Comments on: “A Reflection on American Car Culture” by Keithage

By: Deuce

Deuce — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:59:24 +0000

But the pony tail can stay, right? just not those names?

By: Deuce

Deuce — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:58:49 +0000

What about Lance, Julian and Bruce? Or possibly Amwot, Garlyn and Trogdor?

By: keithage

keithage — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:39:05 +0000

The same goes for you Deuce. If you name your boy Todd, Tucker, or Kyle so help me….. (fist shaking) I will personally find a Nicky, Vinny or Tommy to beat the crap out of him.

By: Lee S. Hart

Lee S. Hart — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:04:29 +0000

CassieB you say that like it was an option, and that makes me sad.

By: CassieB

CassieB — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:52:30 +0000

Well, I guess the name “Tucker” is out for my baby boy due in June…

By: E Dagger

E Dagger — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:28:04 +0000

The only thing I’ll say about natural gas in this state is that with the current economic climate as well as the recently-passed rules by the COGCC, natural gas production is currently decreasing in this state and likely won’t increase for some time. Xcel recently shut down the Shoshone natural gas plant on the Western Slope and has no plans to replace it. Based on what I hear in the industry, many active natural gas rigs are getting shut down (at least temporarily) until the price goes back up. And with environmental groups and the current state and federal administration continually looking to lock up areas of exploration (e.g. the Roan Plateau), the outlook isn’t quite that promising. If we’re looking for electric power, Flickerbock is right: the answer either has to come from coal or nuclear.

As far as natural gas Civics, that’s all well and good until you consider how out-of-date and maxed out delivery grid is. Putting additional strain on our grid by using it for cars too poses a whole different set of problems.

By: Corriander

Corriander — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:09:43 +0000

They switch out coal fired plants for natural gas all the time, if it’s more efficient and cheaper.

Anytime you want to, we’ll race – me on the light rail, you on the bus. I’ll even let you take an express bus.

By: keithage

keithage — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:45:36 +0000

True lightrail runs on electricity, but as flick and corriander pointed out 50% of the nationwide electricity, and 70% of Xcel’s energy comes from Coal fired plants. Unless I’m mistaken the life of a coal plant is upwards of 50 some odd years. There are no buses currently runing that were built 50 years ago. My point being that modern buses are more efficent and cleaner than they were 50 years ago. Those coal plants are the same as 50 years ago.

And if there wasn’t a light rail it would be express buses that would replace them not locals.

Peugeot, french for crapy car.

By: Corriander

Corriander — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:52:02 +0000

Xcel gets 30% of their power from natural gas and with the drive to reduce emissions and the abundance of cheap natural gas in Colorado, that’s only going to get higher. Just wait…

By: Flickerbock

Flickerbock — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:40:36 +0000

Corriander – The latest statistics from the Energy Information Administration show only 18.76% of electricity being powered by natural gas. A much larger 49.63% portion of electricity is generated by coal. It is significantly more likely that the electricity that is running those trains is coal powered, not natural gas powered.

I say eff all those – let’s go nuclear.