🚀 go-pugleaf

Dani Kuettel wrote:

> Me too.  They raised them in Europe and everyone is happy, so they 
> can raise them here and everyone will still be happy.

Thanks for speaking for all of us, Dani!  Guess what--I am required to 
have my own car for the work that I do because of all the off-site 
wheelings and dealings I have to take care of.  My work does not pay 
for the gas I use.  So I am not happy about increases in gas prices.  
Fortunately, I'm about to change jobs.  I am lucky to have a degree 
and the opportunities that I have that allow me more freedom to decide 
what I want to do with the rest of my life.  At the same time, I 
remain acutely aware of the fact that there are thousands of other 
people who are not in the position to leave whatever job they have in 
pursuit of something they'd rather do.  So Dani, when gas prices 
increase yet again, will you be around to cheer up all those people 
who do have jobs where they use their car to do whatever needs to be 
done for whatever position they hold?  I sure hope so honey, 'cause 
there's a whole lot more of them than you can guess.

> Unfortunately, a great majority of the US population is sinning by 
> driving 3 miles or less to work every day, which is a leading cause
> for global warming, and who knows what else...  How can one make the
> US more like leading countries such as China, Germany, and Japan, 
> where less people use their cars?  

Germany and China--not exactly countries well known for their freedom.

I go to L.A. a lot on the weekends to see bands and to be with 
friends.  I do not have time (get off work late in the evening) to 
bike there.  If I need to be there at 8:30, a car is just the best 
way.  The train takes forever, and I certainly couldn't afford to take 
the train all the time.  

> How can one tell millions of people that they are ignorant and
> lazy in a nice way, for the benefit of their children???  Every day
> I hear complaints of how difficult it is to ride a bike or take a 
> bus.  I've been bicycling ever since I had my own bike, and I've 
> never stopped loving the sport. 

We're all very happy for you, Dani.  

> People won't ride their bicycles because they are lazy, unwilling to
> change, and unwilling to make small sacrifices, 

I have a friend who had a stroke at age two which left her less able 
to use the left side of her body.  Biking, for her, is extremely 
difficult.  I'll be sure to let her know tomorrow how lazy and 
unwilling to change she is.  

Please don't get so didactic, Dani.  It doesn't help your cause.

> and afraid of things that they hear in the media.  Unfortunately, as
> one of the few citizens who really loves this country enough to make
> an extra effort to help it, 

My god--I never believed before, but it looks like we have a saint on 
our hands!  Just because the country as a whole is not biking up a 
storm does not mean the majority of us counldn't give a rat's ass what 
happens to it.  We all have only so much time in a day, and there are 
a lot of causes out there.  Some rally for welfare reform, some for 
education, some for bicycling.  I had no idea that since I don't bike 
to work that I don't give a shit about this country.  Boy is my face 
red!

> I think that the best thing for me is to leave it so that I can live
> happily.  There are too many uncaring people, and it'll take too 
> long to change them.

Human nature is human nature.  I hadn't realized Utopia was out there. 
What the hell am I doing here when Eden is just a few short steps 
away!?  Will you biking to your new locale, or flying?  'Cause ya 
know, them airplanes do some pollutin' too.  I'm not sure where it is 
you're going to live that all its citizens live harmoniously, agreeing 
on each piece of legislation passed.  People in the U.S. are not the 
only breed resistant to change.  

--sarah

"Thank you for telling me the top-rented video.
But what does Robert Hilburn know about rock and roll?"

--TNP, "Birdcage"