Stark, Raving Mad
Of all the "solutions" being offered up to curb greenhouse gas emissions, this one takes the cake. This has crossed over into complete psychosis. The French speaking part of Belgium, the region known as Wallonia, has put a heavy tax on outdoor barbecues. If you want to grill that steak, you'd better cough up 20 euros per cookout. This is insane enough as it is, but here's where it really crosses into stark, raving madness: The authorities will monitor compliance using helicopters and thermal imaging equipment. No,really.
Experts said that between 50 and 100 grams of CO2, a so-called greenhouse gas, is emitted during barbequing. Beginning June 2007, residents of Wallonia will have to pay 20 euros for a grilling session.
The local authorities plan to monitor compliance with the new tax legislation from helicopters, whose thermal sensors will detect burning grills.
So to stop 50-100 grams of CO2, they will use helicopters emitting thousands of pounds of CO2. Now you know why they call residents of that region "Walloons". They're wallunatics.
UPDATE: A commenter - who's comment got deleted for several comment policy violations - said this is an April Folls Joke. Which may or may not be true, but the story linked is datelined April 3.
UPDATE: Quilly Mammoth found the original - which was, indeed, dated April 1st. Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug. My apologies.
Environment, Insanity, World news | Gaius Thursday, 5 April , 2007
By Quilly Mammoth, Thursday, 5 April , 2007 @ 11:32 am
Here’s a link to the original story:
http://www.rtl.be/article/71738.aspx?lg=1
There is a link there to the original TV newscast. Which shows a reporter interviewing people grilling and talking about pollution as well as an interview with a helicopter pilot and a demonstration flight with an infrared camera.
The best jokes are the one’s that are most believable.