Why do we fall for the green illusion that is the electric car?

Press Kit | Green Illusions Book: "“Environmentalists generally object to battery-powered devices and for good reason: batteries require mined minerals, employ manufacturing processes that leak toxins into local ecosystems and leave behind an even-worse trail of side effects upon disposal. Though when it comes to the largest mass-produced battery-powered gadget ever created—the electric car—environmentalists cannot jump from their seats fast enough to applaud it.” —Ozzie Zehner, The Economist"

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With Large Oil Reserve, California Faces Fracking Debate | KQED QUEST

With Large Oil Reserve, California Faces Fracking Debate | KQED QUEST: "California has long been an oil-producing state, but it’s getting renewed attention because of the Monterey Shale, the country’s largest shale oil reserve. It stretches under a large part of Central California. In places like Southern Monterey County, where new oil leases are being offered, the battle for fracking is heating up."

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No money for #freetransit. Billions in tax money wasted subsidizing sports

Animated Infographic: Watch As America's Stadiums Pile Up On The Backs Of Taxpayers Through The Years: " Public financing of stadiums for private teams is common enough now that it's largely taken for granted, even though these deals rarely produce anything of real value for the municipalities that fund them. "

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Bay Area gets $45 million for new buses

With transit investments, a surge of dividends across America - Welcome to the FastLane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation: "And in California, FTA Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan was in the Bay Area where transit providers are receiving more than $45 million. Projects range from replacing old buses that have logged hundreds of thousands of miles over many years with clean, fuel-efficient vehicles to upgrading bus service as part of MUNI’s Rapid Network."

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There can be no peaceful coexistence with the private auto. It must be put in the dustbin of history.

Driver Plows Through Bike Corral at Duboce and Valencia, Injuring Man | Streetsblog San Francisco: "A car driver plowed through a bike corral on Saturday in front of Zeitgeist, a bar on the corner of Duboce Avenue and Valencia Street. The driver reportedly stopped and cooperated with police after crashing through 10 of the 11 curbside bike racks, breaking a man’s leg, and wrecking at least a dozen parked bikes, according to the Uptown Almanac, which posted photos of the carnage."

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Free Transit allows all citizens to be engaged in life of the city

Does Public Transportation Match Community Wishlist of Services? - San Jose Inside: "But if the city is being asked to provide transportation for seniors to community centers, why not expand this to libraries as well? Libraries offer social engagement and lifelong learning. Perhaps we should promote the value of fresh air and open space with daily transportation to Alum Rock Park.

We also have youth under 16 that are unable to drive and they certainly would benefit from free transportation to parks, libraries and community centers. In some communities, youth get free bus rides with a library card.

Allowing residents to access their government in person is another shared value. Perhaps providing free transportation to City Hall for the many public meetings occurring Monday through Friday?"

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Make Muni fare-free for youth, spur the economy! #freemuniforyouth

People speak out for #freemuniforyouth

Huge turnout for #freemuniforyouth

Caltrain Ridership Up 12.1%: News: SFAppeal

Caltrain Ridership Up 12.1%: News: SFAppeal: "Total Caltrain ridership has risen 12.1 percent over the last year, according to the agency's annual ridership count."

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Why is there no money for social capital investment? Where did it go?

Rolling Stone Mobile - Politics - Politics: A Huge Break in the LIBOR Banking Investigation: "A sizable chunk of the world's adjustable-rate investment vehicles are pegged to Libor, and here we have evidence that banks were tweaking the rate downward to massage their own derivatives positions. The consequences for this boggle the mind. For instance, almost every city and town in America has investment holdings tied to Libor. If banks were artificially lowering the rates to beef up their trading profiles, that means communities all over the world were cheated out of ungodly amounts of money."

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One percent agents-provocateur make another attempt at smearing the name of #occupy

Six arrested in anti-police march in Oakland, California - US news - msnbc.com: "The unrest Saturday night followed Twitter messages calling for an anti-police rally by individuals identifying themselves as supporters of Occupy Oakland, a local offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations against economic inequality."

Redding: man dies in fight over parking

Paynes Creek man dies after Monday fight at Costco, Redding police say » Redding Record Searchlight: "An 81-year-old Paynes Creek man died today after hitting his head during a fight with another man in the parking lot of the Redding Costco, police said.

Just before 11 a.m. Monday police responded to a report of the fight in the Costco parking lot at 1300 Dana Drive."

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Caltrans wastes $540,000 on fare-boxes

Caltrans funds light-rail car refurbishment, bus projects - Sacramento Business Journal: "$540,000 for the installation of electronic fare boxes in El Dorado County"

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Police stand guard while agents of the 1% terrorize a community

The 1% has tried every way they can think of to discredit #occupywallstreet. They have even gone so far as to organize thugs to terrorize people. Here, in this video, it is clearly shown how these agents are protected by police as they vandalize a community. The agents will then later show up at an #occupy action and pretend to support it. In this way the 1% hopes people will associate this thuggery with #occupy.

Riot police take off helmets and join anti-austerity march

Global Winnipeg | 20,000 people march at a Frankfurt Occupy protest: German police: "German police officers escort an anti-capitalism protest march with some 20,000 people in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, May 19, 2012. Protesters peacefully filled the city center of continental Europe's biggest financial hub in their protest against the dominance of banks and what they perceive to be untamed capitalism, Frankfurt police spokesman Ruediger Regis said. The protest group calling itself Blockupy has called for blocking the access to the European Central Bank, which is located in Frankfurt's business district. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)"

Senate Approves Bay Area Regional Commute Benefit Bill | Senator Leland Yee, Ph.D.

Senate Approves Bay Area Regional Commute Benefit Bill | Senator Leland Yee, Ph.D.: "Such a policy will ensure that employers with over 50 workers help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, and air pollution by offering employees the option to pay for their public transit, vanpooling, or bicycling expenses with pre-tax dollars, or by offering employees a transit or vanpool subsidy or free shuttle service. "

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Mayday unity of the 99% panics the 1%

Bill to Reduce Bay Area Pollution and Boost Public Transit Hits High Speed | Senator Leland Yee, Ph.D.

Bill to Reduce Bay Area Pollution and Boost Public Transit Hits High Speed | Senator Leland Yee, Ph.D.: "“Public transit should be playing a much larger role in helping meet our clean air goals,” said Josh Shaw of the California Transit Association. “SB 1339 creates an incentive for employers and employees by allowing for lower payroll taxes while providing several cost-effective options to help people get out of their car and using public transit.”

“We'll never have clean air in this state until we make it easier for people who want to take transit or ride a bike to work to do so,” said Kathryn Phillips, Director of Sierra Club California. “This bill is one way to do that. It will give people more commuting options and it will move the Bay Area another step closer to healthy air and lower global warming pollution.”"

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Tri Delta Transit offers free commuter bus passes - ContraCostaTimes.com

Tri Delta Transit offers free commuter bus passes - ContraCostaTimes.com: "Contra Costa County public transit officials have a message for East Contra Costa commuters: Give riding the bus to work a shot.
Tri Delta Transit and 511 Contra Costa are providing free bus passes through May 11 for commuters who do not use the bus in their daily trips. Each applicant will receive four free days worth of rides."

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S.F. agency OKs free Muni for low-income kids

S.F. agency OKs free Muni for low-income kids: "Low-income youths could soon ride San Francisco's Muni for free, while drivers who park in the city on Sundays might have to pay up.

Those controversial proposals were approved Tuesday by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's Board of Directors, which unanimously passed the budget for Muni, parking, traffic and taxis over the next two years."

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A 1% shift from autos to #publictransit = a 5% reduction in heavy congestion

Sacramento plan sets the standard for sustainable communities | Amanda Eaken's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC: "Transit service nearly doubles. Modeling shows that a 1% shift in travel from driving to transit results in a 5% reduction in heavy congestion—making investing in transit a lasting strategy for congestion relief."

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Free public transit for young people possible in San Francisco - #freetransit #ows

Free Muni for S.F. kids could hit a few bumps: "San Francisco's Muni could be the first major transit system in the nation to offer free and unrestricted rides to youths."

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We ARE NOT BROKE - Make public #transit fare-free!

National Day of Action for Public Transportation Apr 4 | Occupy Las Vegas @ OccupyLV.org: "Rather than fighting price hikes and service cuts, we should be focusing on expanding service and innovating more sustainable and convenient systems for mass transit that are free for all. The economic downturn has been used as a reason to cut back service, raise fares, and layoff workers in Boston and elsewhere. We are told again and again that there is no money, but we have had enough of this lie!"

Regional Transit Plans To Bring Back Cut Services - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Samuel Gonzalez/KCRA

Regional Transit Plans To Bring Back Cut Services - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento: "With high gas prices, Wiley told KCRA 3 that in just one month, they've added nearly a quarter of a million new riders.
Regional Transit will propose a 5 percent increase in services to take effect in September.
Some people couldn't happier about the news."

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Ridership is up, so #transit must be cut. Makes perfect sense to oil industry.

Nevada Progressive: Move Me Like That.: "And considering the rising demand for mass transit here in Nevada, we'd be preparing to offer more services to more riders. But sadly, that's not the case. Instead, RTC Ride in Washoe is facing financial woes and difficult decisions on how to fund future transit operations. Meanwhile down south, RTC Southern Nevada is facing public anger over proposed rate hikes and cuts in paratransit service... Again, despite increasing ridership.

It really doesn't make sense to punish transit riders for choosing to use mass transit. I mean, isn't that what we want? Don't we want less clutter on our streets and freeways? Don't we want cleaner air and fewer greenhouse gas emissions? Why would we do something to discourage people from using RTC in Reno and Las Vegas?"

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Gas prices surging - got #transit?

Gas prices surging beyond $4 a gallon -- and they will go higher - San Jose Mercury News: "Gasoline prices are rising at an almost unheard-of pace, and painfully so in California, where the cost for a fill-up now exceeds $4 a gallon in five cities and is approaching that dreaded mark in numerous others, including San Jose and Oakland."

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amor mundi: Car Cult Deprogramming

amor mundi: Car Cult Deprogramming: "people are drudging away to maintain their cars, even where convenient, practical, healthier transportation options are available (public transportation, car-share, biking, walking) in a world distressed beyond bearing by the pollution, costs, fatal accidents, waste, and noise of our irrational car culture."

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Oakland threatens the 99%, but arrests no bankers for fraud

The City of Oakland welcomes peaceful forms of assembly and free speech; however,...

http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca/groups/cityadministrator/documents/pressrelease/oak033073.pdf

Cars do not belong in cities

Progressive Transit: "Even if you ignore the pollution, cars simply take up too much space. Next time you are stuck in traffic behind what seems like a million cars, try to imagine if all those cars where replaced by pedestrians or bike riders. Suddenly, the congestion is gone."

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No money for public #transit? Here is where it went

Occupy the Banks - #owswest #ows

http://www.occupywallstwest.org/wordpress/

The banking system has received trillions of dollars worth of help from the U.S. federal government and the Federal Reserve Bank in outright bailouts and cheap loans. This money is printed money, it is not real, but it will have to be re-paid by real labor. The banks are using the crisis that they created as an excuse to evict people from homes and push cuts in fiscal social investment.

In the U.S., the bank robs YOU

http://bankruptingamerica.tumblr.com/

Occupied Oakland Tribune #oo #ows

Occupied Oakland Tribune: "The Bay Area News Group (BANG), publisher of the Oakland Tribune newspaper, sent a cease and desist letter yesterday to Scott Johnson of the Occupied Oakland Tribune which was met with an immediate rejection.

“There is no way we are going to be intimidated by the Bay Area News Group,” Johnson said. “This is just another effort by the 1% to push around the 99%. While Oakland City Hall continues arresting people on Oscar Grant Plaza for no reason, the Bay Area News Group is now attempting to quash our First Amendment rights. This has got to stop.”"

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Seniors in Walkers Shut Down Local Bank of America

Occupy Geriatrics: Seniors in Walkers Shut Down Local Bank of America - San Francisco News - The Snitch: "So the seniors took a seat outside the bank where they explained their demands, which were no different than every other occupiers: They want lower fees, and they want the bank to pay higher taxes and stop the foreclosures.

"We're upset about what the banks are doing, particularly in our neighborhood and neighboring areas, in evicting people and foreclosing on their homes," 80-year-old Tita Caldwell told KCBS reporters. "We're upset because the banks are raising their rates, because it really affects seniors who are on a fixed income.""

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Commuters in San Francisco save big with public transit | Will Reisman | Transportation | San Francisco Examiner

Commuters in San Francisco save big with public transit | Will Reisman | Transportation | San Francisco Examiner: "A two-person household in The City realized $12,902 in extra cash by using transit instead of driving in 2011, according to a recent report by the American Public Transportation Association. Only residents in New York City and Boston saved more money from taking transit.

Ed Reiskin, director at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which operates Muni, said the importance of taking public transit could not be overestimated."

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Find an Apartment Based on Your Commute with Walkscore Apartment Search

Find an Apartment Based on Your Commute with Walkscore Apartment Search: "Walkscore, the website that attempts to quantify the “walkability” of streets and neighborhoods, has introduced a new apartment search tool that makes it easy to find a home near transit. It parses Craigslist housing ads and maps them based on factors of urban livability – proximity to transit, commute time, and cost are just a few of the factors considered."

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