You are currently browsing the Rob’s RAVolt! weblog archives for the day May 7, 2008.
May 7, 2008 by Rob.
I was re-ranting to Laura, my EV enduring spouse, about that kitten killing Hummer driver from our trip to Breed Hardware. She said that the driver was buying compact florescent light bulbs (CFL).
Posted in Rants | 1 Comment »
May 7, 2008 by Rob.
<pet peeve>Why do all these SUV drivers leave their engine idling when they leave their car! I was at Breed Hardware yesterday and someone left their Hummer spewing CO2 all over the parking lot while they went inside to buy kitten maiming equipment. Is turning the car on and off really that much effort? It’s not even summer so what’s your excuse? Gas still too cheap?</pet peeve>
So on Cinco de Mayo I was talking to an environmentally minded friend over lunch at Maudi’s and chewing on weighty problems. He suggested that the Free Rider Problem from Game Theory may be part of the struggle for conservation movements to get rolling. The FRP states that when a populate is large enough members can easily opt out of paying their share. By assuming that the majority will contribute they get a free ride. If enough people do this then the market collapses or fails to advance.
I look at all these Hummer drivers and can’t help but think that they are using up MY SHARE OF THE GAS! It seems like we have plenty, but it’s going to run out. Well first it will get really really expensive and then it will run out. These drivers are Free Riders! They are not playing along with people who conserve because the population is large enough that they can opt out without people noticing.
And on nearly completely unrelated rant. My friend also was talking about WWII. He said that Nazis preemptively invaded Russia to ensure their supply of fuel and the Japanese preemptively attacked US because we threatened their supply of fuel. It seems like world war and controlling the supply of oil may be preceded by a preemptive attack. Good thing there have not been any preemptive military actions lately (excluding our invasion of Iraq, of course).
Posted in Rants | 1 Comment »