Diesel: Greener and more Regulated: the WTF Files

I drive a diesel VW. It gets 43 city and 48-49 highway. That's pretty green, right? Yes, it is. That's nipping at the heels of the Prius and Insight without a huge battery that wears out in 5 years...that's made in China in some hell-hole factory that respects no environmental principles at all... By the way, my car is five years old. It's still sipping diesel and has absolutely no need for a new battery pack.

So, if it's so green, how come I have to shell out an extra 50-100 bucks at every registration to get an emissions test at some shop that usually does big trucks when some guy in an Expedition or a Hummer gets a free pass? My car is cleaner than nearly any gasoline burner. I get better mileage than just about any car in America that isn't a hybrid... and I'm not far behind the hybrids. The hybrids get a tax break. I get to pay extra money and waste morning in the diesel shop.

WTF?

Watch Closely

So... Gov. Ritter, Sen. Dodd, and Sen. Dorgan are not running for re-election. Watch what they do next. Just watch, taking careful note of who hires them. They all know that they will face a hard fight to stay in office... that happens when you sell out your constituents... so they are bailing out early. The question is: what roles will they play now? I strongly doubt that they will truly retire. Men like them are addicted to power and it seems suspect that they willingly give it up. Also, what's up with the nearly simultaneous announcements? That is also more than a tad fishy.

Watch closely and do not fall for misdirection.