Cash for Clunkers: Smothering Innovation?


(Written by Hank Green: 7/31/09)

Congratulations America! When we give you free money, you take it! And that is the only lesson learned from the "Cash for Clunkers" legislation. The stated environmental goals, of course, were thrown out of the window ages ago. But we gave Americans (and car companies) more free money to sell and buy the inefficient vehicles of today so they won't need to buy the efficient vehicles of tomorrow.

Here's how Cash for Clunkers should've worked. You bring in an old, extremely inefficient and polluting car or truck. The government gives you some money for taking that car off the road, allowing you (who would otherwise not be able to afford it) to get a more efficient used car, or an extremely efficient new car. New cars, originally, had to be extremely efficient.

Then the environment took a back seat to the auto industry and, unfortunately, it wasn't wearing it's seatbelt when the whole thing slammed into a brick wall.

So, with the environment flying through the windshield, suddenly you can get a cash for clunkers credit for a 15 mpg truck or an 18 mpg SUV or, and honestly this is the worst of it all, a 22 mpg car! Of course, the government has mandated a fleet-wide efficiency of 27 mpg in just two years for cars. So, yeah, we've basically set ourselves up to have a bunch of extremely inefficient cars on the road for the next ten years while new, efficient cars sit on dealer lots, not getting sold because everyone interested in a new car bought one on July 30th 2009. Just one year before true alternative vehicles hit dealer lots. Just two years before the fleet-wide average was bumped up 5 mpg. So basically, what I'm trying to say is *facepalm*.

Welcome to the government trying to spur innovation and, instead managing to stifle it extremely effectively.

Brandon Heath - "Wait and See"

Whoa!

Obedience to Jesus Christ lines us up with how He created things to be and increases our joy even in our sadness, difficulty, pain, and sorrow. Disobedience, where we somehow alleviate the guilt of that disobedience by increasing spiritual activity in another place, just assures that that increased spiritual activity is futile. Because, anything that God would lead you to do out of it, you've already pretty much proved you have no intention of doing. So, saying, "I'm not going to do this, but I am going to spend time, tithe more, do this, whatever," all that does is negate the spiritual power of what you've decided to add.
-Matt Chandler (From 'Games People Play' 7/11/09)

My Secret!

I have been super active since I shot out of the womb from basketball, gymnastics, t-ball, volleyball, swimming, running...you name it, I did it! As I grew older and matured I started using antiperspirant. Studies have shown the more active you are, the more you perspire, and this was very true with me, haha. I have tried so many antiperspirants, but the one that I've found that really works well is Secret Clinical Strength for women. This stuff is awesome! It has a great scent and lasts longer and protects better than anything I've ever used. It's a little pricey, but if you're like me and need something that will really get the work done it's worth the extra bucks. Hope this helps!

http://www.secret.com/ClinicalStrength.do

I Suggest...

Hey guys! It's been a while since I'VE talked to you. I know that I've been posting other folk's art and writings, but I hope that's okay with you? I do, however, read a LOT of blogs (instead of writing in my own) and recently feel across a young lady that I had previously posted about: Christa Black. You can go take a look at my post about her if you missed it. [http://kelseyschneider.blogspot.com/2009/03/christa-black.html] Her blog is http://christablack.blogspot.com/ and, wow, let me say - this girl has quite the story. I encourage you to go give it a read. That's all from me today. If you're not following me on Twitter yet here's my page: http://twitter.com/MissKelsey - Thanks, you guys, for checking in! I love you all more than you know :)
Kelsey

Pickens Walks Away from World's Largest Wind Farm


Written by Megan Treacy

After months of delays due to financing difficulties, T. Boone Pickens is walking away from a plan to build the world's largest wind farm in the Texas Panhandle. While money played a large part in the decision, the nail in the coffin came from an announcement that $5 million worth of new transmission lines for wind energy in Texas were not going to be built anywhere near the planned site of the wind farm.

Pickens originally planned to build his own transmission lines as well, but tough economic times have scaled back his ambition.

The good news is that Pickens and his team still plan to develop smaller wind farms around the Midwest, including spots in Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Kansas, and Texas.

While Pickens is an unlikely eco-hero, we've been rooting for him to get these big projects up and running. We can only hope that these setbacks aren't permanent and we'll see the return of his large-scale wind energy plans in the near future.