I know, but to some it can be 'controversial' when you start talking about it.

Amero was a one-off design exercise from what I read but that doesn't mean there isn't something. IMF wants the SDR, others want something else, I'm just saying that there will be a major correction in the value of the dollar if we continue down this path and it appears we're going to be headed that direction.

As for oil, we'd better enjoy it while we've got it because we have no idea when it'll be gone, but it's pretty clear that we're on the other side of the curve on that.

Don't get me started on the entitlement class....you don't wanna go there. Also, there are a lot of people who get it, may not appear that way but the number is large and getting larger...

sorry, not trying to threadjack :)

Entitlement? Sir I work I pay my taxes and live my life just fine without any help from anyone. When someone else starts paying my bills,paying for my house or paying for my food at that point you may lecture me on entitlements.

This is the main problem nowadays. Too many people are worried about what some one elses wants oh sorry needs are worry about your self first!!!

And as far as planning?! I had planned on more children but a medical issue came up and put a stop to that.


PS I will open a thread in od if the OP want this off of his thread.

I agree on the "need" and "entitlement" of modern society. It seems to have reached a point that each person thinks that big homes, big cars, tons of stuff, lots of vacations....etc....are all a baseline way of life. That is not the case.....if everyone lived that way around the world there would be 0 resources left in a very very short amount of time.

I just wonder how expensive fuel really needs to get before it finally kills off the SUV and pointless pickups. I cannot begin to count the number of people I know/have come across that use these monstrosity vehicles as a daily driver/commuter....carrying only them self! This makes no sense!

X2

That is a good question, but it's not just the short term price of fuel. The bubbas need to understand that the increase price is for the long term. The current assumption is that fuel prices will periodically rise and fall again, which does not provide much incentive to change behavior.

I agree. One of the most annoying things I see from these fuel price increases are news interviews of people saying "now I can't afford to do blah because it costs so much to fill my beast suv", its almost as though they have a mental block in place that prevents the "why don't I ditch this thing" reaction.

To be sure some people do have the mental block you're describing, but I suspect that an equally large percentage are underwater on the five or six year note they took out to buy their beast in the first place and simply cannot afford to sell it, bring cash to the table PLUS buy a replacement, even if they had the desire to do so.

I just hope that the recent economic shock has taught people a valuable (though in many cases painful) lesson: if you have to borrow to buy it, think twice, especially if you're buying a depreciating asset like a car.

I fit into that category, to a point. I bought my 2003 Dodge 2500 because there were no other choices for a 4WD diesel vehicle at the time. Even some of today's choices are hideously expensive. The Mahindra pickup, which could have been a choice, is dead in the water. The good news, is that with some mods (about $5000 worth), it gets a consistent 23-24 highway MPG and can travel 800 miles without refueling, not a small accomplishment for a 6700# truck.

For daily driving around town, I use my trusty 300D.

the issue is that someone with a piece of property that he needs to take care of has to have a truck. this is what city people and europeans will never understand. I have to haul things too big for a car 1-2 times a month and most times many more than that. so before people start ranting about people drivng big SUV's step back and look at the situations that require them. Multiple kids at home, a one car income etc. Even an econobox loaded with kids gets crappy mileage and is no fun crowded. So people may see me once in a while driving my excursion alone, most of the time it is to get my 2-300 pounds of salt or hauling my yearly 3200 pounds of leavesto the dump or whatever else, or some other thing I need to support my household and also when the MB is down.

My dad witnessed that this abhorrent waste of fuel is everywhere in the government. Namely in the prison system. they will use a jet to transfer one or two prisoners from prison to prison and waste a ton (literally) of fuel to do so. It happens everyday.

I agree with the argument about hauling, I live in inner urban Des Moines and have a truck. Why? I build things and haul things and do restoration on my house, so I need a truck, but I bought a used truck that I could afford that wasn't a losing investment. And I paid cash.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that if you can afford (paying cash) for the truck you shouldn't buy it if you actually need it.

OTOH, for years families got by with the sedan or the station wagon, now all of a sudden the bar is raised to the SUV? The 'requirement' or 'need' for AWD or 4WD was a con that cost people more money on something that depreciates from day one.

In the grand scheme of things we would probably never have gotten the glut of SUV's or trucks nor the industries that grew up around these vehicles if not for 1) easy money at the Fed 2) securitization of the loans into investment vehicles 3) property bubble (caused by #1) that let people borrow money against on a fallacious property value now gone.

The wealth people thought they had via their home came and went. In reality it never was there, but everyone thought they were richer and spent like that...it was a huge mistake, and trucks and SUV's for people who didn't need them was a symptom of that mistake.

Lutz-X2
Glenlloyd. I also have not Financed anything since I was single and no kids. But when spring gets here (if ever) The back seat comes out,the second get folded down to bring home the bags of gardening and yard materials.(composted manure,mushroom soil. mulch etc)

On the station wagon issur does any make a true family station wagon any more? I learned to drive in the brady bunch special 75 ford country squire ltd 9 passenger beast. once the minivan came out it spelled the death of the SW IMHO.

Well, I would like to thank everyone who thinks they need a big SUV/truck, my energy mutual fund is currently up 10.4% for the year. Keep hauling your stuff.

it is what it is, not sure what the alternative is...... I have always had a truck, and always used it as a truck. sometimes it was all I could afford and other times it was the second vehicle, no reason to disparage every truck owner. it borders on vehicular discrimination :) I just used it 2 weeks ago to haul my engine donor and this week to pull it over so I could yank the motor and next week it will haul off the carcass

X2! I'm heavily invested in oil and have had a banner 1 1/2 years!