I'LL NEVER LACK FOR WORK. Chicago Tribune automobile columnist Jim Mateja does some radio commentary on WBBM. This morning, he observed that higher gasoline prices (not surprisingly) were inducing people to buy less fuel-ostentatious cars, including the so-called "crossover" utility vehicles (because, just like we can't call a streetcar a streetcar, we can't call a station wagon a station wagon), a point he also made in a recent column. He went on to express some surprise that the sales of gas-electric hybrids were also responsive to changes in the price of gasoline, both upwards and downwards. His confusion illustrates the folly of making an argument from preferences. The Principle of Complements more than likely trumps any desire to appear greener, particularly when the price of gasoline is falling.