Friday, September 6th, 2024

Time	Event
11:03a	Electric vehicle distance-tax, UK The UK is again considering taxing electric cars based on the distance they travel. In the short term, the right thing to do is not to tax the EVs, but rather to increase the petrol tax — that will pressure more and more drivers to get rid of those. But eventually it will be necessary to tax the use of the EVs somehow. I think that will be reasonable to do at that time, provided the system to collect the tax does not track where each car goes. For instance, it could be based on a secure odometer that will be checked from time to time. In fact, the UK already tracks every car, and the potential oppression of this tracking system was already realized many years ago when protesters on the way to a nonviolent protest were preemptively stopped specifically to sabotage the protest. Of course, the repression that the UK aim at nonviolent protesters has been greatly increased since then. I expect any new UK systems of transportation to be designed for increased surveillance — until climate mayhem makes those systems cease to function at all. (Comment on this)
11:03a	Thames (Privatized) Water proves wrong Thames Water, one of the privatized water companies that Tories created to extract money from the public water supply, is pressuring for permission to increase water bills, saying that otherwise it will fail. Privatization schemes are generally a way to transfer public money to private profit, and water supply privatization is no exception. If the company is indeed moribund, that is great news, because it means that nationalization will cost the government very little in so-called "compensation". (Really, these companies' past and present owners should pay compensation for the wealth they have extracted from the public.) Once nationalization ensures that any additional funds put in will not be frittered away on private investors' profits, the government can put in what is needed and really get publish benefit for it. (Comment on this)
11:03a	Lack of 2031-49 climate targets, KOR *South Korea’s constitutional court has ruled that part of the country’s climate law does not conform with protecting the constitutional rights of future generations [from global heating].* (Comment on this)
11:03a	DeMentis retaliates against leaker, FL *Florida’s department of environmental protection has fired a whistleblower who exposed and sank governor [DeMentis]'s secretive plan to pave over environmentally sensitive state parks and build lucrative hotels, golf courses and pickleball courts.* One must suspect the head of that department of placing per boss, DeMentis, above per department's mission. Is perse a Republican, by any chance? (Comment on this)
11:03a	Urgent: Project 2025 tax-cuts on wealthy Everyone: call on news networks to expose Project 2025's nightmare tax scheme. (Comment on this)
11:03a	Scotland's budgetary decisions, fallout *Scottish government raids £460m green energy fund for public sector pay rises.* When funds for curbing climate mayhem are are treated as available for any pressing short-term need, climate mayhem is likely to proceed uncurbed. (Comment on this)
11:03a	Ignored voters leave left, go right, DEU The German neo-Nazi party won the election in one state. One writer argues, *There’s only one way to keep Germany’s far-right AfD at bay. Address the concerns it exploits.* (Comment on this)
11:03a	Partial Israel-arms embargo, UK *UK suspends 30 arms export licenses to Israel after review. Foreign Office says review found "clear risk" that UK arms may be used in violation of humanitarian law.* This will increase pressure on the US to do likewise, as it ought to. *Which countries have banned or restricted arms sales to Israel?* (Comment on this)

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