Since Jeff has joined me, this isn’t just Kim’s Thoughts and Observations anymore… Now it’s Musing Minds. URL is the same…

Hybird cars are a bad thing … at least for state gas tax revenues. Apparently those cars that use less gas and are better for the environment are not so good for revenue… Now they want to install GPS in your car to track how many miles you’ve driven and tax you some more…

GOP Bloggers brings our attention to a story on CBS News from Monday regarding a per mile driven tax that is being tested in Oregon and considered in California.

States Mull Taxing Drivers By Mile
“Drivers will get charged for how many miles they use the roads, and it’s as simple as that,” says engineer David Kim.

Kim and fellow researcher David Porter at Oregon State University equipped a test car with a global positioning device to keep track of its mileage. Eventually, every car would need one.

Having the state government know where I am at any time? Uploading that information through the gas pump every time I fill up? Getting penalized for travelling during rush hour?? Perhaps this would slide down the slippery slope to penalize me for driving on city roads, for short trips (such as taking my child to pre-school – 2 miles one way)?

Sneaking Suspicions has a story on the two Baltimore Sun journalists who were frozen out by Maryland Governor Erlich. They have sued because Governor Erlich issued a memo telling staffers not to speak to them.

Under the First Amendment they do have the right to ask me questions.

Under the First Amendment I do have the right to not answer their questions.

It seems to me that many journalists feel that the First Amendment means that I have to answer their questions…

These two found out otherwise…

Go read it.

Hat tip: Instapundit

Beldar has a most excellent analysis of the DC Circuit’s decision in the Judith Miller contempt case. Beldar’s scorecard on the DC Circuit’s Plame decision today: Prosecution 34, Journalists 0: Go read it all.

Beldar also mentions Orin Kerr’s post on The Volokh Conspiracy:
DC Circuit on Blogging and the Reporter’s Privilege.

Judge Sentelle pointed out some of the difficulties of applying such a privilege in light of the blogosphere:

Perhaps more to the point today, does the privilege also protect the proprietor of a web log: the stereotypical “blogger” sitting in his pajamas at his personal computer posting on the World Wide Web his best product to inform whoever happens to browse his way? If not, why not? How could one draw a distinction consistent with the court’s vision of a broadly granted personal right? If so, then would it not be possible for a government official wishing to engage in the sort of unlawful leaking under investigation in the present controversy to call a trusted friend or a political ally, advise him to set up a web log (which I understand takes about three minutes) and then leak to him under a promise of confidentiality the information which the law forbids the official to disclose?

Go read the rest.

Reese Schonfeld, CNN Co-founder just said on Neil Cavuto that CNN caved to pressure and “fired another one, like Arnett, without the goods.”

I don’t know if there’s going to be a transcript at Fox News.

He also said that Eason Jordan said what he said “to protect journalists”.

JohnnyDollar’sPlace has a transcript from an interview with Reese Schonfeld earlier today on Fox & Friends.
Here’s a piece from the earlier interview:

DOOCY: Right. So here’s a guy who had made those comments in the op-ed piece a couple of years ago, and really stirred up a hornet’s nest. And now he says this. Did he really have much of a job over there? I mean, was he a guy who was a marginal character and they said, it’s not worth the heat?

SCHONFELD: I thought they had marginalized him after that. I’m surprised that he got to speak at Davos. I mean, they should have learned enough not to send him out and let him open his mouth anywhere. You know, CNN, the Confused News Network.

Bold mine.

I always thought the Mary Kay Letoureau/Vili Fualauu story was sickening – but this just takes the cake. Fox News reports that they have set a wedding date.

“It’s been long overdue,” said Noel Soriano, a longtime friend of the family who confirmed Sunday that they will marry this spring. “It’s going to be fabulous, seeing them get hitched finally.”

No. It’s just sick.

PoliPundit links to Byron York’s description of Terry McAuliffe’s “Farewell Tribute” last Thursday night.

Byron says, “How do you pay tribute to a man whose main legacy was losing elections?”

It reads like a parody but it’s true.

Almost, almost feel sorry for the man. Can’t wait to see what the new guy will do.

Fox News reports that North Korea is now claiming that they have nuclear weapons and will not return to six party talks anytime soon.

The North Korean Government claim that they need them for self defense against ” what it considers an increasingly hostile United States.”

There has been no independent verification of North Korea’s claims.

hat tip: Command Post

Prince Charles is going to marry Camilla-Parker Bowles in a civil ceremony at Windsor Castle on April 8th.

The Fox News story points out that:

Last year, a poll indicated that more Britons support Prince Charles marrying Parker Bowles than oppose it.

Thirty-two percent of respondents to the Populus poll said they would support Charles if he remarried, while 29 percent were opposed. Thirty-eight percent said they didn’t care and 2 percent had no opinion.

President Bush was just on Fox News. I asked my four year old who that was on TV. He said, “That’s George Bush”. I asked him what was George Bush’s job. He answered, “Guarding the country!”.

That’s pretty good for a four year old! I wasn’t quite sure if he said “guarding” or “guiding”. Each is correct. I’m just not sure if he knows what guiding means.