Ways to reduce personal fuel usage
It used to be, “Everyone complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” Now it’s gas prices – but in this case, we could do something.
At a fast-food restaurant, I observed as many as 10 cars lined up at the drive-thru window. Consider all the drive-thru services – banks, restaurants, cleaners, etc. If people would just park, shut off the engine and walk in, they would save gas and get some needed exercise.
When I drive at the speed limit on any street or highway, I am passed by almost everyone else. Driving slower and smoother saves gas. At a steady 55 mph in my vehicle, I get 27 miles per gallon. At 65 mph, it drops to 20, and at 75 mph, only 16.
Also, the state should promote efficient alternate vehicles. The legislature didn’t sanction golf carts on urban streets when it had the opportunity. Why not permit such vehicles in the city where speed limits don’t exceed 45? Personal electric vehicles in congested areas make sense, considering that so many trips are of short distance. They would pollute less, make less noise, require less parking space, and scarcely tear up the streets – and provide considerable fuel savings.
I think fuel prices are permanently going to be higher than we have been used to, and we must change some of our habits. Park and walk, drive slower, and permit efficient vehicles. Just these steps would save considerable fuel.
Bob Mahood, Highlands Ranch
Is it time for the U.S. to pull out of Iraq?
Re: “Bush vows no retreat from ‘mission’ in Iraq,” Aug. 25 news story.
President Bush says that pulling out our troops from Iraq would “embolden” terrorists. Actually, staying demonstrates the weakness of our military, helpless to protect Iraqis or themselves – and thus emboldens the terrorists. And our fiasco in Iraq helps terrorists to recruit and train new terrorists. Jordan is the latest country to worry that Jordanian terrorists are getting “war hardened” in Iraq, then returning to make trouble in Jordan.
A leading Republican senator, Chuck Hagel, has said that the longer we stay in Iraq, the more damage we cause. He can hardly be called a traitor for disagreeing with the president, who got us into this quagmire.
Dan Lyons, Fort Collins
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I have some questions for those who think we should withdraw immediately from Iraq. First, was the jihad to kill all infidels declared after or before we invaded Iraq? Did the jihad have conditions, such as “Get out of Islam or die”? No, the only out was converting to Islam.
If we were to back down in Iraq, how long would it take before the jihadists kicked all Westerners out of the Middle East and forced the oil-producing nations to stop doing business with us? Do you think the Wahhabis are motivated by economic self-interest?
What do you suppose would happen if the Wahhabis got control of the Saudi royal family’s banking and securities accounts, and withdrew every dime from the West? Can you spell “economic collapse”?
And do you believe that isn’t really al-Qaeda’s objective? Don’t think Osama bin Laden is smart enough to realize the potential power he has?
No, we can’t back out and leave them alone. It’s just not an option. Our way of life is on the line.
Jeff Miller, Thornton
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When I was a seminary student at Yale Divinity School almost 50 years ago, one of the facetious pieces of advice preaching professors liked to give us fledgling young ministers was that if we had a weak point in a sermon we should acknowledge that in the margin of our manuscripts with the notation: “Repeat point, speak loudly, and pound the pulpit!”
I’ve thought of this several times recently as President Bush has once again been making his case for going to war in Iraq and staying there until we “accomplish our mission” and “win the war on terror.”
The president’s “preaching” – under the tutelage of “professor” Karl Rove and with the support of “assistant pastor” Dick Cheney, “seer” Donald Rumsfeld, and “song-leader” Condi Rice – has proven quite effective with many of his “parishioners” over the last couple of years. But increasingly, even the “faithful” seem to be finding his “sermons” less than persuasive. And maybe the “drop in attendance” (polls) can be attributed to people finally coming to realize that repeating dubious claims ad nauseam while speaking loudly and pounding the pulpit doesn’t make what’s being said true.
Rev. Roy G. Smith, Denver
Drama in Westcliffe over critical play
Re: “Small-town drama; Play depicting prejudice stirs up controversy in Westcliffe,” Aug. 22 news story.
Regarding your article about a play depicting prejudice in West- cliffe, The Post seems to have its own small-town prejudices.
Like Aspen in the ’60s, West- cliffe is a place where you might find the bank president having a beer at the local pub with the plumber who installed his sink that day. It’s a place where economic status is unimportant; it’s the interest for the community that provides the focus with residents.
So it’s no wonder that a theater owner and a Lutheran minister would chat about the effect of a play on their own community – whether it was a voice that would provide an important dialogue or just a vehicle to stereotype them.
Westcliffe has a strong religious community; it has a vibrant arts and gay community; and it has a highly involved corporate retirement community. All these groups contribute to Westcliffe boasting a very caring environment.
The Post might want to investigate this anachronism and how it affects decisions made by its residents.
Eileen Pappas, Westcliffe
Framing the debate over Refs. C and D
Regarding state Referendums C and D, the issue is described as “higher taxes vs. lower taxes,” so the pointless debate ends up being about which is better: higher taxes or lower taxes.
Some investments should be publicly funded. And the useful questions are: Which ones? How? To what level?
C and D allow the state to retain $3.1 billion in TABOR refunds over the next five years for schools, (K-12, community colleges and state colleges), health care, roads and bridges, and fire and police pensions. Reasonable Coloradans agree these things should be publicly funded. The measures will not alter the ways tax revenue is generated (fees and income, sales and property taxes). So the only important question is to what level should these things be funded. And this is the only useful public debate we should be having on C and D.
During the life of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, its supporters have made sure to point out that its intention is to allow the voters to more closely control tax revenues. That process works only if voters are informed about what tax revenues are needed for and the discussion is based on whether we want those expenditures or not.
Michael Darling, Centennial
Military base closures
Re: “Lowry finance center casualty of cuts,” and “Storied Army hospital will close,” Aug. 26 news stories.
The Post carried two reports on the plan to close or consolidate 62 military bases and 775 small installations in the United States. Included in the closures was the Defense Finance Accounting Services at the old Lowry Air Force Base.
I find it ironic that, with the current emphasis on homeland security, we are shrinking our military presence at home and expanding our footprint abroad.
The U.S. currently has military troops stationed in more than 135 countries around the world. There are also more than 700 large military bases overseas, causing resentment in many parts of the world.
I would think our top priority would be to protect the mainland United States. Having this large military presence overseas makes no sense. The U.S. needs to stop being the policeman of the world and take care of business at home.
James Frye, Aurora
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