Thursday, February 25, 2010

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

Last night I heard great news - the Hummer will be no more!  For years I have despised that vehicle.  It just represents so many things I hate.  It's a tool of war; it's a gas guzzler; it represents all that's wrong with the consuming public.  The Hummer is just plain obnoxious.  In my humble opinion, anyone who purchased a Hummer should have put a sticker on their backside saying, "I'm rich and arrogant so I bought the ugliest, most obnoxious vehicle on the market."  Sorry.  That's just how I feel.  I cannot understand one single thing good about that vehicle. 

A few years ago, I watched a DVD called, "Who Killed the Electric Car."  The electric car was developed by GM in the 90s.  Most "owners" lived in California.  They weren't really owners as GM would not sell the vehicles; they could only be leased.  California taxpayers spent major dollars installing the infrastructure to support the vehicles.  Many of the "owners" were celebrities who were interviewed for the film.  They were thrilled with their electric cars and were glad to be doing something to protect the environment.  Fast forward:  the "govenator" was enamoured with the Hummer.  And was also seduced by the idea of hydrogen fuel cell technology.  The film shows Schwarzenegger driving a Hummer with a giant advertisement for hydrogen fuel cell technology plastered on the side.  Problem is, that technology Does. Not. Really. Exist.  Period. 

So, the electric car existed, was beloved by those who owned it, and was killed.  In fact, as leases ran out, the cars were confiscated and destroyed.  No amount of begging or offers to purchase the vehicles by the drivers could save the cars.  Now when I hear car manufacturers say they're close to having an electric car ready for production, I almost want to cry.  At least I have this good news - no more Hummer!



(Photo from http://wallpapers.free-review.net/17__Hummer_H2_Geiger.htm)

1 comment:

mamasong said...

Hooray for the death of the Hummer! Electricity-powered automobiles date back to the mid 1800's. It isn't a matter of technology, but of resource control and profit. Here is a really good timeline of the history of the electric car: http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/223/electric-car-timeline.html