One reason I prefer Netflix to Blockbuster is that via mail I can get lots of documentaries and classic movies that I can't find at my local rental store. The nearby place carries an increasing number of games and a decreasing inventory of DVDs.

Anyway, recently my niece Heather recommended that we add "Who Killed the Electric Car?" to our Netflix queue. Since her recommendations have yet to disappoint us, we ordered it and watched it this week.

Turns out electric cars were among the most efficient ever built. They ran on electricity, gave off zero exhaust, and could have sent U.S. technology to the head of the auto pack worldwide. (The average person drives about 19 miles/day; these would go for 60, and developing battery technology doubled that.) The few lucky souls allowed to lease the quiet, sporty little zippers loved them and wanted to buy them. They even pulled together and offered GM a million bucks to let them keep their cars. (Imagine your gasoline bill for the month totaling zero! That could be habit forming, eh?)

Yet GM recalled its electric vehicles. And then they shredded the entire fleet. Literally. Into strips of metal. You can see the footage.

Seems crazy, right? This flick explores why.

But to summarize it for you, imagine a laser printer company developing a product that would run without toner. Eventually who loses money? Case in point: How much have you spent on parts (including filters) for your combustion engine in the past few years?

Check out the flick for yourself.