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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
pauluk Offline OP
Member
Just received this little piece of news:

Quote
The government of Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia, which has a population of about 4 million, has approved a tax on barbequing, local media reported. Experts said that between 50 and 100 grams of CO2, a so-called greenhouse gas, is emitted during barbequing.

Beginning June 2007, residents of Wallonia will have to pay 20 euros for a grilling session. The local authorities plan to monitor compliance with the new tax legislation from helicopters, whose thermal sensors will detect burning grills.


20 euros is over U.S. $26. They seriously expect people to pay this tax every time they have a barbeque? shocked

And just how much of the supposedly evil pollution is going to be created by the helicopters flying around spying on everyone?

Of course, it's not about protecting the environment. It's about criminalizing people for no reason and extorting as much money as possible -- Either as tax or in the form of fines. mad


Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 507
M
Member
what's that old saying:

"A fine is a penalty for doing bad, a tax is a penalty for doing good"

how many houses will burn down from people BBQ'ing indoors to avoid the tax?

wouldn't a better way to screw the people be to simply tax the hell out of propane and charcoal?

Please Lord, save us from ourselves.

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 706
T
Member
Beware the dreaded BBQ SWAT(Special Weapons and Tactics) team.

Illinois has a new law to enforce speed limits during road construction (through the use of automated camera vans and mailings). First offense is something like a $350 fine. Second offense is something like $1,000 and loss of license....which means you have to pay a lawyer $15,000 to have the charges lowered.

Dave

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 51
B
Member
2007-2008 Legislation of interest to Building Departments:

SB888: if inacted will require state agencies proposing building standards to the building standards commission to integrate specific green building elements into the proposed building standards.

AB722: if inacted will direct the energy commission to prescribe the minimum level of operating efficiency for lighting devices and PROHIBIT the sale of general service incandescent bulbs on and after January 1, 2012


Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,044
Tom Offline
Member
When you hire (elect) someone to make laws, including tax laws, what do you expect them to do?

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."

Both by Mark Twain



Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 178
J
Member
It has become a mantra of mine that politicians should never be allowed to write technical laws. They just don't possess the breadth of knowledge or experience to formulate anything better than a "knee-jerk" solution.

Example: Congress extended the U.S. Daylight Saving period to try to reduce energy usage, but it's had exactly the opposite effect because more people are waking up in the dark. (Fox News, this morning.)

When incandescent bulbs are banned, what kind of bulbs shall we screw into our fan lights, garage door openers, refrigerators, microwaves and work lights? Of course, these "appliance" bulbs might still be available, so that's what we'll all have in our bedroom table lamps.

I gotta go calm down now...

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 265
S
Member
Originally Posted by BElder

AB722: if inacted will direct the energy commission to prescribe the minimum level of operating efficiency for lighting devices and PROHIBIT the sale of general service incandescent bulbs on and after January 1, 2012


How much energy is used and how much pollution is created to manufacture the energy efficient compact fluorescents? Let alone how much mercury and other elements go into the landfills when the bulbs are discarded.

It reminds me of something here that happened years ago. For years, the city would plow the snow off the roads and dump it in the river. The Environment Ministry passed a law stating that if the snow was on the road for more than 24 hours, it could not be dumped in the river because it was contaminated with oil and other vehicle fluids. Yet, it was ok for them to dump the snow in a gully that had a small creek, a couple of hundred feet from the river. You guessed it, that creek emptied directly into the river.


Sixer

"Will it be cheaper if I drill the holes for you?"
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,429
L
LK Offline
Member
Wow, I din't know some of our New Jersey lawmakers, moved to Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia.

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,919
Likes: 30
G
Member
The chairman of International Rexctifier has stated that he thinks it takes more energy to make a solar cell than it will ever deliver. Some economy huh?


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
W
Member
Quote
how many houses will burn down from people BBQ'ing indoors to avoid the tax?


Hopefully they will be using their fireplaces...

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