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Transportation

Oregon Testing Pay-Per-Mile Driving Fee To Replace Gas Tax 837

schwit1 tips news that Oregon will become the first U.S. state to test a program to replace their gas tax with a fee for each mile citizens drive on public roads. The 5,000 people voluntarily participating in the test will be charged 1.5 cents per mile. Revenue from gas tax has been on the decline as vehicles get more fuel efficient and as hybrids and electric cars become more popular. This measure is an attempt to raise the amount of money the state takes in to pay for infrastructure projects. Many owners of those hybrid and electric vehicles are upset, saying it specifically targets them and discourages environmentally-friendly transportation. Others point out that those who drive electric vehicles need the roads maintained just as much as people still driving gas-powered cars.
Power

Energy Dept. Wants Big Wind Energy Technology In All 50 US States 256

coondoggie writes: Bigger wind turbines and towers are just part of what the U.S. needs in order to more effectively use wind energy in all 50 states.That was the thrust of a wind energy call-to-arms report called "Enabling Wind Power nationwide" issued this week by the Department of Energy. They detail new technology that can reach higher into the sky to capture more energy and more powerful turbines to generate more gigawatts. These new turbines are 110-140 meters tall, with blades 60 meters long. The Energy Department forecasts strong, steady growth of wind power across the country, both on land and off shore.

Comment How About... (Score 2) 17

...We first teach them basic reading, writing, math, history, and critical-thinking/problem-solving skills that are sorely lacking among HS grads?

Oh wait, can't have that! The little bastards might figure out how screwed they are by the crony-capitalist fascist oligarchy and actually be able to change the status-quot!

Strat

Businesses

Battle To Regulate Ridesharing Moves Through States 328

New submitter jeffengel writes: The push to regulate services like Uber and Lyft has spread through state legislatures nationwide. At least 15 states have passed ridesharing laws in 2015, joining Colorado, California, and Illinois from last year. More could follow, with bills pending in Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and others. All this activity has led to new clashes with companies, city leaders, and consumers. Ridesharing bills have stalled or been killed off in Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Mississippi. Meanwhile, Uber has exited Kansas and is threatening to leave New Jersey and Oregon, while Lyft has ceased operations in Houston, Columbus, and Tacoma. How this plays out could affect the companies' expansion plans, as well as the future of transportation systems worldwide.

Comment Re:The UK, trying to beat China, NK at their own g (Score 3, Insightful) 118

Really?? Are you that stupid that you think the only way to change government is via violent revolution?

Not at all. The four boxes (soap, ballot, jury, ammo) are to be used in that order. So far we've tried soap, ballot, and jury.

Next, I would try peaceful non-compliance, but I'm not naive enough to believe that the government would not respond violently.

I think people like you are dangerous to any thriving society and downright deadly to any less than thriving society.

We do not live in a "thriving society", we live in a fascist oligarchy that is descending into collapse. You are delusional if you believe otherwise.

You will attract other idiots and eventually get them killed while justifying the jackboot tactics the government would use in response.

So, with heavily-armed domestic paramilitary units assaulting the homes of citizens for things like student loan debts and misdemeanors, just how much farther does the government need to go before you would justify self defense? After you've been rounded up and sent to a camp is a bit late.

Some twit in office will look at your writings and you will convince them that spying on citizens is just and reasonable.

News flash, Bunky. They have believed that for decades.

Let's just hope they think you are little more than a retarded monkey that doesn't need to get on the list.

Nice ad hominem. Down to the last resort of those who cannot defend their position, eh? Let's hope they don't believe that everyone will roll over and lick their boots as you seem adamant to do, as that guarantees they will proceed at full speed.

You will justify this by your own words.

Yeah just sit down, shut up, and comply, right? Attitudes like that are historically what have enabled tyranny to fester.

Let me translate it into a language you'll comprehend;

"Baa-aaa-aaahhhh!"

Strat

Comment Re:Why Do We Carry On Pretending? (Score 1) 118

So let's be glad that the army we have ain't one where only people who really, really believe in the shit can join... oh wait.

Yes their indoctrination machine is infallible, that's why gangs in the US send gang members to join the US military for training, and why so many militia members are ex-military.

Wow, they don't need to send a jackbooted thug for you, do they? You're already in a gulag of your own making.

Strat

Comment Re:The UK, trying to beat China, NK at their own g (Score 2) 118

Won't happen in the US ever. Won't happen in the UK either. What might happen is an English version of Tiananmen square. Both governments will see it happening before it happens and it will be put down quickly. Thinking otherwise is little more than an invitation to be put down sooner than later.

Yes, abandon all hope.If we lick their boots convincingly, maybe we'll be the last into the gulag.

Strat

Comment Re:Why Do We Carry On Pretending? (Score 2) 118

What army should we use to go up against their armies?

That very same military.

They are not all unquestioning robots. Many will desert and go over to the civilian's side, and take their training and all the equipment/resources/weapons they can manage with them, while destroying what they cannot take/use.

Strat

Comment Re: Markets, not people (Score 0) 615

It's unclear from your post which you feel is worst, socialism or violence. Can't have ordinary people working together for the common good, now can we?

They are not mutually exclusive, and in most cases Socialism and violence go hand-in-hand. Socialism has never worked except in relatively small, homogenous cultures. In larger and more diverse cultures Socialism has always devolved into some form of communism or fascism with corruption, violence, and death aplenty, typically with extreme poverty for all but the 'connected' and powerful.

Strat

Government

World Health Organization Has New Rules For Avoiding Offensive Names 186

sciencehabit writes: Last week The World Health Organization (WHO) decided to address not only the physical toll of disease but the stigma inflicted by diseases named for people, places, and animals as well. Among the existing names that its new guidelines "for the Naming of New Human Infectious Diseases" would discourage: Ebola, swine flu, Rift valley Fever, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and monkey pox. The organization suggests researchers, health officials, and journalists should use more neutral, generic terms, such as severe respiratory disease or novel neurologic syndrome instead. “It will certainly lead to boring names and a lot of confusion,” predicts Linfa Wang, an expert on emerging infectious diseases at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong. “You should not take political correctness so far that in the end no one is able to distinguish these diseases,” says Christian Drosten, a virologist at the University of Bonn, Germany.

Comment Re:A victory (Score 0, Troll) 133

A victory for THE PEOPLE'S network

Since it's now the "People's Network" I guess AT&T, CenturyLink, and USTelecom should just power down all their gear and put employees on leave for a a couple of weeks, and tell the government to go pound sand.

Let's see how the "People's Network" gets along without them.

Strat

Comment Re:yes but where are you going to work? (Score 1) 612

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die."

Kudos on being well-read. I believe posting the entire piece worthwhile and relevant.

----
The Gods Of The Copybook Headings - Rudyard Kipling

AS I PASS through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.

We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn:
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.

We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market Place,
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.

With the Hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch,
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch;
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had Wings;
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market Who promised these beautiful things.

When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore, if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "Stick to the Devil you know."

On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
(Which started by loving our neighbour and ended by loving his wife)
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "The Wages of Sin is Death."

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all,
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "If you don't work you die."

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began.
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;

And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

----

Kipling sent us a warning. Will we heed it?

Strat

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