"So I agree with you, there is no reason for your opening post to be thought of as a troll."
Actually yes there is.
You see we have this thing called the internet and the internet has services one is called Google and another is called Wikipedia.
You see something you do not know about you have too options.
1. Look it up and find out what it is.
or
2. Dismiss it because it is outside your area of knowledge.

By dismissing it you are being a jerk. This is Slashdot so a cool programing language is still a cool programing language even it it is not super popular. Here are some systems written in Haskell
https://wiki.haskell.org/Haske...

In other words it is really dumb to take pride in what you do not know.

When was a Mac cheaper than the Amiga? Not in my memory. I have a Mac now and really like OS/X as I said I like all tech...

Sorry I like all tech.
Back in the dark ages I love my C64 but the Atari was cool and I so wished I had the software base and slots of the Apple II line.
When I got my Amiga I still thought that Atari ST was cool and the Mac was interesting but out of my price range.
PCs? I own a Macbook and love OS/X. I write Windows code for a living but I also work on Linux. BSD? Also interesting.

Intel? ARM? AMD? MIPS? AVR? PIC? Yea it is all good.
So much cool stuff and so little time. Why do people need pick and be nasty when there's so much cool stuff.

I always found the Pinto hate odd. The Pinto had a less of a problem with rear end collision turning into a fire than a lot of other cars of that time. The worst car for that issue back then was the Datsun 210.
The Corvair was another one. The VW Beetle and Porsche 356 and early 911s all had the same "problem" as the Corvair but the Corvair got the heat.

"Is it more efficient than just using the electricity to charge up batteries in an electric car for example"
Think of ships, planes, and remote locations where you must transport fuel like Alaska.

"You're right that we don't have enough renewable energy yet to make this a useful technology. But hopefully that day is coming."
No it will not.
Nuclear is the key to low carbon power. Wind and Solar will help but they do not work well as baseload. Thorium based nuclear and possibly Fusion aka Lockheeds High Beta reactor is what is needed.

"However, the BND did not inform the German Chancellor's office,"
Can you say plausible deniability?

Sorry but the EU still uses MPG using those old fashioned imperial gallons.

You mean like all the people on Slashdot that are saying those that do like Snowden are old, out of touch, brainwashed, and clueless?

"That's because the elderly suffered much more stringent brainwashing as children that leads them to say that they "support those who fight for our freedom" while also promoting a police state worse than Orwells worst nightmare."
It is not just the elderly it is everyone that is not really young.

What it could be is older people tend to see more potential unintended results of actions. I have to say that your post is an almost prototypical propaganda tactic of making villains out of those that disagree with you.

Focus is smaller than the Mazda 6 the 3 is closer and when you add in diesel that is not close to an apples to apples comparison. The Cruze diesel is closer and matches your Focus in MPG

my commute is all freeway with almost no stop and go.
Again this is for me personally.

Your Imperial gallon is larger than a US Gallon.
So he Mazda 6 gets 46 mpg on gas in UK terms.
The Chevy Cruze Diesel gets over 55 mpg.
Also the US uses a different testing method than the EU so often the same car with the same engine will get better ratings in the EU.

Because paying $540 dollars a month is better than paying $580 a month.
The other fact is that pure gas cars are getting really good milage. The Mazda 6 is rated at 40mpg on the highway. The new CX-5 CUV is over 30mpg hwy.
My Chevy Cruze is averaging over 33 mpg for me.
 

This is single track right of way so I do not think that is a real option and really would add to the cost of the system.

They are not just complaining about no stops. They are also upset about those noise, and the "danger", and the risk of first responders being stuck waiting for a train.
I could also complain about the mass transit system as well. It takes 30 minutes to take a bus from my office to the mall but only 15 minutes to walk it. BTW before anyone says just walk this is south FL so think lots of heat and rain time of year.