a:1:{s:15:"field_blog_body";a:1:{i:0;a:2:{s:5:"value";s:2496:"<p>Obama would love to do this, as <a href="http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=1386">Henry Payne explains</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;Beijing municipal authorities have introduced stringent restrictions on new vehicle registrations on 1 January in the capital in an effort to ease congestion and air pollution. The city authorities announced they will only allow 240,000 new vehicle registrations this year - roughly one-third of last year's total.&quot;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>
<p>&quot;A monthly average of 20,000 new vehicle registrations will be allowed this year, or some 17,600 passenger vehicles per month. Individuals can submit just one vehicle registration application and must prove they are local Beijing residents, or foreigners who have been working in Beijing for at least a year. A monthly 'lucky draw' will be held to determine the successful applicants, the first scheduled to be held on 23 January&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>First limiting families on the numbers of children they can have, now they're limiting cars, too. (And we can't forget about that pesky free speech thing.) Those autocratic Chinese sure are making Obama jealous with all their &quot;green&quot; ideas.&nbsp; I wonder if the Chi-Coms will be implementing a &quot;Cash for Clunkers&quot; program, too. After all, authoritarian leaders should share ideas on how best to put their thumb on their populations.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, back in Reality Land, trucks have and SUVs have saved the auto industry in Michigan. While sales of the pansy little hybrids continue to drop, <a href="http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=1382">the larger vehicles continue to rise</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Chrysler Group reported U.S. sales of 1.1 million vehicles in 2010, up 17 percent compared to 2009 on the strength of its popular Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUV products&hellip; Ford sales were up 19 percent from 2009 on the strength of double-digit truck and car sales. And GM's resurgence came on the back of 17 percent growth in its Chevy car and truck lines and a big 32 percent boost in GMC truck sales.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That is very good news, as one of Michigan's major industry is gaining momentum, no thanks to the green weanies and their relentless drive to make Michigan irrelevant, regardless of their speeches about Michigan being a leader in &quot;green&quot; (i.e. overpriced, underpowered) technologies.<br />
&nbsp;</p>";s:6:"format";s:1:"2";}}}