Monday, October 24, 2005

Global Storm Warning

How many killer hurricanes will it take before America gets serious about global warming? It's hard to imagine a more clear-cut wake-up call than Hurricane Katrina; environmentally speaking, it was nearly the perfect storm. In a single catastrophic event, it brought together the most urgent environmental problem of our time--global warming--with the most telling but least acknowledged environmental truth: When the bill for our collective behavior comes due, it is invariably the nonwhite, nonaffluent members of society who pay a disproportionate share. And who said Mother Nature has no sense of irony? Katrina (and then Rita) struck at a major production site for America's oil and natural gas--the two carbon-based fuels that, along with coal, help drive global warming.


Meanwhile . . .

Mega Truck Dwarfs SUVs

Now here's a truck for those who want roomy comfort and a clear sight line over the vehicles driven by mere mortals. The Dodge 2006 Ram Mega Cab has plenty of room for 6 adults, and includes amenities such as a sun roof and DVD player.

The heavy-duty version comes with a turbocharged 5.9-liter six-cylinder Cummins diesel engine providing 325 horses. At 247 inches long, the Mega Cab is about one-third longer than the Hummer H1, and it is almost as heavy.

1 comment:

Mac said...

A week ago my girlfried watched a pedestrian get hit by a car. The driver couldn't see her because he was rounding a corner barricaded by SUVs.

She stayed to make a witness report to the police and explicitly held the SUVs' girth responsible.