Source: Fuel efficiency standard going up

By GottaLaff

We can do better. I just know we can:

The Obama administration plans to raise fuel efficiency standards by 2 miles per gallon to 27.3 mpg for new cars and trucks in the 2011 model year, marking the first increase in passenger car standards in more than two decades.

Under the changes, which are slightly less stringent than those proposed by the Bush administration, new passenger cars will need to meet 30.2 mpg for the 2011 model year and pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, and minivans will need to reach 24.1 mpg, an administration official told The Associated Press on Thursday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak in advance of an announcement expected Friday. [...]

Transportation officials are working with the Environmental Protection Agency on a more comprehensive set of fuel efficiency rules expected later this year for vehicles through the 2015 model year.

Obama On Stronger Fuel-efficiency Standard

OPEC head says markets should brace for 'surprise' announcement

Nope, no problem with OPEC manipulating the markets at all. God forbid they should have to downsize the solid gold Rolls Royce fleet. At least it might keep people on the ball about their gas usage.

The head of OPEC said financial markets should brace for a "surprise" decision on oil output cuts by the cartel during its summit later this month.

Chakib Khelil, who is also Algeria's energy minister, has told The Associated Press that "a consensus has formed for a significant reduction of production levels" by the 14-member Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

(snip)

Markets are expecting an output reduction but Khelil suggested in an interview Saturday that it could be deeper than expected.

Khelil said the best way to boost oil rates is to "surprise" markets.

Oil prices settled at four-year lows Friday at $40.81 per barrel.

Poll shows Obama with economy edge

By Paddy



One of those self-fulfilling prophecy things there Johnny. You say you don't know anyting about the economy enough, people are going to believe you.

(CNN) – More Americans believe Sen. Barack Obama is better suited to handle the No. 1 issue on voters' minds — the country's economic woes – than his likely rival in the fall election, Sen. John McCain.

In what could be a warning sign for the Republican presumptive presidential nominee, a new poll released by CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation found that 50 percent of registered voters nationwide say the Illinois senator would best handle the economy, while only 44 percent said the same for McCain.

More than three-quarters rate economic conditions poor

By Paddy


I'm surprised it's only three quarters.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – More than three-quarters of Americans think economic conditions are poor, a new poll suggests.

Seventy-eight percent of those questioned in a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey out Monday morning rate the economic conditions as poor. That’s up from 75 percent in March.

Only 22 percent rate the economic conditions in the country as good. That’s down from 25 percent in March and 54 percent in September.

But it appears Americans are optimistic. Fifty-two percent said economic conditions a year from now would be good, with 46 percent saying they would be poor.

The economy continues to be issue number one for Americans, with 42 percent saying it is the most important issue in their vote for president, far ahead of the war in Iraq in second place.

General Motors to close four plants

By GottaLaff

CNN: The average price for gasoline is $3.98 a gallon.

The New York Times is reporting that GM is closing four plants:

Responding to a consumer shift to more fuel-efficient vehicles, General Motors said Tuesday that it would stop making pickup trucks and big S.U.V.s at four North American assembly plants and would consider selling its Hummer brand.

The moves, announced Tuesday by the company chairman, Rick Wagoner, will slash 500,000 units from the automaker’s overall production, and pave the way for increased investment in smaller cars and passenger vehicles. Within three years, he said, trucks will account for less than 40 percent of the vehicles that G.M. produces in North America, down from about half today.

Mr. Wagoner said that rising gasoline prices had forced a “structural shift” by American consumers away from truck-based vehicles built by G.M.

Six months ago, this happened:

SAN FRANCISCO, California, November 16, 2007 (ENS) - The Bush administration's fuel economy standards for many sport utility vehicles, minivans and pickup trucks have been rejected by a federal appeals court because they set a zero value on reducing emissions of carbon dioxide that cause global warming.

If only fuel economy standards had been acknowledged by BushCo as a vital part of the effort to fight global warming, if only BushCo had hoisted itself out of the Dark Ages and realized that global warming was, you know, a reality, if only BushCo didn't have self-interest as their singular motivation, then GM might have adapted early enough to avoid this.

If only I weren't retreating into my own little fantasyland of If Only's.

If only the 2000 election had...

If only the 2004 elec--

If only...