Okay, I admit it. I wasn't exactly blown away by Sterling's list of ten technologies that have to die. But tonight's rainout in Boston offered me the rare opportunity to tune in to 60 Minutes, where I came away convinced about the old internal combustion engine. In the process of watching a story about SUVs, I learned that:
- SUVs are classed as trucks (ok, I knew that one)
- as such, they fall under a tax incentive program on the books since the 80s
- said incentives amount to a $25-100K tax break for anyone who purchases these vehicles, as long as 50% of their use is business-related.
- the federal government is currently paying dentists, accountants, lawyers, et al., to drive to work in an SUV
Charming. And we got to hear one of the chief engineers of GM tell a national audience, with a straight face, that the reason existing improvements (related to fuel economy) aren't being implemented is because of consumer desire. Turns out that it's more important to us as a nation to be able to drive up hills without slowing. Did I mention that the next commercial I saw was for Ford trucks, which are "bigger," "badder," "built Ford tough," and have the highest horsepower in their class? Turns out that GM trucks get fewer miles per gallon today than they did in 1990. But that's okay. They're badder, after all. And $2 a gallon is such a small price to pay so our dentists can drive Hummers. Hummers that the gov't buys for them, and that we pay for in fuel price hikes.
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