Hard Pass

I don't expect something like this to be passed into law so long as Republicans hold a majority in Congress.

cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1158199/blue-origin-s-new-glenn-rocket-explodes-on-launchpad-at-cape-canaveral

A Blue Origin rocket exploded during a test at the launch pad Thursday night, shaking nearby homes and briefly painting the sky orange.

Blue Origin said its New Glenn rocket exploded during an engine-firing test being conducted ahead of a satellite launch planned for next week. No one was hurt, according to officials at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

"It's hard to keep track! "

Initiated by: Brent Cameron from Godfrey, Ontario

Whereas:

The Alto high-speed rail project is estimated to cost approximately between $60 billion and $90 billion, or up to roughly $9,000 per Canadian family of four

The actual construction and emissions costs to build Alto are presently unknown, and will not be known until after disruptive and costly steps have occurred, including expropriation of property along the route

History suggests high-speed rail projects in general, and similar major infrastructure projects in Canada and analogous jurisdictions in particular, have typically cost substantially more than planned, taking much longer to complete than anticipated

Alto’s public business case is based on best-case annual cost and ridership revenue projections, exposing Canadian taxpayers to large financial risks

The annual interest payments to finance Alto’s construction are likely to equal or exceed Alto’s annual revenues, even under its own best-case projections

Alto is likely to require large, annual government operational subsidies for decades

Alto will not be in full operation until 2037 at the earliest

Many municipalities through which Alto will pass, without stopping or benefitting them, have expressed opposition to the project

Alto will serve an already well-serviced transportation corridor and provide little to no benefit to Canadians outside that corridor, or to those who do not use it

Canadians will be better served by the government making smarter, less costly, less disruptive, and more limited investments to improve existing services and infrastructure.

History:

Open for signature: May 28, 2026

Closed for signature: September 25, 2026

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Initiated by: Susan Stern from Vancouver, British Columbia

Whereas:

Robert Bateman, age 96, a wildlife artist from Salt Spring Island, B.C., is renowned for his art and ecological advocacy

The mandate of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa is to showcase artists who contribute significantly to Canadian culture and identity

Despite being one of the most celebrated wildlife artists in the world, Mr. Bateman's works have never been exhibited at the National Gallery of Canada.

History:

Open for signature: May 28, 2026

Closed for signature: September 25, 2026

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Initiated by: Terri Jackman from Stayner, Ontario

Whereas:

The Department of National Defence (DND) purchased approximately 288 hectares (711 acres) of prime agricultural land in Clearview Township for a proposed Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar (A-OTHR) Preliminary Receive Site

The purchased lands overlap and are adjacent to the Minesing Wetlands, a wetland of international importance within the Nottawasaga River watershed that provides flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, water filtration, wildlife habitat, and other critical ecological functions

DND has issued solicitations to landowners regarding potential acquisition of additional lands for two Permanent Receive Sites that could remove thousands of acres of prime farmland from production

Prime agricultural land is a non-renewable national resource, and Ontario continues to lose farmland at an alarming rate

Food security is an important component of Canada's national security and agricultural lands should be protected wherever feasible alternatives exist

Changes to lands connected to sensitive wetlands may affect groundwater systems, agricultural drainage networks, species at risk, wildlife habitat, and downstream communities

Canadians support a strong national defence while expecting responsible stewardship of agricultural and environmentally sensitive lands.

History:

Open for signature: May 28, 2026

Closed for signature: September 25, 2026

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Cross posted from https://lemmy.today/post/53815538

Cross posted from https://lemmy.today/post/53815017

First tool ban is here! A new law was just signed in New York that requires blueprint blocking technology on every CNC machine, laser cutter, lathe and 3D printer. This affects everyone who makes, builds or fixes things. This isn't a firearms law. It's a manufacturing law. And they buried it in the budget because they knew exactly what it was.

cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1158035/how-enshittification-ruins-the-internet-and-much-more-feeds-filled-with-ai-slop-big-tech

Our online world is rapidly ‘enshittifying’. How do we stand up against it?

Datacentres used 22% of country’s electricity last year, pushing up household bills, study suggests

Ireland’s growing number of datacentres last year used 22% of the country’s electricity, more than all urban homes combined, according to the Central Statistics Office. The equivalent figure in the US and UK is 6%.

The centres have “drained” €715m (£620m) from the Irish economy and increased household bills by a cumulative average of €360 between 2015 and 2023, said the report commissioned by Friends of the Earth Ireland and Beyond Fossil Fuels. It argued that Irish households have been subsidising big tech via a “hidden data centre tax” on their electricity bills.

cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1157779/us-says-troops-were-targeted-with-location-data-as-senator-warns-ad-industry-is-a-nation