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Britain getting Screwed
#21
This one's for Gordi.

Many years ago when I worked in the newspaper business in the important editorial role
of cleaning toilets and taking out the rubbish, one of the things that would help pass the
time -as I wheeled the five-foot-something fibreglass bins along each of the four floors
to be put on a crane for the ground-floor, was the bin's contents.

In all the usual crap that comes with working in an office, were sheaves and sheaves of
documents about all sorts of events, new products, political announcements and other
relevant information that had not yet reached the public's ears.

This was before email and the internet, a time when mammoths still roamed many towns.
This stuff was mailed in and then after being copied, subtly altered for localisation and even
structured for a certain commentary, would begin the process of becoming a column or two
in a newspaper.

Pushing those wheeled-bins in the hours before the sun came up, I would read stuff about
a brand launch or Government announcement and show a puzzled frown at the words
printed across the top of the pages. 'Embargoed Until...'

It didn't make sense -I'd think, as I chained the bins up and began to lower them down
into a dark alleyway ready for their journey to the small building across the way. Why send
an article out and state that the information shouldn't be released until a demanded time?

This question would nudge me frequently as I dragged the individual receptacles over the
place known as the Bailing Shed where the rubbish would be crushed pneumatically in a machine
and turned into bales.
Then it finally hit me.

Everything at the front-end of revealing a product or an event would have to ready before the
people would come, of course!!
It's no use sending the information out on the day of the presentation or announcement because
apart from television (and their stuff gets embargoed too) because any impact would be wasted
and nobody would have the time to turn up.

In regards of the logistics in the political forum, facts have to be gathered and an agreed script
needs to written and distributed. It has to look like an efficient, controlled action.

As the trash-crusher did it's work, I realised that what most people believe is news... is actually a
structured, deliberate creation that is controlled and moulded by many who we tend to deem as
neutral in it's purveying.

So with that in mind, the recent announcement that diesel and petrol cars will be banned in favour
of electric vehicles, this could have something to do with...

Elon Musk hands over first Tesla Model 3 electric cars to buyers.

[Saturday 29th July 2017]

'With half a million orders for the $35,000, 350km-range vehicle, the upstart car-maker faces its biggest test.

Tesla boss Elon Musk has handed over the first of what he hopes will be a mass-market electric car to employee
buyers,setting the stage for the biggest test yet of the company’s plans to revolutionise the auto industry. .

Outside Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California on Friday night, Musk showed off the $35,000 Model 3 which has a
range of 220 miles (350 km) on a charge that marks a departure from the company’s earlier luxury electric cars.

Hours before the event, Musk acknowledged it would be “quite a challenge” to build the car during the early days of
production. “We’re going to go through at least six months of manufacturing hell,” Musk told journalists.

The over half a million reservations are up from about 373,000 disclosed in April 2016. Customers pay $1,000
refundable deposits for the car, which is eligible for tax credits. Any new buyers would likely not receive their car
until the end of 2018, Musk said.

A longer-range version of the car is priced at $44,000 and will drive 310 miles (500 km) on a single charge.
The cars feature a streamlined dashboard devoid of buttons or knobs, with a touchstream display to the right of
the driver.

Tesla faces major hurdles living up to the Model 3 hype.
The 500,000 vehicles Tesla vows to produce next year are nearly six times its 2016 production.
Were Tesla to produce, and sell 500,000 cars per year, the company would likely outsell the BMW, Mercedes,
or Lexus brands in the United States.

Production delays and quality issues marred the launches of Tesla’s Model S and Model X vehicles, and the
company blamed production problems for a shortfall during the second quarter of this year.
Musk has said a simpler Model 3 design will greatly reduce potential assembly-line problems.

Tesla has burned through more than $2bn in cash so far this year ahead of the launch. A troubled Model 3 launch
could heighten the risks for the company, while a steady delivery of Model 3s could generate a stream of cash
that would allow Tesla to avoid going again to the capital markets to fund its operations.

Tesla’s share price has surged 54% since January in anticipation of the Model 3 launch, and Tesla’s pricey
valuation now exceeds that of traditional rivals like General Motors and Ford .

Until now, Tesla has operated as a niche producer of luxury electric vehicles, with a charismatic, showman chief
executive who regularly interacts with fans on his Twitter account. Now loss-making Tesla is trying to move into a
different league, building vehicles in high volume for customers able to pay only a few thousand dollars more
than the average price of a conventional car or truck sold in the US.

The Model 3 is part of Musk’s broader plan to build a clean energy and transportation company that offers electric
semi trucks, rooftop solar energy systems and large-scale battery storage systems...'
SOURCE:

All planned, all set ready to go when the foundations were put in place for optimum effect.
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#22
Do you think that the UK Govt. is in cahoots with Musk/Tesla Phil?
or the electric vehicle industry in general?
or are they sending a signal to... The Oil Industry? OPEC? The Middle East? Russia?

They do realise that all of these "clean" electric vehicles use electricity that is produced in very unclean power stations right?
The power stations that burn fossil fuels themselves.... or create stockpiles of nuclear waste for our grand-kids to "enjoy"?

Hey, maybe they're planning to marginalise the rest of the UK even further by moving all of the major towns & cities to within 50 miles of the M25 and London? HS2 and Crossrail would make sense then! and the electric cars would be able to actually reach their destinations without grinding to a halt...
They could build a nice big wall to keep out the Mexicans "other" UK residents, and rename the country "Londland".

I wonder which top UK Govt. officials are on the official "waiting list" (wink wink) for a Tesla?
Now, THAT would be interesting!

G
[Image: CoolForCatzSig.png]
#23
Quote:Do you think that the UK Govt. is in cahoots with Musk/Tesla Phil?
or the electric vehicle industry in general?
or are they sending a signal to... The Oil Industry? OPEC? The Middle East? Russia?

I honestly think that the media announced this in the manner they did and the time they did because of the
instructions they were given.
The explanation I gave above, was just to show how this stuff arrives, seen as column-filling material and then
issued out as if it was one voice across many mediums.

The reason why it's been seemingly dumped on us like this in the UK may be a bit more complex and I agree that
maybe it is some-sort of message to OPEC, although I have no idea what for.

Quote:They do realise that all of these "clean" electric vehicles use electricity that is produced in very unclean power stations right?
The power stations that burn fossil fuels themselves.... or create stockpiles of nuclear waste for our grand-kids to "enjoy"?

I noticed that as the story unfolded, the media rhetoric changed to a more benevolent tone and 'useful' explanations were
offered to ease the fevered brow of the motorist!
Things like:

*Only new cars with a conventional petrol or diesel engine will be banned from sale from that date.
That means hybrid cars — those with petrol-electric and diesel-electric engines — of which there
are already millions on Britain’s roads, including the Toyota Prius, will still be permitted.
They are not considered ‘conventional’ in the conventional sense by Whitehall. (Excuse me?!)

*Due to bullshittery regarding emissions targets, it's seen as a way out from discussing how the
Government urged the British public to buy diesel-vehicles because they were 'healthier'... when
actually, they weren't!

*Any of these existing petrol and diesel cars will be able to be bought and sold as used cars, until they
reach the end of their lives.

*For all-electric cars, ministers are promising a charging point every 20 miles on major roads.

*This week, the German giant BMW announced they will build the electric Mini at its Oxford plant.
BMW, like Jaguar Land Rover, is investing heavily in electric and hybrid technology.

In regards of fuelling the power stations, it could be that the US have promised to sell the UK the coal from all the mines they're
reopening. It could be that we increase our import of coal from Russia. Afterall, we're the largest import of energies in Europe
and I'm sure nothing can go wrong when we depend on other countries to keep our lights on!!
(Insert face-palm here)

Seriously, I think by the time we get even close to this date, the non-market-driven policy will be so watered-down, it may be just
left at the road-side for those who want to save the whale because they have a tape of their singing... in their petrol-driven car.

There's a lot of 'hoping' when it comes to the evolution of power-cell technology and remember, it's only banning the manufacturers
of diesel-fuelled cars from selling them. There's some subtle wiggle-room in that decision, this 'ban' doesn't encroach on the public's
rights, it's just trying to persuade the public to accept a product in the marketplace.

Micheal Gove said there'll be a ten-year 'phasing-out' period for combustion engines... the current Government will be long gone
by then and he'll be retired...! It's a load of bullshit! Do you think European tourists coming throught the Chunnel will have to buy
an electric car or swap their own for an electric one that's sittting in a car-park in Kent?!

What about the new Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII that was unveiled recently...? Do you think they'll stop making them?
(By the way, the Tesla Model 3 came out at the same time!)

Attempting to restrain my cynicism, this is a piece of edtiorial sh*t mass-produced because most of the 'big boys' in Journalism
are on holiday. It could have merit in regards of some type of chess manoeuvres in Brexit or it could even fall under the heading
of 'Silly Season' annoyance.

The geography of the capital city and the burden Councils will have to endure of managing all of this with all the logistics offers
an insight to the lack of planning in the story itself! Personally, I'd have plumped for the Loch Ness Monster photo of frolicking
seals in the Dornoch Firth!

I was once required to make a graphic showing a particular favoured 'fact' of the readers of the newspaper where I worked
and the number I was given was 32%. The chap in charge of such projects looked at the design and then told me to increase
the percentage to 42% because it looked healthier.
So it may not pay to believe everything as the gospel-truth in those rags!

Quote:Hey, maybe they're planning to marginalise the rest of the UK even further by moving all of the major towns & cities to within 50
miles of the M25 and London? HS2 and Crossrail would make sense then! and the electric cars would be able to actually reach
their destinations without grinding to a halt...

They could build a nice big wall to keep out the Mexicans "other" UK residents, and rename the country "Londland".

I wonder which top UK Govt. officials are on the official "waiting list" (wink wink) for a Tesla?
Now, THAT would be interesting!

One can only pray that Londinium becomes it's own country. It has it's own broadcasting company and maybe... just maybe,
it's a dumb-assed way of stopping the peasants from visiting London because of the power-cell problem.
It's dumb-assed, because all they had to do was ask us if we'd like to visit. I think you know the answer, Big Man!!!
minusculethumbsup
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#24
So, I ask you, how true is this article, it says,,,,,, All The UK LOVES electric cars! 
I was think it is just a Propaganda Green Tree Hugger type article.
Quote:The popularity of electric cars in the UK has shot up over the last few years, with more than 100,000 plug-in vehicles on the road, compared with just 3,500 in 2013.
This huge increase in electric cars in 2017 has come about because of a greater level of choice for drivers, a shift in the public's attitude towards electric cars and a constantly improving public recharging network. Combined, this means that UK electric car buyers have a greater selection of vehicles to choose from than ever before.
Source
And then you have to understand, the Tax Payers in The Great Country of Britain, are paying in advance,,,,,,, tinybighuh
Quote:Britain has twice as many taxpayer-funded electric car charging points as it actually has electric cars

The points dramatically outnumber the actual cars
Quote:The Government and local councils have splashed millions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash on building thousands of electric car charging points that barely anyone uses.

Ministers confirmed that public money had been used to construct a network of of 57,567 publicly-funded charging points as of the end of the last financial year.

The figure is roughly double the number electric cars actually registered for use on the road in Britain – around 24,500 as of December 2014, according to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.
It would appear you Government is forcing Electric Car Down Your Throats!!!

Quote:Despite the rarity of electric cars, there are now more than six times as many charging points in Britain as there are petrol stations.

In 2013 the Government unveiled a £37m grant package to build the charging stations, with cash strapped local councils forking out even more money to install the points.

The grant was part of a £400m commitment towards encouraging the take-up of similar cars.

Source
So your paying for some one else to Charge their Toy Car and charging you an Out Rages Price for Fuel,,,,,, Did you guys elect Obama at some point?  tinywhat
I mean, our fuel prices were at a fair and decent price in 2007 until Obama was elected and it went up to over three dollars a gallon in two months and stayed there and was higher at time for 7 years. Now it's back down to 2 dollars and 12 cents or lower, We pay normally for Gas (petrol) 1 dollar and 99 cents and 2 dollars and 29 cents for diesel for our truck.
Now there was another issue I read about,,,,,,,,,,
Quote:Can the National Grid meet electricity demands for this driving trend?
Quote:The national grid is already showing signs it is struggling to meet current UK demands with the national grid itself stating, “No one knows for sure how motorists will use electric vehicles in the future, but the implications for the UK’s electricity infrastructure could be enormous.”

With EV sales increasing, will this put a strain on the grid?

Could this put EV drivers at risk of returning to their car and it’s not charged due to an outage?

At this stage it is unlikely but all EV owners should be aware that this could happen in the future.
Source
Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, Just exactly is your power source for creating electricity? Do you use Gas Turbines, Nuclear, Coal or What?  tinywondering
I ask this because,,,,,, won't the source you use to create electricity increase? Could that Create MORE Pollution?  Just asking.
Once A Rogue, Always A Rogue!
[Image: attachment.php?aid=936]
#25
Quote:...Now it's back down to 2 dollars and 12 cents or lower, We pay normally for Gas (petrol) 1 dollar and 99 cents
and 2 dollars and 29 cents for diesel for our truck...

We pay around 6 dollars for ours in the UK. That's a lot of tax to leave behind, unless someone-somewhere is
offering a alternative method of payment. 

Quote:...Can the National Grid meet electricity demands for this driving trend?

Nope, and I seriously doubt any 'all around' viable system would be in place in the 23 years considering the
cost against the 'hope' that this idea works. The market is driven by the customer, not a Government.


Quote:...The national grid is already showing signs it is struggling to meet current UK demands with the national grid
itself stating, “No one knows for sure how motorists will use electric vehicles in the future, but the implications
for the UK’s electricity infrastructure could be enormous.”

Which is the caveat to say it could, but we don't know.


Quote:With EV sales increasing, will this put a strain on the grid?

Bullsh*t implication. Pushing for wind-turbines and solar-panel fields in a hope to piggy-back a suggestion
is disingenuous when the size of the country, the population layout and the cost is obvious.

Quote:Could this put EV drivers at risk of returning to their car and it’s not charged due to an outage? 

Considering this proposal is initially based on hybrids, I would doubt it!


Quote:Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, Just what exactly is your power source for creating electricity?
Do you use Gas Turbines, Nuclear, Coal or What?
I ask this because,,,,,, won't the source you use to create electricity increase?
Could that Create MORE Pollution?  Just asking.


I agree with you, to create energy requires input and unless the current Government have half-a-dozen nuclear
plants waiting in the wings to go, I doubt the constant cost to keep the countrywide grid going could be done with
just the burning of of coal or gas.
Fracked-gas won't do it, importing coal from another country only works if you're on friendly terms and again is
expensive.

It's okay suggesting that these little top-up machines will be scattered across the UK, but think about how many
gas-stations the UK has and where they're positioned. If you're out in the sticks, the cost of getting electricty to
them on the off-chance someone breaks down will be seen as wasteful.

And that's the real problem here, those who're proposing the idea perceive the rest of the country from their own
position and I'll wager it's not from a farmhouse on the shore of Loch Beag.
INMHO.
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#26
@"BIAD" 
Thank You.
But 6 dollars for a gallon,,, Holly Shit!  tinywhat
That's what Obama wanted us to pay for a gallon, he had said that he won't care if gas prices were 5 to 6 dollars a gallon,,,, What A Complete Ass-Hole.

Does part of your health care get paid by that tax?
Once A Rogue, Always A Rogue!
[Image: attachment.php?aid=936]
#27
(07-30-2017, 10:56 PM)guohua Wrote: ...Does part of your health care get paid by that tax?

It's generally accepted that the any form of tax is 'put in a pot' and divided towards the many aspects of
running a country. The monies accrued from the public using vehicles tends to be perceived soley designated
for maintenance of highways, governance of traffic and safety issues.

Road tax - owning a usable road-worthy vehicle of an type requires the owner to pay a tax on that vehicle.

If the vehicle can't be used for a length of time for many reasons, the owner can request monies
back from the Driver Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) for the time that it's off the road. It must be
kept on private land and not on the public highway during that time.

I've posted the 'Plan' proposed by the UK Government below, it's a long essay and at times, may seem boring.
It is, but because I believe I've failed to explain how the media have taken the 'diesel ban' out of context for the
sake of ratings, I suggest it would be prudent to at least read the area below where I've marked with capital
letters.

I'm not a Government shill... or at least, if I am I don't know it and they haven't paid me yet.
But in my view, this is a simple idea outlined to give an idea that incoming technologies could assist in keeping
the air that flows around the world, clean when it passes over London the UK. (WTF?!!!)

It's basically a nod from a current Government to the hippies that protest in the capital, saying the anecdotal
jet-pack and hover-boots we promised your grandparents will be arriving soon... just like they said back in the
60's.
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#28
Here's what the UK Government call the 'UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations'

The government’s ambition for a better environment and cleaner air.
1. We pledge to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it.

2. Clean air is one of the most basic requirements of a healthy environment for us all to live, work, and bring up families.
Whilst air quality has improved significantly in recent decades, and will continue to improve thanks to the action we have
already taken, there are some parts of our country where there are unacceptable levels of air pollution. 
This can come from a range of different sources and activities.
Many everyday activities such as industrial processes, farming, transport, generating energy and heating homes can have
a detrimental effect on air quality. This is a problem we need to tackle.

What the government is doing to deliver clean air.

3. The government has already taken significant action to improve air quality. The UK was the first country in the world to
announce in 2011 our intention that conventional car and van sales would end by 2040, and for almost every car and van
on the road to be a zero emission vehicle by 2050.
The UK is already a leader in Europe in terms of electric vehicle manufacture and  uptake. In 2016 UK manufactured Nissan
Leafs accounted for almost 20% of battery electric car sales across Europe and the UK had the highest sales of battery
electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the EU.

4. We are already committed to investing over £2.7 billion overall in air quality and cleaner transport. This includes:

• £1 billion – ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs).  This includes investing nearly £100m in the UK’s charging infrastructure
and funding the Plug In Car and Plug In Van Grant Schemes. 
• £290 million – National Productivity Investment Fund. In the Autumn Statement 2016, a further £290 million was committed
for reducing transport emissions which includes £60 million for new buses and £40 million for bus retrofits, £50 million for a
Plug In Taxi programme and £80 million for ULEV charging infrastructure. 
• £11 million – Air Quality Grant. We have awarded over £11 million under our Air Quality Grant scheme to help local authorities
improve air quality. 
• £89 million – Green Bus Fund. The UK government has invested a total of almost £89 million via the Green Bus Fund to
help bus companies and local authorities in England to put over 1,200 new low carbon buses on the roads.
• £27 million – Clean Bus Technology Fund and Clean Vehicle Technology Fund. Since 2013, government has awarded over
£27 million to retrofit almost 3,000 of the oldest vehicles (mainly buses) including through the Clean Bus Technology Fund and
the Clean Vehicle Technology Fund.
• £1.2 billion – Cycling and walking. In April 2017, the UK government published its Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy
which identifies £1.2 billion which may be invested in cycling and walking from 2016-2021. 
• £100 million – National road network. Through the Road Investment Strategy, the UK government has allocated a ring-fenced
£100 million for an Air Quality Fund available through to 2021 for Highways England to help improve air quality on its network.

5. We are developing further measures and will set these out in: 
a. the Clean Growth Plan which the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy will bring forward in the autumn.
b. a further strategy on the pathway to zero emission transport for all road vehicles to be published by March 2018. 
c. a wider Clean Air Strategy in 2018 setting out how we will meet our international commitments to significantly reduce
emissionsof five damaging air pollutants by 2020, and 2030.

Although air pollution has improved, it still poses an urgent health problem.
6. The shift to ultra-low and zero emission vehicles is well under way, and will continue to gather pace over the coming years
as we move towards 2040, by which point the government will end the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars
and vans.

This shift will resolve our air quality problem as combustion engines gradually disappear from the streets of our towns and
cities, some as soon as the early 2020s. However, this will not happen quickly enough and the impact that air pollution
continues to have on the health of this nation means we must do more, sooner.

7. We therefore have a clear ambition and policy agenda to improve air quality, backed up with significant investment.
Air quality has improved significantly in recent decades.
Since 1970 sulphur dioxide emissions have decreased by 95%, particulate matter by 73%, and nitrogen oxides by 69%.
Total UK emissions of nitrogen oxides fell by a further 19% between 2010 and 2015. 

8. However, poor air quality persists in certain areas of the country as a direct result of the failure of the European regulatory
system to deliver expected improvements in vehicle emissions. Standards on vehicle engines (known as “Euro Standards”),
which should have led to major reductions in emissions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from vehicles, failed to deliver, particularly
for diesel vehicles, whose “real world” emissions have proven to be many times higher than laboratory tests.

Diesel vehicles on our roads are causing harmful emissions far above what was assumed and contributing to pollution levels
that continue to be damaging to public health. Additionally, the Volkswagen scandal showed that deliberate cheating of the
emissions tests was built into some vehicles.

If those Euro standards had delivered as they were supposed to, we would by now have most of the UK within the legal air
quality limits. We need to take specific further action in order to address the immediate health risks presented by poor air
quality in particular parts of the country.

9. There is increasing evidence that air quality has an important effect on public health, the economy, and the environment.
According to Public Health England, poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK.
Evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that older people, children, people with preexisting lung and heart
conditions, and people on lower incomes may be most at risk.

10. Evidence collated by Defra, Public Health England and the Local Government Association shows that short-term exposure
to high levels of air pollution can cause a range of adverse health effects including exacerbation of asthma, effects on lung function,
increases in hospital admissions and mortality. A review by the World Health Organization concludes that long-term exposure to air
pollution reduces life expectancy by increasing deaths from lung, heart and circulatory conditions.

There is emerging evidence from the Royal College of Physicians (amongst others) of possible links with a range of other adverse
health effects including diabetes, cognitive decline and dementia, and effects on the unborn child.

11. As well as having an effect on life-expectancy, air quality also impacts other aspects of health, productivity and wellbeing.
Although it is difficult to quantify the economic impact of poor air quality with precision, research commissioned by Defra estimated 
that in 2012, poor air quality had a total cost of up to £2.7 billion through its impact on productivity.

12. In addition to affecting health, air quality also impacts the environment. Between 2013 and 2015, 44% of sensitive habitats across
the UK were estimated to be at risk of significant harm from acidity and 63% from nitrogen deposition.
It has also been found that ozone effects ecosystems (by reducing carbon uptake and biomass in sensitive plants and trees) and on
agriculture (where crop production has been found to be reduced by up to 9%).

13. Further research continues to improve understanding of the health, economic and environmental effects of air pollution, and although
the evidence is subject to change,  there is substantial evidence on the health impacts from particulate matter and there is a compelling
and growing body of evidence on the effects from other pollutants particularly nitrogen dioxide.

14. We must take action now to tackle NO2 pollution.  Air pollution predominantly affects those living in our major towns and cities due
to the concentration of vehicles and other sources of pollution. This continues to have an unnecessary and avoidable impact on people’s
health, particularly amongst the elderly, people with pre-existing lung and heart conditions, the young, and those on lower incomes.   

The government’s solution.

15. Unlike greenhouse gases, the risk from NO2 is focused in particular places: it is the build-up of pollution in a particular area that
increases the concentration in the air and the associated risks. So intervention needs to be targeted to problem areas, fewer than
100 major roads which national modelling suggests will continue to have air pollution problems in 2021, mostly in cities and towns.

The effort to reduce NO2 also needs to be targeted on the sources that make the biggest contribution to the problem: road vehicles
contribute about 80% of NO2 pollution at the roadside and growth in the number of diesel cars has exacerbated this problem. 

16. Given the local nature of the problem, local action is needed to achieve improvements in air quality. As the UK improves air quality
nationally, air quality hotspots are going to become even more localised and the importance of action at a local level will increase.
Local knowledge is vital to finding solutions for air quality problems that are suited to local areas and the communities and businesses
affected. A leading role for local authorities is therefore essential. 

17. But we also recognise the need for strong national leadership.  We will set a clear national framework for the steps that local
authorities need to take. We will provide direct financial support to enable local authorities to develop and implement their plans,
and pursue national measures to reinforce their efforts. And we will require those local plans to be developed and implemented at
pace so that air quality limits are achieved within the shortest time possible. 

18. In developing their local plans to tackle the causes of air pollution, local authorities should consider a wide range of innovative
options, exploring new technologies and seeking to support the government’s industrial strategy so that they can deliver reduced
emissions in a way that best meets the needs of their communities and local businesses.

[PLEASE NOTE, I HAVE UNDERLINED THE RELEVANT SENTENCE BELOW FOR OUR DISCCUSSION]

Their plans could include a wide range of measures such as: changing road layouts at congestion and air pollution pinch points;
encouraging public and private uptake of ULEVs; using innovative retrofitting technologies and new fuels; and, encouraging the
use of public transport.

If these measures are not sufficient, local plans could include access restrictions on vehicles, such as charging zones or measures
to prevent certain vehicles using particular roads at particular times.
However, local authorities should bear in mind such access restrictions would only be necessary for a limited period and should be
lifted once legal compliance is achieved and there is no risk of legal limits being breached again.

19. We will help local authorities by:  
• Setting up a £255m Implementation Fund, available to support local authorities to prepare their plans and deliver targeted action
to improve air quality. This funding will support the immediate work to conduct feasibility studies and develop and deliver local plans.
£40 million will be made available immediately to support local authorities to take action to improve air quality in the shortest time
possible.
 
• Establishing a Clean Air Fund, which will allow local authorities to bid for additional money to support the implementation of
measures to improve air quality. This could include interventions such as improvements to local bus fleets, support for
concessionary travel and more sustainable modes of transport such as cycling, or infrastructure changes.

These interventions could enable local authorities to avoid the imposition of restrictions on vehicles, such as charging zones.
To ensure the Fund fits the specific needs of each local area there will be a competitive process through which local authorities
bid for support. Further details will be announced later in the year.  

• £100 million for retrofitting and new low emission buses.
As announced in the 2016 Autumn Statement, the government will provide this funding for a national programme of support
for low emission buses in England and Wales, including hundreds of new low emission buses and retrofitting of thousands
of older buses. 

The government believes that continued development, promotion and implementation of innovative retrofit technology
will be an important element of reducing emissions of NOx and will help bridge the gap in the journey towards zero emissions
by 2050.
At a local level, the UK government expects local authorities to consider the impact retrofitting could have on their pollution
levels and meeting local air quality objectives. We will set out further plans for how local authorities can access this funding
later in the summer. 

20. The government is clear that we must maintain discipline on public spending.  Measures to improve air quality will therefore
be funded through changes to the tax treatment for new diesel vehicles, or through reprioritisation within existing departmental
budgets.
Further details on changes to the tax regime will be announced later in the year.

Delivering cleaner air in the shortest time possible.

21. It is vital that action is taken in the shortest time possible to improve air quality in those areas where air pollution is
above legal limits. The government has previously said that relevant local authorities will have up to 18 months to produce
their plans. In order to inject additional urgency into this process, we will now require local authorities to set out initial plans
8 months from now, by the end of March 2018. These will be followed by final plans by the end of December 2018.
To assist local authorities in meeting these timescales, we will ensure they can immediately draw on our Implementation
Fund, as well as central government expertise.
 
22. Government will assess local plans to ensure they are effective, fair, good value, and deliver the necessary air quality
compliance.
Government will provide feedback on local authorities’ initial plans and will decide whether or not to approve final plans.
A local plan will only be approved by government, and thus be considered for appropriate funding support, if:  
a. it is likely to cause NO2 levels in the area to reach legal compliance within the shortest time possible;  
b. the effects and impacts on local residents and businesses have been assessed, including on disadvantaged groups,
and there are no unintended consequences; and, 
c. proposals that require central government funding demonstrate value for money. 

23. If the government deems a local plan not to be sufficient, we will require local authorities to implement the measures
necessary in their area to deliver the necessary improvement in the shortest time possible.

Impact on individuals.

24. This package of measures will support delivery of our obligations on air quality in the shortest time possible.
We are clear, however, that this must be done in a way that does not unfairly penalise ordinary working families who bought
diesel vehicles in good faith. This includes those people who purchased diesel vehicles following tax changes made by
previous governments which focused on fuel economy and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, rather than NO2 emissions

25. Our evidence suggests that exceedances in NO2 are highly localised -limited, for the most part, to a few problem roads
rather than an entire town or city centre.  The plans put forward by local authorities should reflect this, ensuring that measures
are carefully targeted to minimise their impact on local residents and businesses – and government will be scrutinising local
authority plans on this basis.

26. Where there are no other viable options to reduce air pollution to legally-permissible levels in the shortest possible time,
some local authorities may decide to introduce access restrictions on vehicles, such as charging zones or other measures to
prevent certain vehicles using particular roads at particular times.

The Mayor of London has already announced that the GLA will introduce new charges on those using diesel vehicles in central
London. While local authorities may deem such action to be necessary, support should be available to the owners of affected
vehicles. 

27. We will not know the degree to which local plans will impact residents and individuals until local authorities come forward
with their plans.
In the meantime, the government will work with local authorities and others to consider how to help minimise the impact of such
measures on local businesses, residents and those travelling into towns and cities to work where such action is necessary; and
will issue a further consultation in autumn to aid development and assessment of options.

The measures considered in that consultation will include options to support motorists:
in particular private car drivers on lower incomes, or those who may have to switch to a cleaner vehicle.
Options considered could include retrofitting, subsidised car club membership, exemptions and discounts from any restrictions,
permit schemes for vans or concessionary bus travel.

28. A targeted scrappage scheme will also be considered in this consultation focussing on certain groups of drivers who
most need support (such as those on lower incomes or those living in the immediate vicinity of a Clean Air Zone) and providing
an incentive to switch to a cleaner vehicle.

29. Following the consultation on the draft Plan, it is clear that a number of issues remain with such mitigation options
and in particular with scrappage schemes – analysis of previous schemes has shown poor value for the taxpayer and
that they are open to a degree of fraud.

We welcome views from stakeholders in the forthcoming consultation on whether it is possible to overcome these issues,
alongside any wider options that should be considered. All proposals considered for government support would need to
demonstrate that support can be targeted to those who need it most and that any scheme could be delivered effectively with
minimal risk of fraud or abuse.
Proposals considered would also need to demonstrate that they offer clear value for taxpayer’s money.

Finally, given all measures will be funded by relevant taxes on new diesel cars alongside existing departmental budgets,
proposals put forward would need to be fair to the taxpayers who would fund any measures.
 
Making the UK a global leader in air quality 30. We want vehicle manufacturers to show that they can be part of the solution
as well as the problem. The UK led the way in Europe in pushing for tough new type approval standards for cars and vans,
including the ‘real world’ driving emissions tests that start to take effect from September this year, alongside tougher laboratory
tests.
We want to be absolutely sure that these new standards will deliver, and that we see a significant reduction in harmful emissions
from new models of cars and vans.  

31. These new standards have no effect on existing vehicles on the road, many of which – even some of the newest models
-show harmful emissions levels many times greater than the test limits. We have set up a Market Surveillance Unit to increase
the checks that we carry out to ensure that new and existing vehicles on UK roads meet the standards that they were approved to.
We will continue to examine all steps that could be taken to ensure manufacturers rectify these failings.

32. As we leave the EU, we want the UK to be a world leader in low emission transport, and will look for opportunities to
strengthen further the controls on vehicle emissions which deliver both for the environment and for drivers.

33. We will also move forward with the transition to cleaner technologies and electric vehicles. Our new Automated and
Electric Vehicles Bill will enable the UK to retain its position as a global leader in the market for electric vehicles.
This will allow the government to require the installation of charge points for electric vehicles at motorway service areas
and large fuel retailers, and to make it even easier to use electric vehicle chargepoints across the UK.
This drive towards cleaner technology and zero emission transport will be reinforced by both the Clean Growth Plan and
the Industrial Strategy, including investment in science and innovation through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

SOURCE
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#29
Gordi was correct, by the way... in a document that's supposed to benefit the entire realm
of the United Kingdom, only one city and it's Mayor is mentioned specifically.
London.

The information above is about tackling a debatable problem that -with the dangling lure of funding,
Councils around the UK will have to sort out. The idea is to 'encourage' not ban fossil-fuel-driven cars
because if you ban something and somebody breaks that ban, they've broken the law... they have
committed a crime through a possible economically-driven decision that may have been caused by the
very Government issuing the ban!
I would wager that the mainstream media would have something to say about that wouldn't they?!

The media left-out the 'van' detail because they knew that businesses would be up in arms if they were
forced through a 'ban' to swap out their current vehicles for the save-the-dolphins ones.
Especially at this tender time of Brexit.
(Were the media asked to omit that part...?!)

When Trump says 'Fake News'... sometimes the news is just 'not-news' dressed news!

That's what I was getting at, the way the many news outlets broadcast this plan in a manner
that would cause anyone with any type of concern to investigate further. The same outlets
would've been hoping that investigation would mainly involve purchasing their own particular
newspaper the next day and maybe the next.

And how does the electric car work...? Well, the media tells you how to plug one in and how it's
quiet, saves the dolphin and would be something the Jetsons would condone.
But they don't tell how the energy is utilised, they might explain how a hybrid works, but they
don't say how an electric car works.
Why...? Because they were more bothered in the simplistic suggestion of plugging a car into
a electrical mains socket rather than offer any merits a futuristic idea may have.

The ratings were the factor in this instance, not the precise, unbiased reporting of information.

Hacks off the stage, please!!

Current technology:
'The 3 main components of electric car are :- Electric motor, Controller and Battery.

When you switch on the car, the current is passed from the battery.
The controller takes power from the battery and passes it on to the electric motor.
Before passing the current to motor, the controller converts the 300V DC into a maximum of 240 volts AC,
2 phase power which is suitable for motor.

The electric motor then converts electrical energy to mechanical energy.
The mechanical energy moves the vehicle forward.
Controller stands as the buyer of power from battery and gives out put power to motor accordingly.
Variable potentiometers are connected between accelerator and the controller.

These potentiometers tell the controller how much power it is supposed to deliver.
When the accelerator is released it delivers 0V and when they are fully pressed, it gives maximum output.

In terms of battery, there are various batteries to choose from :-

Lithium ion batteries : Lithium ion batteries gives extra performance, range and carry highest price tag.
They are lighter than Lead acid and Nickel metal.
These are the batteries that are used to store data in digital camera or smart phone.
Lead acid battery : These batteries are the most popular, cheapest and 97% recyclable.
Nickel metal hydride batteries : They are cost much more than lead acid but provide higher
output and better performance.

As the electric car moves, the forward momentum generated by electric motor can be used to charge
the batteries when you apply the brakes.
This is a phenomenon commonly referred to as regenerative braking and can recover up to about 15% of
used energy for acceleration.
This is done by applying generated momentum in braking process to the car batteries.
As much as this is effective, it does not however generate enough to fully recharge the car fully to run it.
Therefore, the important thing that it does is extending the distance you can drive with the charge battery...'

SOURCE:

Oh... and by the way, I don't know how to drive!
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#30
@"BIAD"  DAMN!!!  minusculespooked
Once A Rogue, Always A Rogue!
[Image: attachment.php?aid=936]
#31
(07-31-2017, 01:34 PM)guohua Wrote: @"BIAD"  DAMN!!!  minusculespooked

Once more, I agree... we are damned!
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#32
It's gimmick-time in old London town with a complete absence of concern whilst in the EU, the capital
-based media are crowing out a scare-tactic announcement regarding pollution in a small area of the
city.

How can we put we put a stop to lung-squeezing vehicle pollution, you ask...? Well, take money of people
that's how. This makes the vehicle fumes go away.
It's like magic... third-world magic to be precise. You pay £10 ($13.18) a day -including a congestion
charge (£11.50/$15.16) of course and the terrible fumes just... well, just disappears somewhere.

Mayor Khan was wandering the capital's streets with the BBC on Monday morning and explaining how
lickle babies are struggling with under-developed lungs and briefcase-carrying adults endure sufferance
wth asthma.

One can only presume that after discussing the sudden-appearance of this coughing killer with the medical
profession, the small-statured Sadiq realised that ten quid was the cure.
The hardest part was keeping a straight face with all of this when it was suggested 'rolling this out' across
the United Kingdom.

T-Charge: New London traffic charge comes into force.


Quote:'Drivers of older, more polluting vehicles will have to pay almost twice as much to drive in central London.
Mayor Sadiq Khan's £10 T-Charge, which mainly applies to diesel and petrol vehicles registered before
2006, has come into force.

[Image: attachment.php?aid=2693]


It covers the same area as the existing congestion charge zone, bumping up the cost to £21.50 for those
affected. Opponents said the scheme would "disproportionately penalise London's poorest drivers"...'


F*ck 'em. They're poor, probably smell and probably don't understand Elon Musk's directive anyway.
After the appearance of the 'fat-berg' in London sewers, it will be prudent to stop England's only tourist
-trap from becoming Calcutta and Sadiq is on the case. Charge the rich -or few, as Jeremy Corbyn
calls them.

Quote:'...The measure is the latest attempt by Mr Khan to improve air quality in the capital and according to the
mayor's office, will impact 34,000 motorists a month...'


Oh yes, it'll impact them alright. Think about how much real truck-connected industry goes on in London
against how much banking and other office work is there. Plumber, builders and repairmen will all put this
added cost onto their bills and for the high-wage earners in the City, it will be inconvenient until they come
up with a tax-deductible scheme.

For the low-paid migrants that enjoy filling the drains with their kebab-waste, it means their businesses
will either close or they'll be forced to move out of London. Wait a mo... that couldn't be the plan from all
along, could it? Nah.


Quote:'...Speaking on the Today programme, Mr Khan said: "We've got a health crisis in London caused by the poor
quality air. "Roughly speaking each year more than 9,000 Londoners die prematurely because of the poor
quality air - children in our city whose lungs are underdeveloped, with adults who suffer from conditions such
as asthma, dementia and strokes directly caused by poor quality air."

However, Simon Birkett, from the campaign group Clean Air London, does not believe the move goes far enough.
"The Mayor has pledged in his manifesto to restore London's air quality to legal and safe limits and that means
he has to do a whole lot more.
"We want him to take steps which are bigger, stronger an smarter."...'


What about the push to move the public to buy diesel vehicles instead of petrol-ones, a few years back...?
Why -if diesel pollution is such a terrible thing, did the mainstream media not flag-up the problem then?!


Quote:'...Mr Khan has described the introduction of the T-Charges as "part of a package of measures" being
undertaken. Many people have taken to social media to express their views on the new levy.
Daniel McGuiness said on Twitter: "T-Charge, it's a start but there's still a long way to go in tackling the public
health emergency that is our filthy air. #CleanAir"...'


One view, eh BBC? One f*ckin' view and that one a positive! Whatever happened to corrupt Journalism instead
of today's incompetent, dispassionate set of hacks?


Quote:'...From Monday 23 October, there will be a £10 daily fee for those who drive more polluting vehicles in the
congestion charging zone, on top of the existing £11.50 congestion charge.
Vehicles which do not comply with the Euro IV exhaust standard must pay the charge.

The standard defines emissions limits for cars, vans, buses, coaches and lorries. Most vehicles registered before
2006 are likely to exceed these limits.
The zone will operate between 07:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday.
Find out if your car is affected with TfL's T-Charge checker.

The T-Charge is the first of a series of new rates being introduced in London.
It is due to be replaced by a stricter Ultra-Low Emission Zone in 2020, although Mr Khan is consulting on bringing
this forward to 2019. This will mean diesel cars registered before September 2015 and petrol cars registered before
2006 will face a £12.50 charge...'

Musk must be rubbing his hands in glee!

Quote:'...The mayor hopes to expand the area covered for cars and vans up to the North and South Circular roads in 2021.
City authorities in Birmingham, Leeds, Southampton, Derby and Nottingham have also been advised to impose charges
for some polluting diesel vehicles by 2020, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.

To tackle air pollution, Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council proposed a ban on petrol and diesel cars
from travelling in the city from 2020.

Paris, Grenoble and Lyon introduced an emission sticker scheme in January which splits vehicles into six different
groups depending on their Euro Emissions standard. Vehicles deemed too polluting - which includes petrol and
diesel-powered cars registered before 1997 - are not granted a sticker, banning them from driving in the city during
certain times.

Sue Terpilowski, from the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "The introduction of the T-Charge, comes at a time
when small and micro-businesses in London are already facing astonishingly high property, employment and logistics
costs.
"There is a fear that this will be the final straw that closes businesses and takes jobs."...'


Yep, it's to clear the immigrants out of Mega-City One and give them to the wastelands beyond Watford.
They say there's people still alive outside of London.

Quote:'...Shaun Bailey, conservative environment spokesman at the London Assembly, said: "As an asthmatic I'm well aware of
how critical an issue this is for London but we need policies that actually deliver progress.
"By boasting about a policy that so disproportionately penalises London's poorest drivers and puts jobs at risk, the mayor
 is simply blowing more smoke into the capital's already-polluted atmosphere."...'

It still confuses me how all this awful pollution has suddenly arrived in London. There was no mention of it before Brexit!
On the pro-side, this cost will certainly dissuade any would-be terrorist in a van laden with explosives and hopefully,
those in the Parliament can sleep easier in the offices now.


Quote:'...Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner Jenny Bates said: "Clearly the last thing individuals want is a new charge
for moving around, but the grim reality is that nearly 10,000 early deaths are caused in London each year by the capital's
toxic air, so the Mayor is right to try to dissuade drivers bringing the oldest, dirtiest vehicles into central London.

"It's only one small step towards clean air though - we urgently need a programme of meaningful financial assistance to
help drivers of the dirtiest vehicles switch to something cleaner, and bold policies to cut traffic over all."
The mayor is also seeking new powers to ban wood burning in the most polluted areas of the capital.
When asked if wood-burning-stoves would be banned entirely, Mr Khan told the Today programme the problem was with
the material that was being burnt and a lack of maintenance rather than the stoves themselves...'
SOURCE:

So I wonder which media outlet will be first to announce a large designated cable to run across the polluted countryside
from a new nuclear plant  directly into the grand-old city of London. Caliphate -just ahead, chaps!


Quote:Exemptions
Motorcycles, mopeds and scooters that are exempt from the Congestion Charge are also exempt from the T-Charge.

Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are exempt from paying the Congestion Charge and the T-Charge when actively
licensed with TfL. The exemption for PHVs only applies to private hire bookings.

Other exemptions include:
Vehicles with a historic tax class (40 years and older) and/or commercial vehicles manufactured before 1973.
These vehicles continue to be subject to the Congestion Charge.
Two-wheeled motorbikes (and sidecars) and mopeds that are exempt from the Congestion Charge.
Emergency service vehicles, such as ambulances and fire engines, which have a taxation class of 'ambulance' or
'fire engine' on the date of travel.
NHS vehicles exempt from vehicle excise duty, and Ministry of Defence vehicles.

Roadside recovery vehicles and accredited breakdown vehicles registered for a 100% discount from the Congestion Charge.
Specialist off-road vehicles such as tractors and mobile cranes (that are exempt from Low Emission Zone)
Transport Of London:


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Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#33
There's been a slight hiccup on the road to driver-less vehicles and a future where gas is no longer
needed -along with a driver, may have had the brakes put on.

Quote:Uber halts self-driving car tests after death.

'Uber said it is suspending self-driving car tests in all North American cities after a fatal accident.
A 49-year-old woman was hit by a car and killed as she crossed the street in Tempe, Arizona.

[Image: attachment.php?aid=3405]


While self-driving cars have been involved in multiple accidents, it is thought to be the first time an
autonomous car has been involved in a fatal collision.
Uber chief Dara Khosrowshahi said the death was "incredibly sad news".

"We're thinking of the victim's family as we work with local law enforcement to understand what
happened," he said in a tweet. Police said the accident happened Sunday night while the car was
in autonomous mode. A human monitor was also behind the wheel.

Police said the woman, Elaine Herzberg, had not been using a pedestrian crossing.
She was taken to a local hospital, where she died.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board
said they were sending teams to Tempe.

'Wake up call'
Companies including Ford, General Motors, Tesla and Waymo are investing heavily in research to
develop self-driving cars, which are often characterised as the future of the industry and hailed as a
way to reduce traffic accidents.

Many states across America have welcomed the tests in the hope of keeping themselves at the forefront
of new technology.
However, there have been warnings that the technology is being deployed before it is ready.

Anthony Foxx, who served as US Secretary of Transportation under former President Barack Obama,
called the accident a "wake up call to the entire [autonomous vehicle] industry and government to put a
high priority on safety."

More than a dozen states in the US allow autonomous vehicles on the roads to some degree.
Officials typically require a person to be on hand either in the car or remotely in case something goes
wrong, according to the Center for Automotive Research.

The US is working on national safety guidelines for such vehicles.
Consumer Watchdog, a lobby group that has warned of the risks of autonomous cars, on Monday called
for a moratorium of such vehicles on public roads, describing the accident as a "tragedy we have been
fighting years to prevent".

"We hope our calls for real regulation of driverless cars will be taken seriously going forward by Silicon
Valley and the Trump Administration," the group wrote on Twitter. Uber started testing driverless cars in
Pittsburgh in 2016. The ride-hailing firm has also been testing driverless cars in San Francisco, Pittsburgh,
Toronto and the Phoenix area, which includes Tempe.

The death comes a year after Uber took its self-driving cars off the road following an accident that left a
Volvo SUV on its side in Arizona. The programme was later reinstated.

Carla Bailo, president and chief executive of the Center for Automotive Research, said more information
about how the crash occurred is necessary before officials can say what went wrong and how the self-driving
system should be improved.
She also said the fatality should be considered in the context of all accidents.

More than 37,000 people, including almost 6,000 pedestrians, died in traffic accidents in the US in 2016,
according to the US Department of Transportation.
"We need to be fair and look at all the data," she said. "But I don't think anybody is taking this lightly.
By far safety is the first concern."...'
SOURCE:


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Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 
#34
I just saw this news in a video done by Destroying the Illusion. 

Was the driver just not paying attention, or could he not control the car while it was in auto mode?

Sad.  Robots are killing people.
#35
(03-19-2018, 11:01 PM)Mystic Wanderer Wrote: ...Sad.  Robots are killing people.

Teething problems still dog driver-less cars. But as some heartless experts say, you can't make an omelette...

Quote:Tesla in fatal California crash was on Autopilot.

'Electric carmaker Tesla says a vehicle involved in a fatal crash in California was in Autopilot mode,
raising further questions about the safety of self-driving technology.
One of the company's Model X cars crashed into a roadside barrier and caught fire on 23 March.

[Image: attachment.php?aid=3471]


Tesla says the 38-year-old driver, who died shortly afterwards, had activated Autopilot moments before
the accident. But they did not say whether the system had detected the concrete barrier.

"The driver had received several visual and one audible hands-on warning earlier in the drive,"
a statement on the company's website said. "The driver's hands were not detected on the wheel for
six seconds prior to the collision."

"The driver had about five seconds and 150m (490ft) of unobstructed view of the concrete divider...
but the vehicle logs show that no action was taken," the statement added.

Tesla's Autopilot system does some of the things a fully autonomous machine can do. It can brake,
accelerate and steer by itself under certain conditions, but it is classified as a driver assistance system,
is not intended to operate independently and as such the driver is meant to have their hands on the
wheel at all times.

In 2016, a Tesla driver was killed in Florida when his car failed to spot a lorry crossing its path.
It led the company to introduce new safety measures, including turning off Autopilot and bringing the
car to a halt if the driver lets go of the wheel for too long.

Federal investigators said last year that Tesla "lacked understanding" of the semi-autonomous Autopilot's
limitations. The accident in California comes at a difficult time for self-driving technology.

Earlier this month, Uber was forbidden from resuming self-driving tests in the US state of Arizona.
It followed a fatal crash in the state in which an autonomous vehicle hit a woman who was walking her
bike across the road.

It was thought to be the first time an autonomous car had been involved in a fatal collision with a pedestrian.
The company suspended all self-driving tests in North America after the accident...'
SOURCE:


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Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe. 


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