Time to get political

Well the big news for what, the past two years? has been this year's election, which is coming up in a mere two weeks. Of course I'll vote early so that I don't have to stand in a line. This will be my first time voting, and I'm excited about that. I've made it my business to be a well informed voter; there's too much spin and propaganda on both sides to decide just on what you hear on TV. It's a big choice- deciding who we think should be the executive leader of the world's greatest political and economic power. What happens in the world as a whole depends in large measure on who is leading this nation. Just look at the current economic crisis- (last year the news was reporting the Dow in the 14,000s, today it's in the mid 8,000s)- this crisis has resonated throughout every other nations' stock markets, setting the stage for a global recession. Just as our leadership is responsible for how the US affects the world, it is also responsible for dealing with things out of our control. War, terrorism, asteroids- we're counting on the people we vote for to find solutions and represent the interests of the whole. It's not a small matter, it's not the time for basing decisions on celebrity endosements or talking heads on TV. It's time for each one of us to study well, be informed, and decide what it really important and who can address those issues best.

Resurrecting the Blog

Well a lot sure has happened since my last post... Hillary was still in the presidential race back then... But one thing hasn't changed-- I still have plenty to say, but not enough time to say it. I'll try to write at least weekly posts, though I won't guarantee anything!

okay, it's not all bad...

I got a bit too carried away on my last rant, the truth is that many in this generation do have their heads on straight. Like my co-worker who told me that he's looking into starting a retirement fund (he's 20). And a friend of mine who judiciously manages a nice portfolio of Wells Fargo stock and a mutual fund. Natalie and I are doing our part, saving about 50% of our income and keeping our hands off our Roth IRA and REIT mutual fund. We graduated college without a lick of debt and with a positive cash flow. Despite the fact that we're uninsurable by the scam artists in the health insurance world, we're doing ok for ourselves. And the solution to so many problems is so simple- live beneath your means. Sure, hard times do hit, but in most cases, saving money and being fiscally conservative are surefire ways to prevent financial catastrophe. The hard part is being conservative when the money is flowing in. But a little bit of self-restraint goes a long way.

Lots of debt...

The news today reported that Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign not only ended unsuccessfully, but $22 million in debt. And of course she wants people to help bail her out. First of all, is this someone we wanted to have in office? Someone who accumulates that kind of debt certainly doesn't have the financial sense to preside over the nation. Bush has already made record gains in the country's debt, and the democrats say they would do better. I'm not convinced. This reflects the nation's current philosophy on finances- rack up as much debt as you want, and then either file for bankruptcy or hope Uncle Sam will bail you out. Hillary should cough up the dough from her own coffers (which are substantial) and not expect someone else to pay up for her failed presidential bid. But like I said, this is the same financial approach that so many Americans have. I was listening to the radio tonight, one of those personal finance shows, and this couple had two mortgages, $87,000 in credit card debt, a $20,000 car loan, and various other financial obligations. There was another story I heard last week about a housekeeper who was "conned" into getting a loan for a $400,000 house. Does this make any sense? The fiscal irresponsiblity of these people is appalling. And we're not talking about poor single mothers who are facing hard times, no, we're talking about double income, $300,000 per year couples who spend like drunken sailors, and people with no financial sense getting themselves strapped down by huge mortgages because they don't do a single bit of research or homework. Like the woman CNN interviewed that was losing her home because she couldn't make the payments- and her quotable statement, "I dint know nuttin bout whats an adjustable rate mortgage". Excuse me? You don't understand, even conceptually, what an ARM is and you think you can buy a house? These stories aside, the fact that a presidential candidate runs up a multi million dollar debt is a scathing indictment that America has no financial sense, from the bottom all the way to the very top.

100 mpg

By the way, I filled up the scooter yesterday and determined it's efficiency- looks like we've been getting a cool 100 mpg.

now for other ridiculous things

I've focused on energy and transportation issues so far, but now it's time to mention some other items of interest... Health care has been a hot topic recently. The democratic presidential candidates talked about it all the time, but now that there's a nominee, no one's mentioned it for a while. We did some research on health care in class last semester, and it is quite complex. Anyways, Natalie and I have been trying to apply for health insurance. Obviously they won't pay for maternity, but we just wanted something for the "just in case" scenarios. Also, health insurance is required for attending the university. Despite our attempts to get insurance, it seems that we're uninsurable. Two healthy twenty-something college grads can't get insurance. Sure, Natalie is pregnant, but you would think we had terminal brain cancer or something. These insurance companies are just as bad as I've always thought. The whole plan is to rip you off in the first place, and if there is any chance that they'll have to pay something, they'll reject your application. Despite my pro-capitalism stance, I just don't see how the current system is serving peoples' needs. Private business is good for so many things, but with health care, the bottom line should not come first.

The end of an era- let's hope

This in the news today-

WILMINGTON, Del. - General Motors is closing four truck and SUV plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, affecting 10,000 workers, as surging fuel prices hasten a dramatic shift to smaller vehicles.
CEO Rick Wagoner said Tuesday before the automaker’s annual meeting in Delaware the plants to be idled are in Oshawa, Ontario; Moraine, Ohio; Janesville, Wis.; and Toluca, Mexico. He also said the iconic Hummer brand will be reviewed and potentially sold or revamped. -AP

Looks like the demise of the SUV is well on its way. And with any luck the Hummer will go the way of the dinosaurs.

I saw gas at $3.99 today. I guess I was a bit conservative a few weeks back when I guessed that gas would hit $4 before the year was out... how about the month?

I'm loving the scooter. I took the wheel off today to get a new tire put on it so it'll pass safety. $20 for a tire is something I can live with, and there are only two of them!

$4.00 fill up

We picked up our little red scooter today and drove it home. It's so much more fun than a car; even at 45 I felt as though I was flying down the road. We went to the honda dealership and bought some nice helmets and goggles- safety first! It might be an added $130 expense, but it's better than hitting your head on some nice soft pavement. The scooter was low on gas, so we took it to the gas station, and topped her off with only $4.00 of gas. It keeps up with city traffic great, even with the two of us. One day is all it took- I'm a scooterist.

the elite form of travel

Newsweek has an article on what would happen if oil hit $200/barrel. Things sure would change, but we're ready- we just bought our insurance for the unsure energy future. It's a red 2006 Honda Elite 80. 90 mpg and way more fun than a car. Now we can zip around town using less than a third of the gas that my car uses. If only more people would do the same. Most of the cars on the road are only carrying one person and little or no cargo. Scooters are the way to go. How is it that Europe and Asia have been doing this for years, but in the US we insist on having three cars (or SUVs) in every driveway? And theres no excuse for city dwellers, where most places are only a few miles away. It feels good to escape from a bulky, inefficient automobile and it's expensive fuel.

my dream

With gas just under $4 per gallon in Utah, and higher than $4 in other places like California, some people are finally giving up their SUVs. CNN has some videos on line that show people trying to unload their luxury barges. Funny thing is, though, they're becoming hard to get rid of. Some dealers won't buy SUVs for any price because they know it will be hard to sell them. Owners are taking big losses, as it's not a seller's market anymore. After all, do you really want a vehicle that costs $100 to fill up? My dream is that one day dealerships will be full of brand new, and used, SUVs that just sit there, rusting. Customers now walk right past the rows and rows of primitive 10 mpg trucks and SUVs and go straight to the sleek, efficient Civics, Fits, Yaris, and Focus. The unsellable SUVs end up being stripped down to be delivery trucks or are sold for scrap. This, of course, is not far fetched at all. All it would take is $10 per gallon gas, and people would simply stop driving vehicles that cost $300 to fill up. The europeans have had expensive gas for years, which explains the VW beetles, mini coopers, fiats, and renaults.

I remember filling up my 95 escort for $12. That was eight years ago, back when I could find gas for 99 cents per gallon. How times have changed! I told my wife that I bet gas here in Utah will hit $4.00 before the years is out, and I wouldn't be suprised if it hit that before summer is over. And what are the chances of prices going down significantly? As long as OPEC keeps a strangle hold on petroleum, there's not much of an incentive to bring prices down. I laughed out loud when Hillary Clinton promised to get tough on OPEC, saying she would use anti-trust laws to bring the cartel to justice. Excuse me? This is probably the dumbest idea I've heard during this whole campaign! Do enormously wealthy oil shieks care one bit about our anti-trust laws? What are we going to do, slap them with a hefty fine? Please, Hillary, no one is buying your false populist rhetoric. Anyways, I digress.
I mentioned my old 95 escort because as my first car, it taught me a lot about my place in America's car culture. I could wring 40 miles to the gallon from that little car, and it reliably took me from place to place. That's what a vehicle is for, after all. It taught me that utility is more valuable than fashion, and economy is better than style. I guess that's not saying much, since the escort was in no way fashionable or stylish, but my point is that I learned at a young age what role the automobile should play in one's life. Though I have learned this, it appears that much of the US hasn't, judging from the legions of extravagant SUVs and trucks that clog our roads. Excursions and F-350s belch out thick, oily smoke as they shuttle their lone driver to and from the grocery store. Hummers and Suburbans soak up gallons of gasoline in an expensive display of conspicuous consumption. SUVs and trucks are the bane of our transportation system. Inefficient, oversized, and in many cases, outright dangerous, these behemoths represent several huge steps backward in transportation technology.