Bruce...
I'll commend you for bringing the subject up. It was definately worthy to spark a discussion. If you told me someone actually made such ludicrous claims as this "CNW research" I would hardly have ever believed there was someone so bold as to believe in the gullability factor of the American public at large...that they would waste the time to produce such propaganda. I stand corrected.
I doubt anyone would look at this information as "credible"...but I'll probably end up sitting next to someone having a beer next week that will bring it up...
So at this point...I'll play devils' advocate for a moment. If there was even a slight bit of relevance to "the claims" I would counter to the effect: In trully American Tone...
...I don't Care!
At least someone (Japanese Corporations) has gotten off their ^ss and said "We are going to try something that might make a difference." They don't have the typical American attitude of the drunken high school football star "just hoping to ^ang the homecoming queen." The corporate mentality that pervades the American business comunity turns my stomach. No longer does American business work towards a "Better brighter tommorow". They prefer "business as usual" and hide behind it "hey gotta keep the shareholders happy". Hope the shareholders of GM and Ford are happy when they file for Bankruptcy. All one needs to do is look back over the years of how "cozy big business has been with each other". Big oil gets in bed with the "big three". They raise oil prices to sell lots of small cars. Then they let the bottom drop out and say "Hey look at this...this is what you need..an armchair on wheels...so what if it only gets seven miles to the gallon...you're an American...you deserve LUXURY". They spend booo-kooo bucks advertising, giving away Cadillac Escalades to rap stars and the MTV generation that is too young to remember last week let alone the 1973 oil Embargo...but then again No American, Including you and I would openly advocate for $5/gallon gas...even though we both know that is the only thing that is going to save this country...1.) By protecting develeopment of energy...other than big oil...2) By getting us out the huge debt we have incurred over the years "protecting our oil supply" (What a joke...Who they kidding? Protecting big oils profits)...3) And lastly...though nobody really cares about this one: Bringing home our young men and women, who blindly bought into the so called "fight against terrorism" we, their elders "sold them"...because our fearless leader is trying to "erase daddy's mistakes...while he blunders into his own"...and shipped them off to a part of the world, that, let's face it...if there wasn't oil under their feet...we wouldn't think twice about, no matter how much they slaughtered each other...
Tell me I'm wrong??? How can you???
You want to fight terrorism??? Start by letting your elected officials know it's time to declare war...on "big oil". "Either you get rid of big oil...or we are gonna get rid of you...even if we have to vote for bozo the clown to do it." If that is too much of a stretch...just repeat to yourself everytime the "fear mongers" try to sell their "propaganda" to ya "BS...It's all just BS!"
I'm usually a "moderate"...but when someone goes so far as to claim a Suburban gets over 20MPG???? That "hybrids" aren't all that great for the planet??? What kind of "geniuses" are we dealing with??? Are these the same people that denied "good intel" by saying "Naggh! There is no reason for concern...those middle easterners are legitamate student pilots..." Are they the same ones that "renewed their visas...after 9/11"???
I guess I'm just fed up! How we went from total complacency to "Hey you can't bring a bottle of Coca-Cola onto this flight..." (***Shaking my head in total amazement****)
Lotta hot air coming out....but I look at it this way. The beautifull thing about the Idea of a Prius is this: Even if didn't get great gas mileage...It fits into the American way of life in the 21st century...It shuts itself off while you wait in line at Macdonalds. No action on your part required!
Personally, (as someone who wore the uniform at the time) IMHO "daddy" should have worried less about "world opinion" and done the job the first time around...We might have caught some flak for it...but the buildings would still be standing,3000+ civilians would still be alive...and 3,555 (to date) brave young men and women would still be with us.
Our fearless leader says "We are a nation addicted to oil"...Seems kinda funny, (back in the 1970's Jimmy Carter had a similiar message)...Well if our own president is telling us this maybe it's time Americans "check into rehab" on the subject....
The Prius??? Think of it as Methidone....