Hummers

The word hummer conjures up many different meanings. One meaning is disgusting and reprehensible, one is obvious, one is a bird, and the last is slang for oral sex. ;)

The subject has been on my mind a bit lately for a couple of reasons. And no, neither of them are the sex ones. The first is that San Diego is a great place to see hummingbirds. I see at least one a day, and they are my favorite type of bird. Mind you, I can't tell you all the different varieties. I just think they're cool. And I was thinking that I wish that was the first thing that popped into people's minds when they heard the word hummer.

Sadly, nowadays, it is the vehicle that comes to mind. And I have to say, this vehicle makes me ill. It gets to be exempt from fuel economy mileage reporting because of its weight, but independent tests put it at 10.7 mpg. It costs more than the median household income in America. (But the wealthy NEEDED that tax break, didn't they...) It's a physical beast that will likely total anything that isn't a gas guzzling behemoth in a collision. And excerpts from purchaser reviews I have read feature such salient points as "Strengths: Looks cool! The Bose system rocks and you have unlimited variations with the chrome pieces. No 2 look alike! Weaknesses: Gas mileage. Protest from ignorant people." and "It's not a luxury car that wipes your butt for you....IT'S A TOY TO GO OUT WITH THE GUYS AND PLAY IN THE MUD!"

Now, why do you need a luxury with fancy chrome and a kicking stereo to go off-roading? And if that is their intended use, why do I see so many of them sparkling clean driving around the streets and parking lots of San Diego?

Ignorant protestors my eye! So, oil is reaching new highs every day because the demand is skyrocketing. And you think it is reasonable to burn fuel buying groceries in a tank! And I'm ignorant?!? Puh-leeeeeze. I'm tired of hearing that people can spend their money as they see fit. Let's start talking about consequences.

I know I'll take heat for this, but I like what the city of Paris is trying to do. They are trying to ban or at least heavily tax SUVs that drive in the city. The reasons are many: fuel economy, pollution, space considerations. I am not so naive as to believe that this is driven by pure environmental altruism, but we gotta start somewhere.

Oh, wait. I forgot. In George Bush's America, consequences are for those who can't buy their way out of them.