Vehicle suggestions wanted

I am starting the great car hunt. Not in a huge rush to replace my ancient PT Cruiser but she is probably about to see her last winter and it is time to start looking.

I am leaning toward some kind of hybrid or electric beasty and am intrigued by Ford's new C Max hybrid. I looked briefly at the Chevy Volt but while I will pay a premium, 40k for what appears to be basically a Cruze just doesn't make sense to me.

I have a very short commute (< 10 miles) so limited all electric range isn't a problem.

I would like something I could toss a pair of small kayaks or bikes on top of (or behind if a small trailer is an option ).

Thoughts?

Things i believe - 20121115 edition

This is going to be a possibly ongoing series of posts listing random things I think are true. Not sure where it is going but we shall see I guess.

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I think that we live in a rich enough country that there is no reason for any child to go without a roof over their head, food in their belly and access to healthcare. I don't care if it is because they have parents that are unlucky, uneducated, sick or even just lazy. We can afford it as a society and it diminishes us when we pretend otherwise.

And no, I do not mean that we should take children from their parents.

John McCain - Still an Asshole too

John McCain Pledges to Stop Susan Rice at All Costs - Politics - The Atlantic Wire: 

"John McCain is convinced that U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice is part of a massive cover-up over the Benghazi embassy attack and is launching a preemptive campaign to keep her from becoming Secretary of State. After saying last night that he would do "everything I can" to block Rice's nomination (which hasn't even happened yet), on Wednesday McCain repeated those comments on CBS This Morning, Fox News, and during an appearance at the Washington Ideas Forum (which is sponsored by The Atlantic.) McCain is telling anyone who will listen that Rice is not qualified to be the chief U.S. diplomat and that he believes she intentionally misled people about what the government knew about the attack. "
'via Blog this'

Peter LaBarbera - Still a bigoted Asshole

LaBarbera: Tammy Baldwin 'Hardly a Role Model,' Lacks 'Healthy, Wholesome Behaviors' | Right Wing Watch:

"Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality was indignant about the “shocking” election of Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin to the U.S. Senate, making her the first openly gay Senator. He told Jim Schneider of VCY America on Crosstalk that Baldwin is “hardly a role model for young women,” whom he says should uphold “healthy, wholesome behaviors, not lesbianism.” "

'via Blog this'

Mitt Romney - Clueless to the end

Daily Kos: Romney rides off into the sunset, as big a dick as always:

 "“You can imagine for somebody making $25,000 or $30,000 or $35,000 a year, being told you’re now going to get free health care, particularly if you don’t have it, getting free health care worth, what, $10,000 per family, in perpetuity, I mean, this is huge,” he said. “Likewise with Hispanic voters, free health care was a big plus. But in addition with regards to Hispanic voters, the amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called Dream Act kids, was a huge plus for that voting group.”"

He really is stupid as a stump.

On doing elections right

Via <a href=" http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/11/11/agreeing-with-david-frum ">Ed Brayton </a>

Elections should be run and controlled by a non-partisan federal agency and the system should be the same nationwide. Every precinct should have the same voting machines and the same ratio of machines, and polling places, to the number of voters. Early voting should be instituted nationwide and it should last a full month. And election day should be a national holiday

From a veteran on veterans' day

<p dir=ltr>Via <a href="http://www.first-draft.com/2012/11/i-didnt-fight-for-your-freedom.html"> First draft </a><br>

I didn't fight for your freedoms. In the six years I was in, I never once defended your right to vote, or to carry a gun, or to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure (that one doesn't really apply anymore, anyway), or any of the other things you enjoy as a citizen of this country. I just didn't. Neither did anyone who went to Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Vietnam. It's all bullshit. It's a fucking lie that we tell ourselves and each other so that we don't have to think about why we send young men and women to serve, suffer, and die for old men's vainglorious ideas and profit margins.</p>

On Small milestones

Just passed 50,000 pageviews. Took 5 years, some do that in a day. Let's see what the next 5 years brings.

Thanks for reading.

On mandates

Recall that Obama received more electoral votes than Bush 43 did. I don't recall anyone in the press saying he didn't have a mandate.