Urban Life

NPR

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California’s plan to phase out diesel trucks has been approved by the EPA : NPR

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Biden administration cleared the way Friday for California's plan to phase out a wide range of diesel-powered trucks, part of the state's efforts to drastically cut planet-warming emissions and improve air quality in heavy-traffic areas like ports along the coast.

The decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows California — which has some of the nation's worst air pollution — to require truck manufacturers to sell an increasing number of zero-emission trucks over the next couple of decades. The rule applies to a wide range of trucks including box trucks, semitrailers and even large passenger pick-ups.

"Under the Clean Air Act, California has longstanding authority to address pollution from cars and trucks. Today's announcement allows the state to take additional steps in reducing their transportation emissions through these new regulatory actions," said EPA Administrator Michael Regan, in a statement.

Probably the Republicans will take back the White House next year, and they'll roll it back. And then Democrats will reverse the decision in 2029 when they over the decision as they win back the White House, but we all know the direction it's going -- diesel is dying as are our fossil fuels. Cities will be so much nicer when not full of such noxious gases. Competitive elections aren't exactly good for business.

Percentage of Sedans that are Black

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Today is the Ides of March, who in 1970 made famous the idea of the friendly stranger in the black sedan in their song Vehicle, inspired by anti-drug pamphlets passed out to high-schoolers warning about such things.
 
So I thought the world needed maps of places in New York State where there is a high percentage of sedans registered that are painted black. Black sedans are particularly popular in the Bronx and Westchester, but also in New York City more generally.

 

NPR

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Tesla slashed its prices. We’re now seeing the consequences : NPR

Last month, Tesla dropped its prices dramatically — up to 20%.

Auto companies offering discounts to promote sales is nothing new, but this move sparked a lot of reaction. So what was so special about these price cuts? And what do they mean?

A lot, actually. Here's how the announcement is having ripple effects, from the impact on Tesla owners to the changes it could spur across the auto industry.

Arrests of Non-Whites vs. Non-White Population

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Arrests of Non-Whites vs. Non-White Population (2021)
A comparision of the Census Population data to arrests data in New York.
County Arrests of Non-Whites Non-White, Non-Incarcerated Population Absolute Difference Percent Difference
Albany 53.8% 31.7% 22.1% 69.6%
Allegany 12.0% 8.4% 3.6% 43.2%
Bronx 96.1% 85.9% 10.2% 11.8%
Broome 34.7% 20.2% 14.5% 71.7%
Cattaraugus 22.2% 11.6% 10.6% 91.4%
Cayuga 23.6% 10.6% 13.0% 121.9%
Chautauqua 27.3% 14.2% 13.1% 92.4%
Chemung 27.0% 15.1% 12.0% 79.5%
Chenango 5.2% 7.8% −2.6% −33.5%
Clinton 16.3% 10.2% 6.1% 59.4%
Columbia 31.5% 16.3% 15.2% 93.1%
Cortland 18.1% 11.9% 6.3% 52.7%
Delaware 14.2% 10.9% 3.2% 29.6%
Dutchess 46.8% 29.4% 17.5% 59.4%
Erie 52.9% 27.3% 25.6% 93.6%
Essex 4.9% 8.5% −3.6% −42.8%
Franklin 20.5% 14.6% 5.9% 40.1%
Fulton 14.8% 10.0% 4.8% 48.3%
Genesee 25.1% 11.8% 13.3% 112.8%
Greene 25.2% 12.9% 12.3% 95.6%
Hamilton 0.0% 6.3% −6.3% −100.0%
Herkimer 14.6% 8.1% 6.5% 79.9%
Jefferson 21.4% 17.1% 4.3% 25.4%
Kings 87.0% 62.5% 24.6% 39.3%
Lewis 3.2% 5.5% −2.3% −42.5%
Livingston 17.1% 9.7% 7.3% 75.1%
Madison 13.4% 9.6% 3.8% 40.0%
Monroe 65.1% 31.6% 33.5% 106.3%
Montgomery 38.4% 18.9% 19.5% 103.2%
Nassau 69.0% 41.5% 27.5% 66.3%
New York 86.8% 50.0% 36.8% 73.5%
Niagara 40.6% 17.4% 23.2% 133.0%
Oneida 40.7% 19.8% 21.0% 106.0%
Onondaga 53.3% 26.0% 27.3% 104.8%
Ontario 31.1% 12.1% 18.9% 156.0%
Orange 58.7% 38.2% 20.5% 53.6%
Orleans 23.8% 12.6% 11.2% 89.2%
Oswego 13.1% 8.7% 4.3% 49.6%
Otsego 14.3% 10.5% 3.8% 36.4%
Putnam 40.5% 22.8% 17.7% 77.4%
Queens 88.6% 74.2% 14.4% 19.4%
Rensselaer 41.7% 21.4% 20.3% 94.7%
Richmond 68.1% 40.4% 27.6% 68.4%
Rockland 68.1% 36.5% 31.6% 86.6%
Saratoga 16.7% 12.4% 4.3% 34.3%
Schenectady 57.5% 32.2% 25.4% 78.9%
Schoharie 11.2% 8.8% 2.5% 28.1%
Schuyler 8.5% 6.4% 2.0% 31.5%
Seneca 21.0% 9.4% 11.6% 123.4%
St. Lawrence 11.0% 9.0% 2.0% 21.8%
Steuben 13.0% 9.2% 3.8% 40.9%
Suffolk 55.6% 33.0% 22.6% 68.5%
Sullivan 43.9% 28.1% 15.8% 56.4%
Tioga 7.9% 8.1% −0.2% −2.4%
Tompkins 36.4% 25.6% 10.8% 42.1%
Ulster 37.4% 21.3% 16.0% 75.2%
Warren 11.6% 8.9% 2.7% 30.4%
Washington 12.0% 7.7% 4.3% 55.7%
Wayne 28.4% 11.9% 16.5% 138.7%
Westchester 79.6% 46.9% 32.7% 69.8%
Wyoming 19.4% 6.2% 13.2% 211.2%
Yates 10.2% 6.1% 4.1% 67.9%
Andy Arthur, 1/31/23.

Data Sources:
2020 Adjusted Population, Adjusted to Move Incarcerated Individuals to Arrest Location. LATFOR. latfor.state.ny.us/data/?sec=2020amendpop
Adult Arrest Demographics for 2021. DCJS. criminaljustice.ny.gov/crimnet/ojsa/adult-arrest-demographics/2021/index.html