I just heard James Whale trot out the old "the climate has always changed and will always change" AGW denial line, live on Talk radio, when interviewing an executive of Friends of the Earth. Jesus wept :face ripped to shreds:

Scot Dutchy wrote:This has a massive prick rating:

I don't see too many of those around here. A recent trend here is for inconsiderate fucks to buy 4-seater utes like Ford Rangers or a Hilux because they are cheaper, not that they need the capability. They are classed as commercial vehicles so there's taxation/subsidy difference to normal consumer vehicles. This is instead of EEVs. Before that it was SUVs and morons still drive these around town without a hint of them being anywhere near going off-road. Many here call them 'Queen Street Tractors' or 'Remuera Taxis' [a rich suburb] because that's what they are; overgrown brat taxis and shopping carts. I've seen a number of situations such as a Webdesign company-branded BMW X3
And what is the purpose for vehicles like the X4 other than being a penis extension on wheels? It looks like an over-inflated sedan.

You really wonder who needs them outside of super macho's with 3 inch pricks I dont know.

Alan C wrote:
And what is the purpose for vehicles like the X4 other than being a penis extension on wheels?

Because some stupid "beautiful" women are shallow as fuck?

Keep It Real wrote:Possibly the most memorable prank of this kind I viewed today was of a girl being turned on by an ugly old mid-range merc and squarely off by a honda Prius...

Them boys up in the mountains use the shit out of their 4x4s. We used the shit our of ours when we lived there. Nearest liquor store was 45 minutes away, over a mountain, on a dirt trail. You couldn't call it a "road", just two tire tracks, and you needed some decent ground clearance to get over the rocks. If you took the paved roads it took almost an hour and a half. Fuck it, 4-Wheel Low it is. Unless you wanted moonshine, then you just went next door.

Mind you, they don't look anything like those $80K++ Pickup Fucks, more like this:

All hat, no cattle is what I say of urban morons driving those.

It is a sadness to me I'll never try authentic moonshine

You're not missing anything, it's not particularly tasty, just raw corn liquor and usually harsh as shit. It will get you drunk, though. Civilized folk turn it into bourbon. I've had a quart jar of it sitting on the shelf for at least the last 10 years.

Pretty fucking cool that, dude. I had a bottle of Cava sitting in my cupboard for a week but had to drink it as an emergency analgesic lolz

You should probably stay away from 'shine, just sayin.

I bet if we met, due to some bizarre confluence of circumstance, near your shelf, you'd let me have a sip.

I've been following this since it started, although I avoided commenting about it when my friends/family posted things about it. Because I feel uncomfortable with this movement.

What are they requesting ?

AS it's been said here, demands started with the suprpession of the future oil price increase, and now it's pretty much everything, according to who you're talking to : purchasing power mostly, less taxes (France is the most taxed country in the world, and the country with the most state workers per capita), some ask Macron to resign, etc.

How are they organized ?

Well they're not. Every protest is organized on Facebook, the movement has no leader. That complicates the task for the police, who can't know in advance where people will go. It's also very hard for the government to have a talk with them. Last week, 8 people were "appointed" leaders, but they refuse to go talk with the government because of the threats they receive on social media.
It also helps thugs, as the tendency for some very small groups to crash protests and destroy everything that appeared 3/4 years ago increased a lot, helped by the general chaos. Some evidence have been found that disguised policemen wre also provoking riots, in order to generate a police response. But in their large majority, police, gendarmerie and firefighters are on the protesters' side.

The political view

Scot Dutchy wrote:The French protest at a drop of a hat and they always have but this time the hard core right wing is stirring things up.

Scot Ducthy is again full of bullshit. Parties have kept their distances from he movement since the beginning. Same for syndicates. The movement itself refuses very explicitly to be associated with any ideology (religion, political side) or used for political gain, and everytime a political wanted to join a protest, they've been strongly discouraged to do so, mostly with threats. The 2 extreme (Mélanchon, far left, and Le Pen, far right) have tried, individually, to associate themselves with the movement, without any success.

The protesters are mostly followed by the population (70 to 80% according to different polls), despite the accidents and deaths cause by the blockings everywhere.
Macron is facing a movement with no leader, no clear demands and no one to negociate with. I wouldn't like to be in his shoes right now.

Animavore wrote:I can understand a car like that if you're using it, but thereare people who drive things like that just to drop the kids off.

There was a faze a decade ago in Ireland with people buyimg jeeps and 4x4s. Unless you're a farmer I see no need.

I think they literally must have money to burn. I'd never buy a car that outstripped my usage.

That phase is still in swing here. It's really silly as where I live there is no rough terrain whatsoever that would justify driving a jeep/4x4, nor do most people need a pickup truck.

I mean those people pay for it over here via poor gas mileage both in cities and highways. While there are certainly people whom drive trucks and jeeps for aesthetics I know way more people who own them because they’ve pets, horses, tools, and labor connected with the truck and/or frequently driving off-road.

The SUV and Sedan are the more common car designs today and most of them have a fuel economy in mind.

SUVs are really useful. My daughter bought a Kia Soul, it's a nice compromise. Lots of interior space and good fuel economy.

aban57 wrote:I've been following this since it started, although I avoided commenting about it when my friends/family posted things about it. Because I feel uncomfortable with this movement.

What are they requesting ?

AS it's been said here, demands started with the suprpession of the future oil price increase, and now it's pretty much everything, according to who you're talking to : purchasing power mostly, less taxes (France is the most taxed country in the world, and the country with the most state workers per capita), some ask Macron to resign, etc.

How are they organized ?

Well they're not. Every protest is organized on Facebook, the movement has no leader. That complicates the task for the police, who can't know in advance where people will go. It's also very hard for the government to have a talk with them. Last week, 8 people were "appointed" leaders, but they refuse to go talk with the government because of the threats they receive on social media.
It also helps thugs, as the tendency for some very small groups to crash protests and destroy everything that appeared 3/4 years ago increased a lot, helped by the general chaos. Some evidence have been found that disguised policemen wre also provoking riots, in order to generate a police response. But in their large majority, police, gendarmerie and firefighters are on the protesters' side.

The political view

Scot Dutchy wrote:The French protest at a drop of a hat and they always have but this time the hard core right wing is stirring things up.

Scot Ducthy is again full of bullshit. Parties have kept their distances from he movement since the beginning. Same for syndicates. The movement itself refuses very explicitly to be associated with any ideology (religion, political side) or used for political gain, and everytime a political wanted to join a protest, they've been strongly discouraged to do so, mostly with threats. The 2 extreme (Mélanchon, far left, and Le Pen, far right) have tried, individually, to associate themselves with the movement, without any success.

The protesters are mostly followed by the population (70 to 80% according to different polls), despite the accidents and deaths cause by the blockings everywhere.
Macron is facing a movement with no leader, no clear demands and no one to negociate with. I wouldn't like to be in his shoes right now.

Thanks for trying to enlighten us, Aban.

Unfortunately you've missed the brief moment of genuine interest before the thread descends into the obligatory comparison of stereotypes on either side of the pond.

I also appreciate the attempt at clarification as that was my original intent of this post.

I pay very little for gasoline comparatively, although older folk still audibly complain about 2.00 USD for a gallon is too much.

But the growing trend I’m seeing is discontent with taxes and benefits from those taxes.

As Imwithstupid noted above things like petrol tax do little to stimulate economic growth but heavily penalize those that have to drive regardless, more than likely the lower middle or poorer wage brackets. France already has some wickedly high taxes and I’m not sure how well the people feel it’s taxes are being spent on them.

Poor France.

Once again aban57 you miss the point completely. Just look at the French strike record. They will strike for anything. Your social and pension system is a way out of date.

Scot Dutchy wrote:Once again aban57 you miss the point completely. Just look at the French strike record. They will strike for anything. Your social and pension system is a way out of date.

Thinking this is "just another French protest" IS missing totally the point. But I don't expect you to understand something more complicated than 2+2.

felltoearth wrote:All hat, no cattle is what I say of urban morons driving those.

I LOVE this.