only one problem, kites are made from oil.

More than one problem, almost everything we depend on got our comfortable modern lives, comes from oil.
I love the adverts for vegetable oil based hair shampoo, and its in an oil based plastic bottle. Modern times is crazy times, its all about MMM, Money Motivated Madness, and Me/Me/Me, and we are all collectively oil addicts.

Hi my name is Steve and I am an Oil Addict, it has been 2 days since I drove my car.........................

Goodwinds

Steve

I can relate to your story but feel that it is not constructive to play the blame game .Re gas guzzling 4wds my suggestion is not to outlaw them but to stop subsidising them .If we want to subsidise, then be it on efficent vehicles .

Beware of throwing rocks from glass houses .For example I would imagine my oil consumption and CO2 output far outweighs that of a chinese person working in a kite factory .

my point is that it high time we made changes to our current practice of burning huge amounts of oil

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Originally posted by getfunky

Honestly every time I see a Porsche/Mercedes/Audi 4wd with not even a speck of dust on it's f**k off big n shiny bullbar (you know the ones that negate the impact absorbing front end, shattering every bone in a poor unsuspecting pedestrian/cyclists body) I want to throttle them out of there selfish slumber.

I feel like grabbin a can of spray paint and daubing "I am a selfish austentatious posing aaasswipe propelling us to oblivion" - in climate controlled comfort of course - accross the metalic/champagne bonet paintwork.

Same goes for Prados and Pajeros (is that really Spanish for w*nker) mind you. If they don't have purpose then stop being a pr*ck and wake up to 'Peak Oil' reality. [}:)]

I have no problems with people who actually use them for there purpose, ie going bush or for a trade.

However soccer mums driving errantly in front of the private school at the end of my street, whilst squawking on the mobile and flooring the "high performance engine with race like handling" down the street where my kids live makes me ** thunder!!!

As long as little f**ken Tristan is ok then foot to the climate controlled floor is ok is it Barbie? How's the new rack your uncaring stockbroker husband bought you? Oh well if he's paying too much attention to his new sexretary there is always the suitably vacuous headed personal trainer to play with them...

4wds are the scourge of the modern age. Is it really neccesary to advertise what a selfish moron you are with these spotelss posuer chariots? I'm sure anybody who has met you realises what a tosser you are....oh of course all your 'friends' you do lunch with are even more pretentious (they just got the new Rangey with baby seal seat covers) than you are.

Yes I drive a 4 cycl hatchty because I really don't have any issues with schlong size that I am attempting to compensate for... I get 3 kites 2 boards and gear in there (after taking out one kiddy seat) with no probs... so what's all the juice burning really about Mr BignShinyBumperTosser?


BTW whilst on my motorbike many years ago I witnessed the 4wd soccer mum in front of me fail to give way to a cyclist approaching from the right at a round-about (who had clearly 100% right of way) and completely clean him up with the huge truck-like bumper bar on the front.

Gets better... His bike is a pretzel underneath the Cruiser - luckily he is thrown 10 feet in front with a leg pointing 90 degrees to the incorrect, uncomfortable side of things. He is writhing in pain and most likely in shock.

Her reaction? Stops car selfishly in the intersection, gets out and stands over him yelling "What were you doing?!.. Why did you ride in front of ME?!".

I tell you it took quite a bit of will power to only say "Get a way from him you stupid moron, you are entirely to blame and the cops will be sure to get a statement from me when they get here... now how about unblocking this intersection so the ambos can get here?"

Ahhh if only this was an isolated incident...

"Wake up, this country needs a f**kin shake up"

My 2c for the day kiddies

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Yep Mr Float,

you are indeed wise. We are all to blame to some extent, it really depends whether you give a fig about anybody else though.

4wds are - and have been for many years - my pet hate.

As far as glass houses go, yes I drive to work everyday as it saves me 1 1/2 hrs with my kids each day. That is a decision I am not entirely comfortable with and it is entirely in my kids and my own interest. I used to car pool with a colleague but can't anymore. I try to balance this by driving a 1600 CC manual car though. I also cycle 2-3 times a fortnight (not nearly as much as I'd like). I also only am on the road for 15 mins each way.

Why do I despise 4wds so much? Well if the above story is not enough for you how about the fact that it takes around 2 1/2 - 3 times as much energy and resources just to build the things. That is before they are transported to the car yard and prior to them consuming vastly greedy amounts of fuel, oil, tyres (made out off... that's right oil!). They also cause far more damage to roads that are repaired (made out off... that's right oil!) etc etc.

Then you have the issue of prangs. If you try to do the righty and drive a standard height car or hatchy and are hit by a 4wd (statistically more likely that the 4wd is at fault) you are ten shades of up sh1t creek!

The weight of them is a definate factor but how about the positioning of there nice shiny inflexible bumpers being at head height! Side on you will be lucky to become a new paint job on their bonnet. Unlucky if you ever come to, as your melon will be screwed. Thats right they hit you at head height not in the more protected body area. So it will be eating through a straw and getting comfy with someone wiping your butt for the remainder of your days. As for the 4wd - they might need a new polish on the bumper to get rid of all that red messy stuff some unconsiderate and less fortunate person left there.

The fact that your average 4 wheeler is also a selfish and dangerous "gettoutta may way I've got the big kahuna here" driver is a worry, that I think can only be addressed by a legal precedent to show a lack of care for fellow road users and punishment along the manslaughter lines.

I think 4wds are a potent symbol of the problems facing OUR future.

I think as well as MMM it is also SSS selfish/short -sighted/stupid.

quote:

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Re gas guzzling 4wds my suggestion is not to outlaw them but to stop subsidising them .If we want to subsidise, then be it on efficent vehicles .

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Spot on. It irritates me beyond words that because 1% of the population(pulled that figure from the nether regions) use 4wds for a work purpose WE are ALL putting cash back into SSS and MMM folk's Italian leather pockets. If you can prove work or farm usage fine get a kickback. If not don't be a greedy posuer and fork out the extra. Hey that means you can pose even more so, as the 4wd is now an even better status symbol!?! Imagine your pride with your trophy bride ridin shotty down the cafe strip....

I do think there should be a 100% ban on bull bars in the metro area though. If your goin country get handy with a spanner, or pay somebody else to do it - it's not like $$$ is an issue for an Audi/Porsche/Merc 4wd owner.

Sumpin nort rite aboot that Pa...


Anyhoo get with the program folks:

Solar hot water heating (can't believe it needs selling in this day and age)

If your building spend the paltry (by todays prices) sum of around 10-15k to have your place set up as almost self sufficiant for power. You can even sell it back to the grid (this isn't sci-fi it is happening today)

Grey water on the lawn (GC=green cancer)

Less GC and more low water natives (hey go the whole hogg and get a concrete aboriginal if you want the 70s look)

Hybrid cars (nope I don't own one - wish I did - as my hatchy at $7k is all I can go for right now)

MOST IMPORTANT VOTE for those with vision and a REAL commitment past 3 years for the environment. I'm not trying to preach (well not too much )so won't say who i vote for (but it ain't either of the fat cats). Lets face it the last 10 years has been about "bugger everyone else - all I give a toss about is saving on my mortgage for a new outdoor kitchen/spa/pool/4wd"!

Wake up and look beyond your lovely manicured castle... the tide is rising fast.


well that's now 4c for the day...

GF said:
Honestly every time I see a Porsche/Mercedes/Audi 4wd with not even a speck of dust on it's f**k off big n shiny bullbar (you know the ones that negate the impact absorbing front end, shattering every bone in a poor unsuspecting pedestrian/cyclists body) I want to throttle them out of there selfish slumber.

Don't think I have seen many Cayenne's with bull bars buddy.

Counselling perhaps?

quote:

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Treyvore said
Honestly every time I see a Porsche/Mercedes/Audi 4wd with not even a speck of dust on it's f**k off big n shiny bullbar (you know the ones that negate the impact absorbing front end, shattering every bone in a poor unsuspecting pedestrian/cyclists body) I want to throttle them out of there selfish slumber.

Don't think I have seen many Cayenne's with bull bars buddy.

Counselling perhaps?

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Ha ha... fair point the Paprika... erm Cayenne didn't have one. Perhaps I do need counselling as I wanted to go up to the Barbie in the driver's seat (adjusting the silicone... erm on her face I mean) and say rather loudly

"Well which is it?! A f**king 4 wheeler or a bl00dy sports car!?! Make up ya mind! It's not like you can't afford both - just make up your pea-brain!!!"

I suppose on the upside these morons aren't waisting too much oxygen... well it's certainly not getting absorbed by their grey squishy stuff....

So, does the good ol' Subaru fall into the despised category of 4WD or not?

Big call for many. Think carefully fella's!!

quote:

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Originally posted by getfunky


4wds are the scourge of the modern age. Is it really neccesary to advertise what a selfish moron you are with these spotelss posuer chariots? I'm sure anybody who has met you realises what a tosser you are....oh of course all your 'friends' you do lunch with are even more pretentious (they just got the new Rangey with baby seal seat covers) than you are.

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Jeez Ian, tell us what you really think. I'll read the rest of this rant after work, I just thought I'd pop the question: are you counting me and my Hilux in that? It has 4wd to get to kite spots, a big bullbar to squash kangaroos with only, and what paint is left on it is far from shiny. Only 4 cylinders, 2.0L capacity, cheap to run and driven responsibly. In fact I pretty much only drive it when I'm going kiting because I don't have room for my gear on my bike. Can I sleep guilt free tonight? Apart from burning oil along with everyone else that is, but I try to burn as little as possible...

Sorry forgot to state the bleeding obvious (what we've all known for ever)in my post.Its interesting now that old mate, brendon finally fesses up.Lil Johnnys still not so sure.
i'm not so sure that the US is so paranoid .Poorly led by George double ya ,split down the middle and polarised yes

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Originally posted by waveslave

quote:

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Originally posted by Mr float
On the news now the Oz Govt finally fess up that one of the reasons Australian troops lives are being put at risk and thousands of Iraqis have had their lives ruined is for oil security.

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H E L L O Mr Float.
Weren't you aware of the bleeding obvious ?
WMD's were always a red herring.
USA is a one, big, paranoid superpower, dude.

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Hey Getfunky you need some serious Counselling.

I bet you would luv to be the proud owner of a Toyota Prius or something like that.

Hey, nice rant Getfunky.

Don't worry mate at the rate China and India's economies are growing and given all two billion of their population are likely to want to start consuming (and driving 4WD's) like we westerners have been for the last fifty years, I reckon we'll all be riding bikes pretty soon.

Popular opinion has it that oil production capacity has or will peak in the next couple of years so the supply/demand equation for oil is only going to get more out of balance. There's loads of gas yet to be used up so we might all be driving on LPG for a while.

Thinking further into the future: Ultra light, carbon fibre, fuel cell driven cars, running off hydrogen that can be generated from solar panels on the roof of your house. They could have their own lane on the freeway so they don't have to mix it with the heavier traffic. I think I read somewhere that converting solar energy and water into hydrogen is being done just not very efficienly yet.

I hate to be a pessimist but I can't see the rest of the world, especially the developing world, slowing down their use of fossil fuels except for economic reasons. While it's the cheapest fuel to burn people'll burn it no matter how many greenies are wailing and gnashing their teeth and driving 4 cylinders.

Global Warming?

We're F***ed!!!!

Go fly a kite, life's too short to bother contemplating such things.

J-P [}:)]

Agreed which is why I put OT.Just thought it was worth posting.there are plenty of things that turn up here that are OT.For example stand up surfing on rebadged 1980's windsurfers with a paddle

quote:

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Originally posted by Baz

Please check the heading of this forum, it says Kitesurfing/General not bleeding heart political soap box. So lets stick to all things Kitesurfing and keep your views for when you have had 10 too many schooners and want to solve the world's problems.
Constant winds,
Baz.
P.S.Its a howling westerly go kiting!

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Nice anology there Lach, hahaha!

Could some of the problem be attributed to the FACT that we minority western nations have used over half the available oil in less than 80 years, and now approx 4-5 billion other earthlings want to burn some too.????

Meanwhile there is nearly 7 billion of us, but thats nothing to do with "the problem" eh?

Do you realise to produce enough biodiesel to run the current number of cars and generators would require the replanting of all arable land and all native lands with bio crops? Oh hang on what will we eat?
Not an ideal solution eh?
Wind generators, cover the earth in them and it would still not be enough.
Solar, besides being reliant on oil for production, they are way inefficient and we would have to carpet the Earth with them.
Nuclear, at least that would give us some time, and it is an intelligent option, we have the technology to deal with any by products.

Maybe Life Itself will take care of any imbalance, so why stress, its an infinITe Universe, man made crap and Making Money Madness does not really amount to much in an InfinITe Universe.

Why waste any opportunity to be enjoying life on playing the blame card, go fly a kite. I don't have any answers either other than to always choose happiness over anything less.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve

yawn...

Not kiting related, but here's a link to a company that generates hydrogen from wind energy. www.wind-hydrogen.com/concept_wind%20hydrogen.html

For anyone that is interested.