Bush To Sign Fuel Efficiency Bill: BFD

Bush is finally going to sign a bill that requires automakers to achieve higher fuel efficiency standards as well as to increase use (and thereby production) of corn ethanol.

You have to read through almost half of this article before you get to this part:

The centerpiece of the bill remained the requirement for automakers to increase their industrywide vehicle fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average of 35 mpg by 2020, compared with today's 25 mpg when including passenger cars, SUVs and small trucks.

My 1994 Mazda still gets somewhere near 29 mpg even with a shit ton of wear and tear. 13 years later and we can't do better? And we have to wait until 2020?

While on my recent trip to SF, I forgot to take reading material with me to the airport, so I picked up a copy of Fast Company in the airport shop because the cover featured Tim Westergren of Pandora, who I met earlier this year. I loved the magazine, I ended up subscribing, and have been nothing short of impressed. Especially when I got my first copy in the mail and read this article about Jonathan Goodwin and his company that transforms cars into efficient vehicles beyond anything most people imagine...like a 100 mpg Lincoln Continental. Do yourself a favor and read the article. Then ask why we aren't demanding more from our government, from automakers, and from ourselves.

keep on reading...

Internet Radio Gets a Reprieve

From Pitchfork:

According to Wired magazine's blog and confirmed by various sources, SoundExchange executive director Jon Simson promised Congress that his organization-- which collects the payments on these sound recording copyrights-- will not enforce the rate increase as long as a new deal is in the works between SoundExchange and the webcasters involved in the Copyright Royalty Board hearing. Additionally, the per-channel minimums which would've potentially crushed multi-channel sites like Pandora and Live365 are off the table, and the per-station minimum will be capped at $50,000 per year.

This is great news for anyone who streams music to survive their workday.

keep on reading...