I hope the Obama administration doesn't see this!!!

Imagine forcing all private vehicles in the U.S. to have GPS so the
government can see where they're going and how far they are driving.
And then.. They can tax them... All in the name of global warming.

This is what happens when sheep stop questioning the shepherd.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.244057bd1b30448115575c2187e68681.141&show_article=1

----------------
Netherlands to levy 'green' road tax by the kilometre

The Dutch government said Friday it wants to introduce a "green" road tax
by the kilometre from 2012 aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 10
percent and halving congestion.

"Each vehicle will be equipped with a GPS device that tracks how many
kilometres are driven and when and where. This data will be then be sent
to a collection agency that will send out the bill," the transport
ministry said in a statement.

Ownership and sales taxes, about a quarter of the cost of a new car, will
be scrapped and replaced by the "price per kilometre" system aimed at
cutting the Netherlands' carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent.

"Traffic jams will be halved and it helps the environment," the ministry
said.

Dutch motorists driving a standard family saloon will be charged 3 euro
cents per kilometre (seven US cents per mile) in 2012. That would increase
to 6.7 cents (16 US cents per mile) in 2018, according to the proposed law.
-------------------

jasi wrote:

GPS is a passive system, however, it can be couple with cell phone,
but is not necessarily so in vehicles.

Enter Google; Exit Microsoft, Stage Left
http://www.gpsworld.com/lbs/enter-google-exit-microsoft-stage-left-912=
8?print=3D1

November 11, 2009
By: Kevin Dennehy
LBS Insider Newsletter, November 2009

Google Maps Navigation will change the way the location-based services in=
dustry does=20
business. How it will change the industry remains to be seen, but a major=
player offering=20
the same services for free that companies are now enjoying much profit fr=
om is very=20
disconcerting.

In other company news, MSN Direct=92s use of unused FM radio spectrum was=
a great idea in=20
2004. It effectively used unused portions of the FM radio spectrum to del=
iver such=20
location-based services as real-time traffic, weather, and other content.=
It was a victim=20
of low-cost and evolving technology for LBS delivery. Having Microsoft in=
volved in LBS was=20
a big shot in the arm for the industry. However, it remains to be seen wh=
at the company=92s=20
plans are to continue in the LBS space in the near future.

Despite industry observers and competitors who say otherwise, Google=92s =
launch of its=20
Google Maps Navigation product will clearly change the players, services =
offered, and=20
financial stability of the location-based services market. The service, w=
hile being touted=20
as free, still requires initial users on the Verizon system to have requi=
site voice and=20
data plans.

With such capability as turn-by-turn navigation, voice guidance, and auto=
matic re-routing,=20
Google Maps Navigation is no entry-level app that competitors should igno=
re. Google Maps=20
Navigation initially is being offered on the Android 2.0 series devices.

Companies have seen this type of service coming from Google for a long ti=
me and predicted=20
some dire times for both personal navigation device (PND) companies and h=
andset navigation=20
vendors who offer services in a very lucrative market.

Some say that Google, which dropped Tele Atlas as its mapping company for=
North America in=20
early October (though kept the company=92s mapping data for international=
markets), will=20
make money off of location-based ads that are sold in conjunction with th=
e navigation=20
solution. The company purchased mobile advertising company, AdMob, for $7=
50 million,=20
though it is not known whether it AdMob will be joining the location-base=
d advertising=20
fray in conjunction with Google Maps Navigation =97 but the speculation i=
s there.

Stay tuned, the fireworks and fallout from this announcement are yet to b=
e determined.

MSN Direct to Be Shut Down in 2012
Microsoft=92s recent decision to shut down MSN Direct in early 2012 not o=
nly means that a=20
major company=92s location-based services offering is going away, but als=
o signals that the=20
way LBS is delivered is rapidly evolving. MSN Direct, launched in early =
2004, was offered=20
on several navigation devices, such as Garmin=92s Nuvi line.

MSN Direct works with unused FM radio spectrum to broadcast such data as =
real-time=20
traffic, weather, stock quotes, and local gas prices. Microsoft said that=
the demand for=20
the service had decreased significantly with the rise of Wi-Fi cellular, =
FM RDS (Radio=20
Data System), and other digital networks.

The data networks that deliver traffic and other content to mobile and in=
-car devices are=20
going through a significant evolution, said Scott Sedlik, Inrix=92 vice p=
resident of=20
marketing. =93MSN Direct was an innovative service early on and did provi=
de value-added=20
information, but ultimately is a casualty of getting stuck between other =
networks that=20
were able to deliver more scale=85less expensively.=94

Sedlik said that RDS-TMC (Traffic Message Service) continues to be the do=
minant broadcast=20
network for delivering traffic in North America and Europe. =93Clear Chan=
nel=92s Total Traffic=20
Network has the broadcast adoption with more than 1 million subs from BMW=
, Mini, TomTom=20
and other PNDs, OEMs. Navteq=92s RDS-TMC network has grown from a few tho=
usand subs to=20
several hundred thousand based on their ad-supported model that is bundle=
d with Garmin=20
PNDs at retail,=94 he said.

Sedlik said that XM/Sirius traffic data services, delivered via satellite=
, have had some=20
success in automotive. =93However, the high subscription price and Siriu=
s=92 financial=20
stability have created significant concerns at auto OEMs regarding the lo=
ng-term viability=20
of the services,=94 he said. =93HD radio broadcast data services, and [Di=
gital Audio=20
Broadcasting] in Europe, are still in their infancy, but are expected to =
deliver broadcast=20
services next year. MSN Direct ultimately got squeezed between the vario=
us business=20
models and content of these one-way broadcast services.=94

While one-way broadcast services may be dominant right now, the end-game =
is two-way=20
connectivity for delivery of traffic, navigation, and other services, Sed=
lik said. =93The=20
iPhone and, soon, Android-based devices are creating a revolution in the =
classical mobile=20
value chains. They are spurring intense adoption of GPS-enable smartphone=
s,=94 he said.=20
=93Two-way connectivity and the evolving value chain allow application de=
velopers, and OEMs,=20
to deliver incredibly rich, up-to-date, and personalized traffic, navigat=
ion, weather and=20
other content in ways that were previously not financially viable.=94

Microsoft said it will provide pro-rated refunds for existing MSN Direct =
customers,=20
including those in a one-time payment program.

So while MSN Direct is shutting down, Sedlik predicts that RDS-TMC contin=
ues to grow in=20
the next few years in terms of overall subscriptions, but will ultimately=
decline over=20
time. He said that HD radio will gain some adoption, particularly in auto=
motive to steal a=20
share of the market from satellite operators. =93GPRS and GSM, as well as=
hyrbird HD/GPRS=20
solutions, will gain the majority of the market opportunity,=94 he said.

Echoing Sedlik=92s remarks about the rise of the smartphone as the platfo=
rm of choice to=20
deliver traffic and other content, Andre Gueziec, Beat the Traffic CEO an=
d founder, said=20
that wireless data plans are going down in cost for 3G and 4G service. =93=
We see the=20
smartphone as the key client for traffic information. We are moving aggre=
ssively with=20
consumer and white-label products for Blackberry and the iPhone,=94 he sa=
id.

=A0
,
-91...
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at the company=92s
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offered, and
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y 2004, was offered
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usand subs to
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, have had some
ius=92 financial

Do whatever they want but don't force the vehicles to slow down to
collect tolls - it's wasting gas, polluting and stupid.

Massive surveillance is more of a G.W. Bush thing then an Obama thing,
so you're probably safe.