Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Case for Permanent Free Public Transit | Halifax Media Co-op

The Case for Permanent Free Public Transit | Halifax Media Co-op: "Removing fares from public transit encourages more people to use it, and more people riding buses, ferries, and streetcars is undoubtedly a Good Thing. Transporting 40 people on a bus is much more efficient than transporting those people in private cars, meaning less traffic congestion, less air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and less public spending on road infrastructure and parking lots."

Ben Sichel will be on New957 Radio Sunday Morning at 10am to discuss free transit
http://www.news957.com/

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Lots of anger and frustration at final MBTA hearing in Brighton - Watertown, MA - Watertown TAB

Wicked Local photo by Zara Tzanev 
Lots of anger and frustration at final MBTA hearing in Brighton - Watertown, MA - Watertown TAB: "Those in attendance included city officials, state representatives, students, senior citizens, members of the deaf community, members of the Occupy movement holding signs that said, “Fare Hikes are Class War” and a theatrical trio dressed as superheroes representing three solutions to the debt – “Bank Boy” “MBCR Rockstar” and “Snow Removal Man.”"

Monday, March 12, 2012

Mass transit use rises as gas prices soar - Mar. 12, 2012

Mass transit use rises as gas prices soar - Mar. 12, 2012: "NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Ridership on the nation's trains and buses hit one of the highest levels in decades, with officials crediting high gas prices, a stronger economy and new technology that makes riding public transit easier."

Saturday, March 10, 2012

U.S. policy driven by oil not humanitarianism

Tens of thousands of Bahraini protesters occupy four-lane highway - latimes.com: "The turmoil has put the United States in a touchy spot: Bahrain has long been a U.S. ally against Iran. Police crackdowns and other alleged abuses there have spurred accusations that the U.S. has a double standard on human rights as it calls for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down."

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Supply-side environmentalism won't work

There are at least one billion people seeking the sprawl lifestyle. This is a tremendous economic and political force.

Protesting against fossil-fuel energy supply, such as coal-fired power plants, arctic-oil, or tarsands cannot overcome such a force. And what's worse, it puts environmentalists on the side of denying the dream.

If we truly want to undo sprawl. We have to offer a dream that is better.

We have to provide a car-free urban lifestyle.

The first step is fare-free buses. Then fare-free light rail and streetcars. 

Democracy not an option in oil-war orgy

U.S. News - Holder: US can legally kill Americans in terror groups: "The U.S. government is legally justified in killing its own citizens "

'via Blog this'

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Economists having wrong debate

Economists are arguing about how to deal with the financial crisis. Some say cut, some say borrow and spend. Both are correct that inequality is getting worse, debt bubbles only delay collapse, and capitalism is a trickle-up, not a trickle-down system.

But both sides have a blind spot when it comes to growth. Growth must stop.

Our current system depends on using natural resources. These resources are running out. The human die-off is already occurring in some areas, giving us a heads-up on what is to come for all.

We need to go back to a simple theme: "waste not, want not."

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Striking oil workers murdered in Khazakhstan

Failing Up With Joshua Foust: Meet The “Evil Genius” Massacre-Denier Who Shills For War Profiteers - By Mark Ames - The eXiled: "Moreover, Kazakhstan is acting like it’s got something to hide. It’s put Zhanaozen under martial law, and the authorities cut off all Twitter, internet, and cell phone access, isolating and terrorizing the city with murders, torture, and beatings. "

'via Blog this'

Friday, March 2, 2012

Ocean Acidifying at Faster Rate than in Past 300 Million Years « Climate Denial Crock of the Week

Ocean Acidifying at Faster Rate than in Past 300 Million Years « Climate Denial Crock of the Week: "The world’s oceans may be turning acidic faster today from human carbon emissions than they did during four major extinctions in the last 300 million years, when natural pulses of carbon sent global temperatures soaring, says a new study in Science. The study is the first of its kind to survey the geologic record for evidence of ocean acidification over this vast time period."

'via Blog this'

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Add to the list of #autosprawl externalities: $36.9B for speeding tickets

Speeding Ticket Facts: "The average raise in insurance costs for one speeding ticket over the course of 3 years is $900.00.

Multiply 900 by 41,000,000 and you get $36,900,000,000 (36.9 BILLION dollars) in extra insurance money the insurance industry makes in a single year just from speeding tickets."

'via Blog this'