fuel prices!

[SW1-32-5-4]

When the oil and coal are gone we will burn water....that will really get the tree huggers mad.

[cowman]

grassfarmer: We aren't going to run out of oil and gas...at least not in my or your lifetime! The age of oil is rapidly coming to an end and advanced technolgy will replace that. Powerful oil lobby groups have helped to keep a lot of that technology from moving forward, but in the end it will triumph.
I am not against you on this conservation thing. I find it amusing how people see a gas guzzler as a status symbol! But the fact is you need a big truck to haul equipment and livestock around and unfortunately they use a fair amount of gas?
Believe me I try to keep my fuel costs down whenever possible. I own a Japanese tractor as well as a German one because they are fuel efficient...as well as being more reliable...in my own opinion!
I actually have been considering building a outdoor type wood heating system. The price of Natural gas is getting out of control...again only my own opinion!

[cowman]

grassfarmer, I don't think your comment about us all being big cowboys wanting to tame the west was entirely fair.

I drove 836 kms since yesterday morning, up into the Peace Country. Saw every vehicle known to man on Highway's 22;43;49;2 and 2A. The majority of them were tractor trailer units, with the next group being RV's and you bet there were a goodly number of stock trailers pulled by fairly big pickups, but in all that distance I doubt if I saw one drug store cowboy trying to tame the west. I saw folks that work for a living driving trucks or folks hauling their cattle to pasture or auctions and of course folks heading out on a vacation. I would venture a guess that less than 10% of the vehicles I saw over the past two days were smaller type fuel efficient cars and trucks but does that make the owners of the rest of the vehicles a bunch of selfish energy wasting louts ? Or are they people that work for a living and those that enjoy leisure time enjoying the fruits of their labour ?????

[cowman]

Now emerald, don't be too hard on grassfarmer! It just bothers him to see people spending money on things he deems non essentual and wasteful! He can't help it...it is just his Scottish heritage!
I was talking to a hired hand on a ranch last week. He was out fixing some fence and we had a little chat. The owner was a Scotchman and was fairly notorius for squeezing a nickel until it squeaked. I asked the young guy how he liked working for the Scottish guy?
He said "Well he tells me all the time he's not cheap...just thrrrifty!" Cracked me up!
Grassfarmer: Don't get all bent out of shape...I'm just having some fun with you! LOL

[cowman]

cowman, I am half scotch, the other half irish, so I do know a bit about being thrifty ! I think that if it is such a sin to drive a larger vehicle then it should be a sin to build the damn things, then we all could drive the little micro cars or whatever they call them, or ride bikes like Senator Tommy Banks thinks we should be doing !
I sure do my share to conserve energy in the winter by using wood heat in part of ther house to keep the natural gas costs down, but then I am likely polluting the environment with wood smoke aren't I ???

[grassfarmer]

Damn straight Cowman, It just drives me crazy to see ranchers, hutterites or oil guys leaving their huge trucks running while they spend an hour visiting with neighbours in the summer! Why would you do that? regardless of the environment - it's wasting money.
emrald1 - you must get your wasteful half from the Irish side, that's par for the course for them (in the south anyway). Northern Ireland had a large enough infusion of Scottish blood to keep the work ethic!

[grassfarmer]

OKAY grassfarmer you have really hit a nerve this time !! I'll match you anyday for work ethic !!! I am not wasteful either, just like to drive a vehicle I am comfortable with. I agree with you about people letting vehicles run, its bad enough in the winter time much less summer.

By the way, just how do you measure work ethic ? The number of acres one farms, the number of cattle they have or the number of off farm jobs they have to keep the farm going ???

[cowman]

Emerald: I have to ask you this question? I hope I'm not offending you on this one? Okay here it is: If you are half Irish...and half Scottish...are you a cheap drunk? LOL
grassfarmer: That is kind of scary! Yea, I get sort of pissed off when I see a truck idling for any length of time...or if someone leaves the lights on! I even get upset about Christmas lights! I find them wasteful!
I wonder how these darned genetics have ever survived the oil patch, where the waste is out of this world?

[cowman]

GEEZ cowman, are you insinuating that this meek, mild gal is a lush ???????
I don't drink so if I ever took up the habit I would likely be a cheap drunk because a tablespoon would likely be enough to get me tipsy !!!!
Remember, I have lived in the oil patch long enough to have seen entirely enough drunks.
I think I have the scottish stamina
( that comes in handy combined with my work ethic grassfarmer )and the irish zest for life, which does not include irish whiskey !!