So if Obama had done nothing but cut taxes, like republicans wanted him to do, the economy would have barrelled downward at an alarming rate and we would be in serious depression right now, instead of showing some small signs of recovery. Hoover proved that already.

How do you figure? To this point all he has done is spend money, that doesn't really exist except on paper. So if he cut taxes and spent money that doesn't exist how would that change things for you?

Aside from "It's Bush's fault. Have you considered any other anything? The kneejerk reaction to just blame the prior administration is getting very old.

Whats the cost of an electric car right now?

Try this:

http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=20125

It is a fact that Bush made the regulations weaker in California. I'm sorry, but that is the truth. You cannot deny the truth.

I have no idea what the cost of an electric car is right now. I haven't priced them because a) I can't afford a new car right now, and b) there are no plug in electric charge stations where I live. I know the Tesla is expensive, but that is a sports car, and the price is comparable to other high end sports cars.

Califorina sucks. That is all.

I love California. Have you ever lived there Merc?

If I ever go back, I would like to live in or near San Francisco next time. Or maybe Big Sur.

Big Sur is a fantasy hippie area. It is not what it seems. The wife and I have visited many times, she lived there for three years. Calif sucks ass. I would rather live in Texas where there is unity than in Calif where there is chaos.

My ex lived near Big Sur. I went up there a few times to visit him. And anyway, you know what a hippie I am. I would be perfectly happy living on a commune somewhere. Growing food. Drumming and dancing in drum circles. Having orgies. :D

True dat! :D and I still love you.

Big Sur is definitely still a place populated by weirdos. That's where our big wildfire was last July and let me tell you my crew and I ran into some pretty strange folks over our two week stint in Big Sur. The Buddhist monks/volunteer firefighters haha, and the good old Esalen Institute (if you're interested in "non-violent wood turning", I can point you in the right direction), and another engine crew we befriended found a half-acre pot field. Very nice people for the most part, though that may have had something do with the fact that we were protecting their homes.., and beautiful part of the coastline.

Did you all go and stand downwind? lol

(yes I realize this wouldn't be a good idea in theory, but I suppose that's where firefighters usually have to be anyway right?)

Then how can you say they are a viable option for many? How viable is an option most people cannot afford?

My ex's dad taught massage at Esalen. He's been working there for years. We visited him once. I LOVED it up there. I would love to work somewhere like that. Such amazing beauty. And the energy was delicious. :D

My ex grew up on a commune. Lucky bastard.

Nah we weren't with them when they found it. Just as well though because they had to sit there for hours as the police department, which was already stretched thin due to that pesky over 100,000 acre wildfire going on, went through the proper procedures to deal with such a large amount of growing plants.

Actually we go by the "one foot in the black"rule. You want to stay mostly in or near the already burned area attacking the flanks of the blaze never the actual head of the fire, be upwind of the fire (if you are facing the fire, the wind would preferably be at your back), no fuel between you and the fire if possible, and never ever ever ever uphill from the fire, no matter what direction it is heading or how far down the canyon/drainage/whatever it appears to be. Unless of course you have the task of securing a dozerline/firebreak, part of which entails spending all day or night chasing after embers falling on the unburned side of the line (not as fun as it might sound).
*~*~*~*~*~The More You Know!~*~*~*~*~*

We actually got an invitation from whoever was running/care-taking Esalen during those weeks to come use their hot springs baths and get some stress relief/meditation pointers for free. Sounded like an awesome deal until we picked up a catalogue of their courses at a gas station while stopping to pick up some chew and jerky. They offer some crazy ass sounding courses there. Some seemed perfectly legit, and I guess some universities have psychology class credit deals worked out with Esalen for particular courses. That said, there were others that left us speechless like a course on tapping into the combined knowledge from all time that everything in the universe shares with one another, etc., and the "non-violent wood turning" class. Kind of weirded us out. Very nice but interesting folks up there.