. And no, I don't consider an SUV that gets 30mpg to be an improvement. We should be aiming for 75+ mpg and the development of gasoline alternatives. PS to this, Corn Ethanol is no bueno. It takes more energy to produce than it replaces and creates massive amounts of farm-runoff pollution (from presumed increased corn production).

Sure, there's a lot of attention being drawn to fuel efficient vehicles now that the reality of limited fossil fuel supplies is leaving the 7th grade science textbooks and entering the realm of public knowledge, but actually buying into hybrid/electric technology is sadly not associated with the McDonald's eating, SUV driving, 2.5 child Traditional American Family. Yes, people still love their big cars and have the (mis)conception that electric vehicles have lower performance than their gasoline powered counterparts (although I agree that a strictly charge-and-go vehicle is not a great idea if it has no way of recharging its batteries on the go). This conception is largely fueld by the special interest marketing set forth as truth (aka Commercials and "special news reports" that are really industrial promotions). Most still don't see the need to be more environmentally conscious. They still consider it a personal decision, not an ethical question. You can tell this by reading all of comments posted on various blogs on the subject of green living, hybrid/electric/alternative fuel cars, etc. The Oil industry wants our money guys. The Car industry is in their pocket. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better and the only thing we can do is keep educating ourselves so that we can discern between fact and fiction. This is not an issue of personal choice. Developing more environmentally safe transit options is our moral responsibility. To continue to ignore this problem would be a gross excercise in arrogance, and it is shameful we as a society have allowed it to go so far unchecked.

Retail Therapy

Sometimes I feel so unbelievably deprived...for no reason at all. I'm not deprived in the least, I have so many blessings in my life. Somehow I can't convince myself to be satisfied with what I have. For example...this afternoon I just had to buy this $200 rug online. I've been eyeing it for weeks, then it was sold out, then it became available again and I considered it meant to be and bought it even though I'm about to be out of work again after this week and need to save my pennies.
I rationalized that I needed a rug for my house to combat the poor insulation during the upcoming winter months. Of course, winter months are still 6 months away and between now and then its going to be hot as hell, but I just had to have it otherwise I would feel that my house was so shabby, I don't have any nice things, I'm embarrased for people to see it, I won't feel comfortable at home until I improve it a little, etc. To make this even more ridiculous: I've been on location for a job for four months and haven't even been in my home!
Not 20 minutes later I got an email (I'm on the mailing list) from the company offering me a one-time 20% discount on my first purchase. But I'd already made a purchase. Luckily, I called and they graciously offered to retro discount my rug purchase. That's great customer service... I am an instant loyal shopper.
My point is that for some reason (and it may simply be the isolation) I have had an overwhelming feeling of needing to upgrade my life, on many levels, and with an unprecedented sense of urgency.
I want stuff for my house, new clothes, new makeup, new cooking supplies, a Toyota Prius (super high priority), to purchase a home, to pay off my debts (as in right now!), to have a nest egg, to go on trips, to buy my parents extra gifts that they can't afford for themselves (mom needs a new washer/dryer and a Dyson vacuum cleaner, Dad needs a new motor for his boat). Oh, and I need a new dishwasher and an ice maker. I get jazzed about working towards these goals and then get super discouraged when they don't happen (quickly). I can go from focused and firm to desparate and wasteful in the course of a day. Here I am in the middle of nowhere and I've managed to blow almost every cent I've made, and I have very little concept of how that happened. Somehow I'm still completely dissatisfied, but at least I get to go home next week and then maybe some of this will change.
Or maybe I'll just have more stores to burn my urges in.