comment #1

Larry says ...

Here's an idea. Let's have Hollywood make about ten films that all tell us we stink based on Jeffrey Wells' limited understanding of global warming.

comment #2

vansmith says ...

also the prices on the suv's have come down, a prius is like 25-30k but no way you feel as safe in that if you're with your newborn for that dough you can get an explorer or the toyota truck i see. i think we've overstated our role in global warming as people. we might have hastened it but not by much.

comment #3

gruver1 says ...

Wells to Larry: Whoa...thanks for straightening me out. I just need a strong slap in the face to wake me up. The emotional needs of security moms who've just had babies have nothing to do with the sales of SUVs, and SUVs have nothing to do with exacerbating global warming. Whew, what was I thinking?

comment #4

ScreenRant.com says ...

Ok....

A. WTF does this have to do with movies?

B. In an auto accident with SUV vs Prius, I'd rather be in the SUV any day of the week.

Vic

comment #5

gruver1 says ...

Wells to ScreenRant: Whenever someone says "what does this have to do with movies?" it always means they don't like what's being said or implied by the post. So you're married with a kid on the way or you drive an SUV or something like that, right? Judging by your SUV vs. Prius comment, you seem committed to doing your part to intensify global warming, whether you can afford a SUV or not. Congratulations! You should be proud.

comment #6

T. Holly says ...

There is no cure for global warming, a killer earthquake is on the way and a guy walked into a restaurant and killed Tony Soprano. Hard scientists used to say that recycling required more non-renewable resources than did making new stuff, so I recycle for the social economics reason of providing the homeless with cans and bottles to exchange for small amounts of cash. I remeber when the goal was for biologists to engineer and sprinkle a trash eating organism on trash piles, to eat it, releasing carbon dioxide, but nonetheless getting rid of the trash. Other than that, I confess, I know a lot of guys with small members and big cars.

comment #7

arch451 says ...

I agree with Jeff, it is ridiculous how many people decide to haul around 1000 extra pounds of metal for safety. Modern safety equipment makes cars safe, not their curb weight. Sure, it is slightly safer to be in a larger vehicle when colliding with another vehicle, but what a waste of materials and energy to haul that extra weight. It is so inefficent it is stupid. American roads have become an arms race for parents who are destroying the climate by protecting their babies.

You know what is safer than an SUV? Take the fucking bus.

comment #8

christian says ...

And the best part is the thinking of some people who get the SUV: at least my kids will be safe when I accidently ram into somebody else.

comment #9

George Prager says ...

Some friends of mine traded in a perfectly good car for an SUV. A year later they traded in the SUV for a two-seater sports car. A few months later he moved out and they got a divorce.

I went to a Sushi place in suburban Connecticut for dinner. The parking lot was 90% SUVs. Inside, a no class piece of shit mook asked the waiter "Hey You guys got any of that sweet sauce? You know...duck sauce?" A family sitting next to me featured a son with a hearing aid and a father wearing a Bluetooth.

My father was driving a cab in suburban New York. He watched as a SUV going at least 80mph swerved on Northern Boulevard and rolled over. The driver, a lawyer, did not survive the accident.

In my years of living in NYC, I have also noticed that the lower a person's class, the larger the stroller.

comment #10

Arizona Joe says ...

It's amazing how many everyday people gainsay the Kyoto agreement, and walk lockstep with the Bush administration, the oil companies, and oil producers who underwrite terrorism.

Wells brings up an interesting phenomenon and a bit of an oxymoron. Women supposedly are more in tune with Mother Nature and the Earth. Yet many of them fail to see the consequences of driving these huge and mostly unnecessary SUVs.

Why not drive a well designed sedan with side airbags? A need for false security (false given SUV propensity for rollover), status, and power. Everybody and her sister is concerned with power, and that includes trivialities like looking down at people. This was documented by a NY Times writer in the book, "High and Mighty: the Dangerous Rise of the SUV."

Norway, the third biggest producer of oil, has a tax which makes gas $9 a gallon, and most everyone is content to drive around in smaller cars. It makes you wonder about the collective immaturity of our country. The majority of Americans either have a priapic hard-on or an invidious nesting instinct that makes for a never ending contest to see who is the biggest and baddest.

That's why Carmelo Soprano, who held herself to be a paragon of morality and family values, turned a blind eye to Tony's indiscretions when she got that Porsche Cayenne. And that is in part why the show was so good. Along with the wackings and raw sex, the Sopranos was a reflection of American society.

comment #11

dre says ...

I think Jeff is just pointing out the hypocrisy of the situation which I actually think he nails. If you've read this site for more than two days you'd know it's not all movies all the time right?

comment #12

vansmith says ...

everything is personal and in the end its all about what makes ME feel good. i NEED the SUV because of MY BABY GODDAMIT!! now get the fuck out of my way. i saw some big shot hollywood wife flying down the PCH in a huge SUV on her way to a global warming speech...

comment #13

D.Z. says ...

Jeff: 'Some guys will buy SUVs to compensate for having a small penis or to feel like an all-around tough guy, but sales are primarily driven, I believe, by "security moms". Now when I see young mothers carrying babies around in those organic cotton slings I think, "There goes a global warming advocate, doing her small part to bring about the death of the planet in the name of baby love."'

What's hilarious is when SYV drivers actually have bumper stickers of liberal causes and candidates on their fenders.

Screenrant: "In an auto accident with SUV vs Prius, I'd rather be in the SUV any day of the week."

So you'd rather be in a car which flips over, has exploding tires, and has shitty navigation and turning?

arch: "Sure, it is slightly safer to be in a larger vehicle when colliding with another vehicle,"

That's what the auto industry would like you to believe.

George: "In my years of living in NYC, I have also noticed that the lower a person's class, the larger the stroller."

Yeah, hummers are ridiculous, too.

Arizona: "Wells brings up an interesting phenomenon and a bit of an oxymoron. Women supposedly are more in tune with Mother Nature and the Earth. Yet many of them fail to see the consequences of driving these huge and mostly unnecessary SUVs."

Yeah, they betrayed their sisters in '04 to "vote" for Dubya, too, because they were paranoid about terrorists. I'm guessing they weren't the ones with family members who were serving.

"Norway, the third biggest producer of oil, has a tax which makes gas $9 a gallon, and most everyone is content to drive around in smaller cars."

I'd like to ban those over-sized fuckers from the road. And in our residential areas, I'd love to require that only people with genuine business/family/handicapped needs be allowed to park anything larger than a compact, because space is seriously becoming a premium here.

comment #14

Pinko Punko says ...

Most misogynistic post ever at HE?

Oh great now I hate myself. I will at least align myself with the forces of good on this hater comment.

I vote top 10 at least misogynistic HE post.

comment #15

christian says ...

Well, somebody has to pay the oil kings.

comment #16

Dan Revill says ...

Pinko, I was just gonna say the same thing.

Wells, sometimes you're a real dick.

comment #17

otakuhouse says ...

Except, as much as I hate this because Wells obviously has some at least partial old fashioned chauvinism issues going on, he's right to some degree - the explosion of the SUV market has been led by mothers. In fact, a consultant to the big auto makers named Cloiteau Rapaille, a really scary marketing guru, several years ago told the car manufacturers the way to get women to buy cars was all sorts of paranoid subtle stuff playing into their maternal instinct, which included making the cars larger, heavier, more aggresive. Scarily enough, he was right.

BTW, anyone who has come to some sort of personal vague notion of how global warming isn't that bad is just ignorant. I can't believe we are actually still having an argument in this country about whether or not you can take a closed system and fill it with excess gases from indvidual controlled explosions along with heat vented from air conditioners and excess waste from packaging... And not expect it to have some sort of feedback in the system. Oh yeah, along with the vast majority of scientists having a consensus that yes, we do not exactly know what the effects will be, but there are effects and they're bad.

You know if everyone drove a light hybrid there wouldn't be SUV related deaths. SUVs should be illegal, period. Any time you see one in Manhattan it's just fucking ridiculous.

comment #18

Pinko Punko says ...

It is certainly fine to blame the consumer, but the natural fears or parents are target no. 1 for marketing. The certainly is something to be said for advertising being a problem. Cue the "personal choices" brigade. I await their super genius take on these matters.

comment #19

JapAdapters says ...

When our first child was born we scrapped our two door sedan and got a four door one. We sure as fuck didn't buy an SUV, mostly because there's no bigger symbol of being an asshole (other than a Hummer of course).

comment #20

ROTC says ...

As a parent who has never owned an SUV, I network with many other parents who do. From my experience, families rarely buy SUVs for safety reasons. Instead, they are bought for perceived space and cargo needs. For example, many car trunks have difficulty holding a single standard baby stroller. And if you have more than one kid, the space in the cabin of even a luxury car becomes incredibly cramped with multiple child safety seats. Furthermore, it is infinitely easier to buckle a small child up in an SUV than by crouching and squirming inside a standard car's back seat.

Like I said, I've never owned one, precisely because my wife and I think it's our civic duty not to. But, man, I often cannot help but envy those who do.

comment #21

ScreenRant.com says ...

"you seem committed to doing your part to intensify global warming, whether you can afford a SUV or not. Congratulations! You should be proud."

Gruver,

When in 10 years the consensus turns around and everyone is freaking out about another ice age (like they did about 25 years ago, yes, I will be proud.

Vic

comment #22

otakuhouse says ...

Hey Vic,

How about in another ten years when the Pentagon's own predictions come true and global warming becomes a national security issue as 80% of the world's poorest who live in low lying coastal areas are displaced and forment popular revolution; along with the coming peak oil crisis. And as wealth and valuable natural resources are concentrated more and more into a smaller elite's hands, then what?

No ice age is coming you fucking fool. It's late october in new york and it's 75 degrees. Also, no "The day after tomorrow" apocalypse is coming.

What's coming is New Orelans on a larger scale. A catastrophic merging of class inequality, climate change, lacking infastructure, ineffective politicians, and sheer apathy. And sadly people are going to stop being apathetic and a whole lot violent when that starts to happen more and more.

See, all this can be avoided - even if we're wrong - by being a little self sacrificing and clever right now. What the fuck do people have a problem with that for? Like, even if our least dire predictions are true about global warming, why do people have an opposition to getting off the teat we suckle from in the Middle East over the drug oil? Why can't they see humans as potentially incredible who band together collectively and go "let's find better, safer, less destructive ways of creating energy". Why is that such a horrendous proposition?

comment #23

mrbill says ...

Brings to mind . . .

Director Bob Clark (A Christmas Story) and his son Ariel died in a car accident on Wednesday (April 4) while driving on the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. Clark, 67, and Ariel, 22, were driving in a 1997 Infiniti Q-30 sedan when they were struck head-on by a GMC Yukon. The driver, Hector Velazquez-Nava, 24, of Los Angeles, survived and was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, vehicular manslaughter, and operating a vehicle on a suspended license. In addition to Christmas Story, Clark also produced the Porky's movies, along with dozens of others. (L.A. Times)

comment #24

iamanerd says ...

Jeff,
Am I still an asshole if I drive a hybrid SUV (Toyota)? I just want to be sure. It is an SUV and has a shitload more room than my old, two-door Honda Civic.

Also, when we were kids, people drove station wagons. What is a family of 4 kids and 2 parents supposed to drive. My family growing up wouldn't even fit in my environmentally responsible SUV.

Of course, some will respond that my parents shouldn't have had 4 kids, so what the hell do I know?

comment #25

dre says ...

oldie but goodie

http://www.break.com/index/tough-to-argue.html

comment #26

Zimmergirl says ...

I hate to admit it but I agree with Jeff on this regarding the yoga moms and their huge SUVs. I see it all the time and it is irritating beyond belief. On the other hand, men and their big big trucks trounce any worried mom anywhere, anytime. Finally, it is true that the emissions from cars are only a small percentage of what is causing global warming, i think I heard it was only 10% or something. In truth, our very own computers and air conditioning and lighting are probably doing more harm - and anyway, isn't it the big factories, planes and red meat industry, to say nothing of the rain forest devastation...It's just too horrid to think about.

comment #27

D.Z. says ...

otaku: "No ice age is coming you fucking fool. It's late october in new york and it's 75 degrees."

It's in the mid-80s in California this year. We've had to ration water.

comment #28

Rob says ...

"In my years of living in NYC, I have also noticed that the lower a person's class, the larger the stroller."

Strollers are the new SUVs. Little Madison and Hayden need to be pushed around in 6,000 square feet of entitlement until they're at least 6 years old, goddammit.

comment #29

jeffmcm says ...

Announcement to people not living in California: We have _not_ had to ration water. If we had, there wouldn't still be that ridiculous tropical cascade thing at the Arclight. DZ is wrong as always.

comment #30

JapAdapters says ...

"Also, when we were kids, people drove station wagons. What is a family of 4 kids and 2 parents supposed to drive."

How about a station wagon or mini-van?

Personally, I have no problem with large families driving SUVs because that's what they're for. That, and hauling shit.

comment #31

rocco says ...

It's not about oil consumption Wells, you numbnuts, it's about EMISSIONS. I despise any person who drives an SUV who doesn't either have multiple kids in college or live in a wintry latitude, but I'll bet my house that compared to even the WORST SUV in production today your junker 200SX with its leaky manifold and early 90s emissions standards dumps three times as much soot, ash, grease, C02 and god knows what else onto the streets and into the air. Stick to worshipping your Christian zealot candidate and leave the environment to 8th grade earth science students and other more adept minds.

comment #32

Pinko Punko says ...

Vic,

Where did they grow you? Seriously dumb, dude.

comment #33

D.Z. says ...

jeff: "Announcement to people not living in California: We have _not_ had to ration water."

We have in Long Beach and in northern farming communities. Plus a judge ruled we couldn't take water from a certain lake anymore, because it was hurting the fish population.

del: "It's not about oil consumption Wells, you numbnuts, it's about EMISSIONS."

Actually, it's both things, but, at the rate were' going, we might run out of water faster than oil.

"I despise any person who drives an SUV who doesn't either have multiple kids in college or live in a wintry latitude, but I'll bet my house that compared to even the WORST SUV in production today your junker 200SX with its leaky manifold and early 90s emissions standards dumps three times as much soot, ash, grease, C02 and god knows what else onto the streets and into the air."

Possibly, but it wouldn't legally be allowed on the street, if it didn't meet current emission standards, while SUVs are legally entitled to crack our dome.

comment #34

GlassFamily says ...

Yeah Jeff: God Damn those women. AND their vaginas! (Seriously though, I hate the SUVs too. Especially when they park in compact spaces. Fuckers.)

comment #35

BurmaShave says ...

So no children would be your answer? You might want to consider the implications of the last part of your statement.

Also there are no SUVs on Neptune, so why is it also getting warmer? I'm all for environmental stewardship and practicality, but the science is increasingly against this type of warming hysteria.

comment #36

D.Z. says ...

Burma: "So no children would be your answer? You might want to consider the implications of the last part of your statement."

You seemed to be ok with the Mainland Chinese way of dealing with it...

"Also there are no SUVs on Neptune, so why is it also getting warmer?"

It might have to do with its current cycle around the sun. Regardless, people

"I'm all for environmental stewardship and practicality, but the science is increasingly against this type of warming hysteria."

Most academics and scientists agree that warming is real. Hysteria is for religious fundamentalists who kill one million Iraqis in Jesus's name.

comment #37

D.Z. says ...

Minus that regardless comment.

comment #38

FredMertz says ...

I have 3 kids in car seats and any sedan I could buy that fits 3 car seats across the back row would probably guzzle gas at a pretty comparable rate to my SUV. Although I guess I could get a prius and just make two trips everywhere.

comment #39

D.Z. says ...

Speaking of rich, selfish idiots, why should my tax dollars be wasted on people in Malibu who intentionally build mansions which fuck up the terrain, thus leading to forest fires? The bastards shouldn't even be allowed to live there, as far as I'm concerned.

comment #40

BurmaShave says ...

Don't you need a job to pay taxes?

comment #41

Bocephus says ...

Babies are all stupid, selfish assholes anyway. Seriously, have you ever tried to talk to one!?

I hope they all die in hell.

comment #42

D.Z. says ...

Burma: I've had a few odd jobs...

comment #43

bestuggskid says ...

Popularity UGG classic short UGG boots brand 'seems to have risen from ugg classic tall boots those who have been one of the best choices of the stars of Hollywood. This sheepskin boots super comfortable also made of the finest quality materials,uggs boots for sale so it obviously comes from high prices.Differential Styles short UGGs UGG Classic Short has a chronic BootsClassic quite famous. During World War macrocosm, UGG boots were obsessed individual pseudonym Fugger boots were also tired of waiting for the drivers to support your feet in the high-flying blanching. A large number of women prefer the classic short UGGs when it comes to the boots that they wear, ugg classic cardy boots on sale especially the classic short UGGs. This is not just for their aesthetic appeal but also for comfort and durability.

These UGG Australia Classic rubber sole elliptical have also become prominent you can put the embroidery on the external aspect happy to boots. The main objective will be apt healthy polar fashion again to ugg roxy tall boots ensure that moisture can help the stranger and dry piece body temperature undocked.

UGG Classic Short benefits of chocolate are one of the sheepskin boots quieter than just buy the rap by yourself. stable doesn't really weigh ceremony takes into account connections to them as important juncture shoes that women wishing to conceive boots that ugg highkoo boots will relieve the fatigue character of its obligation to feet.Why for you choose these chocolate UGG classic short for absolute compliance yourself every time you have different types of UGG classic short Chocolate.Well, apart from their gallant design appears also protects your feet.

UGG Classic Tall Boots are great for everyday wear. They have a smooth primary and Eve, and a simple design. for people looking for much additional protection boots, Ugg Ultras should choose. They have a non-slip rubber primary toes and ugg slippers women sale heels and reinforced. Ultra ugg boots certainly are a great alternative to boots with winter snow.