With the current gas shortage/crisis, wouldn't it make sense to suspend...

[obreaslan]

...All unnecessary activities that use extra fuel? Like Air Shows, NASCAR (or other similar Associations) races, Fishing Tournaments, etc. ANything that uses fuel for strictly entertainment purposes should be suspended for the next few weeks until the Oil market stabilizes.

And no, it's not just because I hate NASCAR. :)

[nickinSTL]

1. this is a good idea

Labor Day weekend in St. Louis has the St. Louis County Fair and Air Show.

They really ought to cancel the air show. Conserve fuel.

[obreaslan]

17. I thought about this as I saw...

scenes from an Air Show here at the Jersey Shore this past week. I see the exhaust coming out of the jets and I'm thinking this is why it just cost me $3.05 per gallon to fill up yesterday. :grr:

[LynneSin]

2. I'm going to say "NO" for this reason

I hate NASCAR too but Dover Downs has their big race coming up in 2 weeks and it would kill the economy of the area if this thing was cancelled.

But if DD does the same thing they did for 9/11 (Their race is usually the week after 9/11) they'll have booths setup for the Red Cross to collect donations. I had helped for 9/11 and say what you will for NASCAR but their fans contributed very generously!

[BR_Parkway]

34. If people can't afford the gas to drive to DD for the race, how would

that impact the economy any different?

I like the idea of the booths, but without some concrete plans for conserving the fuel in storage until more normal supply lines are re-established, then the day to day price won't come down and people will panic and flood the stations every time a truck pulls in. If the price doesn't come down, and people are afraid to drive because they aren't sure when they can buy more gas - then the race isn't going to do much to help the local economy, IMHO anyhow.

[Neocondriac]

3. Jesus....

...stop making sense, this is Bushworld---Fuck logic !

[northerdar]

4. suspending unnecessary gas usage is a great idea.

How many of us can think of all the ways this can be done? Write to your local paper/tv networks /radio shows to give your opinion how the locals can help in this national emergency.

[LynneSin]

12. Oh it's a great idea until the communities involved hit economically

Our Tax dollars do NOT pay for the gas used in these sporting events. I think it's amazingly rude that people would be happy to destroy a local communities economy by suggesting certain sporting events be discontinued in order to please some sort of bizarre sense of well-being.

Well, think of the other side of the coin with the communties that host these events. I know that a major part of the Dover Delaware economy is the 2 NASCAR races they host. The city almost triples in size with all the people who come to that town for the week to watch a sporting event that even though I don't get - they surely enjoy.

So, all you clueless people, in the hopes to supress sports you really don't like anyways (and don't worry - I don't like them either) want to find another way to boost the Dover DE economy (and others like DOver) and the people who own business and work there who rely on these events in order to make a living and make ends meet.

Pretty fucking rude of a request all of you are thinking. I thought we were suppose to support the working class folks but screw em by insisting we take away events that those communties rely on.

Ironically all the sports listed are sports that can typically be found in non-major cities. Delaware doesn't have a professional Football or Major League baseball team but we're proud to host 2 major NASCAR races each year.

I thought we were progressives - let's start thinking like them!

[uncle ray]

31. thanks for being sensible

i tell you, it's tough being "progressive" and maintaining a "car" hobby. i'm no big nascar fan, but my life is cars of other sorts, sadly most auto enthusiasts are very conservative and ignorant, they buy right into all the right wing arguments, and posters like these who call for banning certain activities are not helping one bit, dammit people, you can't alienate every group then expect them to vote democratic!

[leveymg]

5. Yes, it is.

Me too. Loud, rolling corporate billboards that crash and fly apart in flames occasionally killing their overpaid occupants. Just like real life.:eyes:

[Cobalt Violet]

6. Would rich peoples' flight to vacation count?

Yatching too.

[QC]

9. Golf course maintenance? Getting little Brytneighe, Meigheane and Dakota

to the Montessori school? Commuting long distances out to Baronial Oakes Manors so that one can avoid living near those who are not our kind of people?

Nahh. As I said in the thread that this one duplicates, the NASCAR obsession around here has nothing to do with energy or the environment--it's just polite windowdressing on the usual classism.

[QC]

7. Dupe. n/t

[randr]

8. If we had a leader

we would see some rational decisions such as this and possibly a national 55mph speed limit imposed immediately.

[lectrobyte]

10. Unnecessary activities that use extra fuel? For example, what about

a college football game that 60,000 people drive to? Is there really any practical difference between that and NASCAR in terms of the total fuel used for a given race? Or are you talking about shutting down, for example, professional sports, college sports etc. too?

[LynneSin]

14. I think what they are talking about is screwing over working class folks

who make money by catering to these events that are in their home towns.

Let's not only take away a source of entertainment but let's fuck over the communuties and those workers who survive year to year from the fans who solicit their business when attending that event.

[lectrobyte]

24. Damn straight. I'm not a fan of NASCAR, but it always annoys

me to see it singled out, when it keeps a place that I love for other reasons (Bristol VA) going economically when a lot of big business has headed out of the country. Yeah, the cars going around the track burn some gas, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to the spectators travelling to and from the event. That's probably true for a lot of things, though. I'd rather see other forms of control, like an energy policy, and some CAFE regs and safety reg that kept people out of monster SUVs.

If you think you'd say yes to cancelling NASCAR races, then in my mind you better be ready to do the same to these:

Professional Football

College Football

Big stadium rock concerts

Burning Man

Austin's South X Southwest

And maybe we should close movie theaters and malls as well, they always seem to be in the middle of big parking lots with lots of cars in them, and those cars had to have used gas in getting there...

[LynneSin]

27. True story about Dover Downs and NASCAR racing - and a nice one

Dover Downs 2nd NASCAR race was about 10 days after 9/11. There was much talk about whether they should even have the race being so close to the tragedy of 9/11.

But ultimately NASCAR opted to host the event. If you've ever seen DOver International Speedway - it's massive and hosts about 110k+ people. When they have the races, the town of Dover (our capital) is overwhelmed with visitors for the week who book up all the hotels and even camp out on every free inch of space they can find.

So Dover & NASCAR opted to continue with the race. But the one thing they did was setup about 10 boothes around the outside of the racetrack and invited the Delaware chaptor of the American Red Cross to come in with volunteers to collect money for 9/11 relief. I've never been to a NASCAR race before but it seems that this is an event that goes over several days and includes a carnival-like atmosphere where people can visit the displays setup by the various NASCAR racecar drivers.

The race was on Sunday but Saturday was probably our best day of collection since you are allowed to bring your own beer and the alcohol added to even more generous donations (NO one was allowed to bring coolers for security reasons so everyone had clear garbage bags filled with beer & Ice they carried around).

With this years race just a few weeks from Katrina I would suspect that they will make the same offer for NASCAR (I no longer volunteer because of changes in my job)

[obreaslan]

19. Yes, if need be.

Maybe a little sacrifice would do us all some good.

[ProfessorGAC]

23. Could You Elucidate The Common Good?

How would sacrificing entertainment be good for the country? Yeah, i know the gas prices, and peak oil, and blah, blah, blah.

But, exactly how would this sacrifice improve things? And, are you willing to be first, or should we all sacrifice to satisfy your sense of morality? You know, like the Repubs want us all to do.
The Professor

[Merlot]

11. I think the best way we can help is to all go shopping and take vacations

it worked for 9/11, right?

Sacrifice hasn't been trendy since WWII.

[obreaslan]

13. Yes, I guess you are right.

:sarcasm:

:)

[theboss]

29. Is it wrong....

that in the last week I've booked two vacations and refinanced my house?

[lectrobyte]

15. I guess the problem with this idea is what defines "unnecessary" --

I live somewhat close to a couple of schools, and I'm amazed every day at the number of cars dropping off the kids, and the number of teenagers who drive to school. Yes, I know there are lots of good reasons for this, after school activities or whatever, but to me it definitely seems to fall in the "unnecessary driving" especially when I see the 3/4 empty school buses pulling in to unload.

[MindPilot]

16. No, no, and fuck no!

I am NOT making any sacrifice. I told Bush not to go to Iraq, I told my reps we were running low on oil. I told my reps we needed to conserve in the short term and work on alternative solutions in the long term. I told my reps to regulate emissions and fuel economy. Did they listen? No. So fuck 'em; I refuse to pay for their mistakes.

[Merlot]

22. You will pay, though. We all are, and will continue to do so.

[LynneSin]

28. You're right - we will pay

but should we make the hardworking people who rely on some of these events including NASCAR to suffer. I'm not talking the oil industry but stores and restaurants that rely on these sporting events to make money!

[catnhatnh]

18. Gee-I LOVE nascar racing......

...let's settle on a worthy compromise. You hate wasting fuel and I detest lying ass.W.holes-Let's ground Air Force 1.

[LynneSin]

20. Now that I can support - there's something that is a gas waster

especially since it's not even used to help out people who need help

Ground Air Force One!!

[MindPilot]

25. That's for sure; ever seen that motorcade?

Two huge limos, and about 2 dozen SUVs moving 80mph or better. How about limiting THEM to 55?

[obreaslan]

21. Air Force 1 should be the first target....

Not literally of course. Just the first focus.

[Sewsojm]

26. Yes,

Nascar, Airshows, NFL, all professional sports should be suspended for at least 3 months or so. The Millionaire Athlete's need to step up to the plate and offer their support and help to those that support and adore them, I'd mention politicians but we all know how Worthless they All are!!

FUCK YOU *

[flannelmouth]

30. Maybe Cindy should park Her bus too??

I don't know how you make your living, but many people do make theirs from these kind of events. Who do you want to decide what is and isn't necessary?? The government??

[obreaslan]

32. Notice how I said "entertainment" purposes...

Judging by your Cindy Sheehan comment I am sure there is no reasoning with you so I will go no further. Enjoy your stay here at DU. It should be fun.

[LynneSin]

33. Thanks for the great post

and welcome to :hi: to DU

Your point is well taken - we can take any type of event out there and find a reason why it should be discontinued because of the gas shortage.

We all have to make sacrifices but we also have to look at the big picture

:hi: