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February 27, 2009
Panel Suggests Higher Gas Tax
By KATE GALBRAITH
NYTA commission established by Congress to study options for financing the nation’s roads and bridges on Thursday recommended raising the federal gas tax by 10 cents a gallon.
In a report, the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission cited a “crisis” of neglect for infrastructure, and also called for an eventual switch to a tax based on miles driven, rather than gasoline consumed.
Raising the federal gas tax, now 18.4 cents a gallon, is so politically tricky that the idea has gone nowhere in 16 years. The tax is the main source of federal dollars for fixing roads and bridges. The commission said that a 10-cent increase would cost the average household $9 a month extra.
The report also called for raising the federal diesel tax, now 24.4 cents a gallon, by 15 cents.
Raising the gas tax is seen as a short-term measure, because as Americans begin driving more fuel-efficient cars, gas tax revenue will fall. Initiating a mileage tax, which the commission recommended doing in a “comprehensive” way by 2020, would also be politically difficult. In the United States, only Oregon has experimented with such a system.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has floated the idea of a mileage tax, but last week the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said that the new type of tax “is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration.”
Dinousaur, Jr.
One of the underlooked geniuses of the 90′s.
This post is basically my way of saying Saint Bif is the Greatest.
the fucker decided to take a couple of weeks off. So me and Bunn have to fill in the Gap.
Nobody evefr accused me and the rabbit of knowing anything about music. But I can assure you, we will learn fast. When it is all over, you will still pray for Bif to return.
I’ve just received another email from a friend regarding this topic. I never read Fred. I had seen the site once and can’t remember why. Anyway, I went over there just now and he is calling it over. I loved the last post, wish I had read more. perfect timing as always, JR. Anyway, I’m adding it to my Link List.
I am shortly going to Johns Hopkins for a corneal transplant, this being the belated result of a largely forgotten foray by the US into military adventurism.
I know quite a lot about this procedure and its origins. I was hooked right there.
Nepal, I am persuaded, cannot survive without my doing some serious trekking over it. I cannot let an entire country die for want of my attention. There are crazy friends from distant times and far places with whom I need to eat noodles in various remote back streets and tell lies.
Rice To Take Lessons From Rwandan Genocide
I hate this woman already. I wish her all the luck in the world. But I hate her. Please stop telling me all the great things you are going to do and how you are going to do them (excuse me, have to do them, because only you know unlike everybody else who tried and failed so valiantly before you graced us with your presence at the UN). Just do them. Let us be the judge of what a great person you are. You got made ambassador, now enough already. STFU and go make the world a better place.
The genocide, Rice says, has strengthened her determination to be more active in prevention and conflict resolution.
“I would rather be a lone and a loud voice for action than be silent,” she says. “I am more than willing to do that.”
Oh, super. I bet all those people that got “genocided” are fucking thrilled that it strengthened your determination. And, umm, maybe you’d “rather” but you won’t. You’ll do what your boss tells you or you’ll be the former-ambassador. Good luck with that whole truth thing. You obviously didn’t get where you are by taking chances with what was right.
One word – Sudan. Don’t kid yourself – Samantha Power should be where you are.
I take that all back. Somehow I managed to forget she wrote one of my favorite books ever:
[Editor's Note: This is Holmes' reply to tipping point's question.]
By Holmes
I know, I know… it’s foolish to try and predict the future. Knowing full well that I am somewhere between 0% and 100% wrong, here are a few of my thoughts.
In twenty years, most of the people who might be said to have been responsible for the current economic/financial crisis will be dead or, if still alive and relevant, will have reinvented themselves. This is not to say that the old (traditional) ways of corruption will have gone extinct. Going forward, economics and goals perceived mostly as pragmatic, rather than tolerance for excessive individualistic greed, will predominantly drive attempts at societal and other reconfigurations.
Resource depletion and climate change realities will be common knowledge and simply accepted as part of the landscape. Business will continue to be done in consideration of, rather than oblivious to, attendant constraints.
Some grand bargains will be made between nations, America and China, principally. They may involve granting significant security interests, or outright transfers of ownership in, real assets — such as land or mineral rights. Long-term leases, production and supply contracts, and localized or other security agreements may also be part of the arrangement. There will be no war between America and China. If anything, the ties that bind will only grow stronger.
Kid Rock and Lil Wayne
This is just to get you warmed up
This next video is wrong on so many levels it is almost perfect. I saw a movie this weekend. I love previews. Or as they call them, trailers. Especially when I go see action/thrillers, cause they crank up the sound and show you the good stuff. Angels & Demons looks stupid. Watchmen looks good. There were some others. I forget. I’ll end up seeing all of them so whatever.
But then before the main feature they showed this and it was extremely creepy. They have been doinf this National Guard thing in the movies for quite some time. It is always extremely creepy. I’m starting to think there might be some law behind this. Something signed by these creeps we call congress.
It’s fucking disturbing. I believe Barack Obama is ultimately responsible and I believe he needs to be tried in the Hague as a war criminal. Since Day 1 (even Day minus 75) he has been pursuing his agenda as a warmonger. I have proof.
Obama Widens Missile Strikes Inside Pakistan
That’s not my cutesy take on things. That’s The NYT headline. Now pull your head out of your ass so you can hear clearly. And turn the sound way up. Cuz this next one sucks.
When you start feeling ill, try to remember, you voted for him.
YOU put him there.
Sign up for Borders Rewards. No credit card needed or given. No hidden anything. They just send you an email coupon every other day. I wait for the 40% off ones then I go buy a book from my list. I read a lot and multiple books at one time, so I plan well. Once in a while I just need a $35 hardcover for whatever reason. This helps.
Today’s selection is in paperback. It is now a “Major Motion Picture” according to two reviews I have read of the “movie.” So I figured it was time to check it out. With aforementioned 40% discount plus tax, It was 9-something. Not bad for a book translated from Italian that blew me away in the first 10 pages. It’s a true story. He is 29 now. I’m not sure when he wrote it. But he unloaded [I'm not saying what] and quoted Keynes in the first chapter.
GOMORRAH
A PERSONAL JOURNEY INTO THE VIOLENT INTERNATIONAL EMPIRE OF NAPLES’ ORGANIZED CRIME SYSTEM
by Robert Saviano
And did I mention he is now under(in?) police protective custody.
I’m going to start rating books I like on a daily basis.
page 33: 6 stars out of 5. absolutely amazing. You would never think this is going to turn into a mafia story. It’s about commerce, economics, and the Chinese in the Italian fashion industry. So well written.
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