Five Stages Of Buying Gas / Hatsune Miku / Fursuit Progress
14 years ago
General
On Monday I devised a system where electric cars can run almost endlessly, and charge-ups are even more simple and convenient than filling a traditional car. This isn't it. I'm saving that idea for a patent. This is something for the UK, who can't stand up for themselves when something is becoming an almost unbearable problem.
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1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
You may know these as the "five stages of grief" or the "five steps to acceptance" usually used to plot the way someone deals with a great loss or the death of a loved one. It's not a pretty process, and it doesn't always work. But increasingly, these stages, known as the Kübler-Ross Model, are being applied to something rather more everyday than your life-changing tragedy.
These five stages might soon be known as "the five stages of buying petrol"
Once again, Americans are outraged by the price they're having to pay to gas their vehicles. Once again, the UK car fans are outraged at the Americans outrage, being that fuel prices in the UK currently stand almost two-and-a-half times greater than the Stateside figures. Gas prices have entered the consciousness of a large number of motorists, and are becoming more regular in the news, both with significant stories related to the subject, and even a section similar to a weather forecast where the price is measured and explained. It's also becoming a battle zone politically, where a considerable portion of votes can be won or lost on the stance over fuel prices.
But the UK car fans are doing almost nothing; an arranged protest over fuel prices barely gathered 100 supporters, and failed pretty miserably. Words were spoken in Parliament, but this too came to nothing. The public just quietly takes it. Even I have put my cars to one side (and if you know anything about me, you'll know I'm nuts about my cars) and bought a tiny motorcycle, not much more than a toy, because it's all that I can afford, until this publication stops hiding my columns at the bottom of page 29. I wish they would, because once again, I have the answer.
While the solution in America might be to get angry and make noises, in Britain, a more diplomatic and strategic approach is more suited. The UK Government should slightly, just slightly, increase the import duty on foreign cars. This way, there would be a few less cars on the road, so they could claim it as a good thing for the environment. In fact, there would also be less cars shipped in the import process, which again is a plus, both economically and environmentally. It might also give a little bit of help to the tiny UK-based car makers, who simply can't compete with cheap imports. Also foreign-owned car makers might feel more inclined to build factories here, providing jobs and revenue. Lastly, they would make up the money from the increased duties, that they would otherwise have got from fuel taxes.
That'll mean Brits have to pay more for new cars.
Or at least the ones that come from outside the UK. Is that a bad thing? If you can afford a brand spanking new car, then you've probably got a shitload of money anyway. Thus the rich who can afford a new car can support the poor who can barely afford petrol, and we all get cut a break at the petrol pumps. So buying petrol doesn't have to be a five-step journey through misery.
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In other news, I got an album by Supercell ft Hatsune Miku, and it's brought new life to my sound system. I really like it. Perhaps only six or seven albums have had this much of an impact on me, since ever, and I've been alive for a loooong time. Normally, I don't post links to music on YouTube. It's annoying, and I hate feeling obliged to listen to the stuff people throw at me, though sometimes someone will recommend something absolutely stunning. This wont be, most probably wont "get it" like I do, but nonetheless I'm going to post a link anyway, so nAAAr.
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If you sent me money for a fursuit, there's developments happening. I'm already job-searching, and I'm going to take the first thing that's offered to me, regardless of how shitty or inconvenient it is, so I can start paying you back, if you so choose. Believe in me, folks, because I was born intelligent, cunning, and ruthless... and engagingly modest, of course.
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Wait, the UK still has an auto industry outside of crazy shit like the Radical SR3 and Ariel Atom?! My mind has been blown. :P
In all seriousness, I tend not to comment on matters that occur in countries outside my own. I can only say that in defense of Americans, anyone with half a brain would be rightly outraged if the standard price of something raised to extremely high rates compared to their normal, even if other places have it worse.
But to finish up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh50ui5PEgA
Radical, Ariel, Morgan, Ascari, Noble, and such, are the tiny companies I mean. There's still Lotus, but they're wholly owned by Malaysian money-men now.
I think Brian Blessed might be the only man loud enough to shout some sense into people over this issue, which is slowly eroding the freedom and livelihood of hundreds of thousands of people.
Brian Blessed has the voice of god. He never should have been bumped from the role of Odin in the Thor movie.
The Skoda Octavia vRS, which is a big luxury cruiser, that's bean heated with sports/racing components so it'll worry it's rivals from Munich and it's relatives in Ingolstadt, will do up to 60 miles per gallon in ideal conditions. It's brilliant, and I want one. They're not cheap to buy though.
It remains to be seen what MPG my bike will do, but I'd estimate around 110.
But the higher gas prices over in Europe are why that region of the world tends to get most of the experimental high-mileage vehicles before the rest of us.
I'm regretting getting a bike now. Hugely. Here's why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldFLPZYAOFQ
You know fuel is getting expensive when taxi drivers start taking the shortest possible route.
Where do you think GE got THAT idea from? http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1615331/
My new idea is a much more viable option, perhaps not as good, but definitely easier to do, which seems to be the main thing these days. It's not like in the Victorian era where the best way was the only way. Even collectively, as nations, governments, and an entire global community, as well as individually, we seem apathetic to put any real heavy work in to change things. That's what the above column is about too, a subtle change to the figures and the difference practically makes itself. Much easier than hitting Democrats with picket signs.
P.S. Fara is hawt.
Trying to change the world by putting good ideas into rubbish newspapers isn't going so well.