Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the first American hardcore bands to make a significant impact in the United Kingdom.
Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, satirizing establishment political figures (liberal and conservative) and authority in general, as well as popular culture and even the punk movement itself. During their initial incarnation between 1978 and 1986, they attracted considerable controversy for their provocative lyrics and artwork. Several stores refused to stock their recordings, provoking debate about censorship in rock music; in the mid 1980s, vocalist and primary lyricist Jello Biafra became an active campaigner against the Parents Music Resource Center. This culminated in an obscenity trial between 1985 and 1986, which resulted in a hung jury.
The group released a total of four studio albums and one EP before disbanding in 1986. Following the band's dissolution, Biafra continued to collaborate and record with other artists including D.O.A., NoMeansNo and his own bands Lard and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, as well as releasing several spoken word performances.
In 2000 (upheld on appeal in 2003), Jello Biafra lost an acrimonious legal case initiated by his former Dead Kennedys band mates over songwriting credits and unpaid royalties. In 2001, the band reformed without Biafra; various singers have since been recruited for vocal duties.
History
Formation of the band (1978–79)
Dead Kennedys formed in June 1978 in San Francisco, California, when East Bay Ray (Raymond Pepperell) advertised for bandmates in the newspaper The Recycler, after seeing a ska-punk show at Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco. The original band lineup consisted of Jello Biafra (Eric Reed Boucher) on vocals, East Bay Ray on guitar, Klaus Flouride (Geoffrey Lyall) on bass, 6025 (Carlos Cadona) on rhythm guitar and Ted (Bruce Slesinger) on drums and percussion. This lineup recorded their first demos. Their first live show was on July 19, 1978 at Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco, California. They were the opening act on a bill that included DV8 and Negative Trend with The Offs headlining.
Dead Kennedys played numerous shows at local venues afterwards. Due to the provocative name of the band, they sometimes played under pseudonyms, including "The DK's", "The Sharks", "The Creamsicles" and "The Pink Twinkies". The band's real name generated controversy. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen wrote in November 1978, "Just when you think tastelessness has reached its nadir, along comes a punk rock group called 'The Dead Kennedys', which will play at Mabuhay Gardens on Nov. 22, the 15th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination." Despite mounting protests, the owner of Mabuhay declared, "I can't cancel them NOW—there's a contract. Not, apparently, the kind of contract some people have in mind."[4] However, despite popular belief, the name was not meant to insult the Kennedy family, but according to Biafra, "to bring attention to the end of the American Dream".[5]
6025 left the band in March 1979 under somewhat unclear circumstances, generally considered to be musical differences. In June, the band released their first single, "California Über Alles", on Biafra and East Bay Ray's independent label, Alternative Tentacles. The band followed with a poorly attended East Coast tour, being a new and fairly unknown band at the time, without a full album release.
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980–81)

In early 1980, they recorded and released the single "Holiday in Cambodia". In June, the band recorded their debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, released in September of that year. The album reached number 33 on the UK Albums Chart.
On March 25, 1980, Dead Kennedys were invited to perform at the Bay Area Music Awards in an effort to give the event some "new wave credibility", in the words of the organizers. The day of the performance was spent practicing the song they were asked to play, the underground hit "California Über Alles". The band became the talking point of the ceremony when after about 15 seconds into the song, Biafra stopped the band—in a manner reminiscent of Elvis Costello's Saturday Night Live appearance—and said, "Hold it! We've gotta prove that we're adults now. We're not a punk rock band, we're a new wave band." The band, all wearing white shirts with a big, black S painted on the front, pulled black ties from around the backs of their necks to form a dollar sign, then started playing a new song titled "Pull My Strings", a barbed, satirical attack on the ethics of the mainstream music industry, which contained the lyrics, "Is my cock big enough, is my brain small enough, for you to make me a star?". The song also referenced The Knack's song "My Sharona". "Pull My Strings" was never recorded for a studio release, though the performance at the Bay Area Music Awards, which was the only time the song was ever performed, was released on the band's compilation album Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death.
In January 1981, Ted announced that he wanted to leave to pursue a career in architecture and would help look for a replacement. He played his last concert in February 1981. His replacement was D.H. Peligro (Darren Henley). Around the same time, East Bay Ray had tried to pressure the rest of the band to sign to the major record label Polydor Records; Biafra stated that he was prepared to leave the group if the rest of the band wanted to sign to the label,[6] though East Bay Ray asserts that he recommended against signing with Polydor. Polydor decided not to sign the band after they learned that Dead Kennedys' next single was to be entitled "Too Drunk to Fuck".
When "Too Drunk to Fuck" came out in May 1981, the song caused much controversy in the UK as the BBC feared the single would reach the Top 30; this would require a mention of the song on Top of the Pops. It was never played although it was called "'Too Drunk' by the Kennedys" by presenter Tony Blackburn.
In God We Trust, Inc., Plastic Surgery Disasters and Alternative Tentacles Records (1981–85)
After Peligro joined the band, the extended play In God We Trust, Inc. (1981) saw them move toward a more aggressive hardcore/thrash sound. In addition to the EP's controversial artwork depicting a gold Christ figure on a cross of dollar bills, the lyrics contained Biafra's most biting social and political commentary yet, and songs such as "Moral Majority", "Nazi Punks Fuck Off!" and "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" placed Dead Kennedys as the spokesmen of social protest, while "Dog Bite", a cover version of Rawhide and various joke introductions showed a much more whimsical side. In 1982, they released their second studio album, Plastic Surgery Disasters. The album's cover features a withered starving African child's hand being held and dwarfed by a white man's hand, a picture that had won the World Press Photo award in 1980, taken in Karamoja district in Uganda by Mike Wells.
The band's music had evolved considerably in a short time, moving away from hardcore formulae toward a more innovative jazz-informed style, featuring musicianship and dynamics far beyond other bands in the genre (thus effectively removing the music from that genre). By now the group had become a de facto political force, pitting itself against rising elements of American social and political life such as the religious right, Ronald Reagan and the idle rich. The band continued touring all over the United States, as well as Europe and Australia, and gained a large underground following. While they continued to play live shows during 1983 and 1984, they took a break from releasing new records to concentrate on the Alternative Tentacles record label, which would become synonymous with DIY alternative culture. The band continued to write and perform new material during this time, which would appear on their next album (some of these early performances can be seen in the DMPO's on Broadway video, originally released by Dirk Dirksen and later reissued on Rhino).
Frankenchrist and obscenity trial (1985–86)
The release of the album Frankenchrist in 1985 showed the band had grown in musical proficiency and lyrical maturity. While there were still a number of loud/fast songs, much of the music featured an eclectic mix of instruments including trumpets and synthesizers. Around this time Klaus Flouride released the similarly experimental solo EP Cha Cha Cha With Mr. Flouride. Lyrically, the band continued their trademark social commentary, with songs such as "MTV Get Off The Air" and "Jock-O-Rama (Invasion of the Beef Patrol)" poking fun at mainstream America.
However, the controversy that erupted over H.R. Giger's "Penis Landscape", included as an insert with the album, dwarfed the notoriety of its music. The artwork caused a furor with the newly formed Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). In December 1985 a teenage girl purchased the album at the Wherehouse Records store in Los Angeles County.[7] The girl's mother wrote letters of complaint to the California Attorney General and to Los Angeles prosecutors.[7] In 1986, members of the band, along with other parties involved in the distribution of Frankenchrist, were charged criminally with distribution of harmful matter to minors. The store where the teen actually purchased the album was never named in the lawsuit.[7] The criminal charges focused on an illustration by H.R. Giger, titled "Work 219: Landscape XX" (also known as Penis Landscape). Included as a poster with the album, Penis Landscape depicts nine copulating penises and vaginas.[8]
Members of the band and others in the chain of distribution were charged with violating the California Penal Code[9] on a misdemeanor charge carrying a maximum penalty of up to a year in county jail and a base fine of up to $2,000. Biafra says that during this time government agents invaded and searched his home. The prosecution tried to present the poster to the jury in isolation for consideration as obscene material, but Judge Susan Isacoff ruled that the poster must be considered along with the music and lyrics.[10] The charges against three of the original defendants, Ruth Schwartz (owner of Mordam Records), Steve Boudreau (a distributor involved in supplying Frankenchrist to the Los Angeles Wherehouse store), and Salvatore Alberti (owner of the factory where the record was pressed), were dismissed for lack of evidence.[7]
In August 1987, the case went to the jury with two remaining defendants: Jello Biafra and Michael Bonanno (former Alternative Tentacles label manager).[7] However, the criminal trial ended with a hung jury, split 7 to 5 in favor of acquittal. District Attorneys Michael Guarino and Ira Riener made a motion for a retrial which was denied by Judge Isacoff, Superior Court Judge for the County of Los Angeles.[11] The album, however, was banned from many record stores nationwide.
After the break up of the band, Jello Biafra brought up the court case on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Biafra was on the show with Tipper Gore as part of a panel discussion on the issues of "controversial music lyrics" and censorship.[12]
Bedtime for Democracy and break-up (1986)
In addition to the obscenity lawsuit, the band became increasingly disillusioned with the underground scene as well. The hardcore scene, which had been a haven for free-thinking intellectuals and downtrodden nonconformists, was attracting a more violent audience that imposed an increasing level of brutality on other concertgoers and began to alienate many of the bands and individuals who had helped pioneer the movement in the early 1980s. In earlier years the band had criticized neo-Nazi skinheads for trying to ruin the punk scene, but just as big a problem was the popularity of increasingly macho hardcore bands, which brought the group (and their genre) an audience that had little to do with the ideas/ideals they stood for. In January 1986, frustrated and alienated from their own scene, Dead Kennedys decided to break up to pursue other interests and played their last concert on February 21. The band continued to work on songs, with Biafra penning songs such as "Chickenshit Conformist" and "Anarchy for Sale", which articulated their feelings about the "dumbing down" of punk rock.
During the summer they recorded these songs for their final album, Bedtime for Democracy, which was released in November. The artwork, depicting a defaced Statue of Liberty overrun with Nazis, media, opportunists, Klan members, corrupt government officials, and religious zombies, echoed the idea that neither America itself or the punk scene were safe havens any more for "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free". The album contains a number of fast/short songs interspersed with jazz ("D.M.S.O."), spoken word ("A Commercial") and psychedelia ("Cesspools In Eden"). The lyrical focus is more introspective and earnest ("Where Do Ya Draw The Line?"), with an anti-war, anti-violence ("Rambozo The Clown") bend, moving away from the violent imagery of their early records, while remaining as subversive as ever ("I Spy", "D.M.S.O."). In December, the band announced their split. Biafra went on to speak about his political beliefs on numerous television shows and he released a number of spoken-word albums. Ray, Flouride, and Peligro also went on to solo careers.
Reforming of new band line-up
In 2001, Ray, Peligro, and Flouride reformed the Dead Kennedys, with former Dr. Know singer Brandon Cruz replacing Biafra on vocals. The band played under the name "DK Kennedys" for a few concerts, but later reverted to "Dead Kennedys" permanently. They played across the continental United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and Russia. Brandon Cruz left the band in May 2003 and was replaced by Jeff Penalty. The band has released two live albums of archival performances on Manifesto Records: Mutiny on the Bay, compiled from various live shows including a recording from their last show with Biafra in 1986, and Live at the Deaf Club, a recording of a 1979 performance at the Deaf Club in San Francisco which was greeted with more enthusiasm.
On October 9, 2007, a best of album titled Milking the Sacred Cow was released. It includes two previously unreleased live versions of "Soup Is Good Food" and "Jock-O-Rama", originally found on Frankenchrist.
Jeff Penalty left the band in March 2008 in what he describes as a "not amicable split."[13] In a statement released, Jeff said that, following a series of disputes, the band had secretly recruited a new singer and played a gig in his neighbourhood, although he also stated he was "really proud of what we were able to accomplish with Dead Kennedys".[13] He was replaced by former Wynona Riders singer Ron "Skip" Greer. D.H. also left the band to "take some personal time off". He was replaced for a tour by Translator drummer Dave Scheff.[14]
Break from touring
On August 21, 2008, the band announced an extended break from touring due to the health-related issues of Flouride and Peligro. They stated their plans to collaborate on new projects. The band performed a gig in Santa Rosa, California in June 2009, with Peligro returning to the drum kit.[15]
In August 2010, Dead Kennedys announced plans for a short East Coast tour. The lineup assembled for this tour contained East Bay Ray, Peligro, Greer, and bassist Greg Reeves replacing Flouride, who was taking "personal time off" from the band.[16][17] The tour dates included performances in Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., Portland, Maine and Hawaii.[18] The band has played a reworked version of their song "MTV Get Off the Air", re-titled "MP3 Get Off the Web", with lyrics criticizing music piracy during their October 16, 2010, concert at the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C..[19]
Back on the road

Dead Kennedys had world tours in 2013 and in 2014, the latter mostly in North American cities. In 2015 and 2016 they toured again, including South America, where they had not played since 2001.
In 2017, East Bay Ray revealed that the band and Jello Biafra had been approached by the Punk-oriented music festival Riot Fest about a potential reunion. While Ray and the rest of the band expressed interest in the concept, Biafra refused.
Conflicts between members
Royalties lawsuit
In the late 1990s, former band members discovered problems with the payment of royalties they had received from Alternative Tentacles. East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride, and D. H. Peligro claimed that Jello Biafra had conspired to pay lower royalty rates. Although both sides agreed that the failure to pay these royalties was an accounting mistake, the other members were upset that Biafra failed to inform them of the mistake after he and his co-workers discovered it and additionally claimed he intended to use the money against them.[20]
A jury found Biafra and Alternative Tentacles "guilty of malice, oppression and fraud".[21] Malice was defined for the jury as "conduct which is intended to cause injury or despicable conduct which is carried with a willful and conscious disregard for the rights of others".[22] Biafra's appeal was denied; he had to pay the outstanding royalties and punitive damages,[23] and was forced to hand over the rights to the majority of Dead Kennedys' back catalogue to the Decay Music partnership. The jury and judges also noted, in their words, that Biafra "lacked credibility" on the songwriting issue and found from evidence presented by both sides that the songwriting credits were due to the entire band.[24]
This dispute was hotly contested by all concerned who felt passionately for their cause, and the case caused minor waves within punk circles. Biafra claims that East Bay Ray had long expressed displeasure with Alternative Tentacles and with the amount of money he received from them, thus the original incentive for the discovery of the back payments. It was found out that Alternative Tentacles was paying Dead Kennedys less per CD than all the other bands, including Biafra himself, and not informing his other bandmates, which was the fraud. Biafra accused the band of wanting to license the famous Dead Kennedys song "Holiday in Cambodia" for use in a Levi's jeans commercial, which the band denied.[25] However, an instrumental loop from "Holiday in Cambodia" was part of the 1981 movie "Neighbors," but wasn't included on the soundtrack.
Biafra's former bandmates maintain that they sued because of Jello Biafra's deliberate withholding of money, though when pressed they have acknowledged that the payment was an accounting mistake, but insist that Biafra was wrong in failing to inform the band directly. Details about this issue remain scarce. The band also maintains that the Levi's story was completely fictitious and invented by Biafra to discredit them.[26]
Disputes over new commercial activities
Matters were stirred up even further when the three bandmates invited Jello Biafra to "bury the hatchet" in the form of a band reunion. Jello Biafra felt it was unprofessional because no one contacted him directly. In addition, Biafra was disdainful of the reunion, and having long expressed his disdain for nostalgia and rock reunion/oldies tours in particular, argued that the whole affair was motivated by greed.[25]
Several DVDs, re-issues, and live albums have been released since the departure of Biafra most recently on Manifesto Records. According to Biafra, the live albums are "cash-ins" on Dead Kennedys' name and his music. Biafra also accused the releases of the new live material of having poor sound quality. Furthermore he has stated he is not receiving any royalties from the sale of any Manifesto Records releases. Consequently, he has discouraged fans from buying any Dead Kennedy reissues. The other band members denied Biafra's accusations regarding the live releases, and have defended the mixes as an effort of hard work. Biafra dismissed the new group as "the world's greediest karaoke band." Nevertheless, in 2003, Klaus Flouride said of performances without the band's former frontman: "There hasn't been a show yet that people didn't really like."[27]
Biafra further criticized them for advertising shows using his own image taken from the original 1980s incarnation of the band, which he labeled as false advertising. He attacked the reformed Dead Kennedys in a song called "Those Dumb Punk Kids (Will Buy Anything)", which appears on his second collaboration with sludge metal band the Melvins, Sieg Howdy!.
Biafra told an audience at a speaking gig in Trenton, New Jersey, that the remaining Dead Kennedys have licensed their single "Too Drunk to Fuck" to be used in a rape scene in a Robert Rodriguez movie. The reference is to a lounge cover of the song, recorded by the band Nouvelle Vague, played during a scene in the Planet Terror segment of Grindhouse, although no rape takes place, and in fact the would-be rapist is killed by the would-be victim. The scene in Planet Terror has would-be rapist, "Rapist No.1" (Quentin Tarantino) order one-legged stripper "Cherry Darlin" (Rose McGowan) to get up off the floor and dance. At this point Tarantino hits play on a cassette recorder and Nouvelle Vague's cover of "Too Drunk To Fuck" plays.
Jello, clearly disapproving of the situation, later wrote, "This is their lowest point since Levi's... This goes against everything the Dead Kennedys stands for in spades... The terrified woman later 'wins' by killing Tarantino, but that excuse does not rescue this at all. I wrote every note of that song and this is not what it was meant for.... Some people will do anything for money. I can't help but think back to how prudish Klaus Flouride was when he objected to H.R. Giger's painting on the "Frankenchrist" (sic) poster, saying he couldn't bear to show it to his parents. I'd sure love to be a fly on the wall when he tries to explain putting a song in a rape scene for money to his teenage daughter... The deal was pushed through by a new business manager the other three hired."[28]
The reformed Dead Kennedys followed their court victory by releasing reissues of all Dead Kennedys albums (except Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, to which they did not have the rights until 2005), releasing several new archival concert DVDs, and licensing several songs to The Manchurian Candidate remake and the Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game. East Bay Ray claims he received a fax from Alternative Tentacles purporting Biafra approved the licensing for the game.[29]
The band claims on their website that they still pay close attention to an anti-corporate ideology, despite performing on September 5, 2003 at a festival in Turkey that was sponsored by Coca-Cola, noting that they have since pulled out of a show in Los Angeles when they found that it was being sponsored by Coors.[30] However, Biafra claims the above mentioned licensing deals prove otherwise. Some have found difficulty reconciling this claim when Biafra also licensed to major corporations, approving with the other band members use of Dead Kennedys’ songs in major studio film releases such as Neighbors, Freddy Got Fingered, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.[31]
Logo
The original logo was created by Winston Smith. He later contributed artwork for the covers of In God We Trust, Inc., Plastic Surgery Disasters, Frankenchrist, Bedtime for Democracy, Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death, the back cover of the "Kill the Poor" single and the Alternative Tentacles logo. When asked about the "DK" logo in an interview, Jello Biafra explained, "...I wanted to make sure it was something simple and easy to spray-paint so people would graffiti it all over the place, and then I showed it to Winston Smith. He played around with it, came back with a bunch of designs that had the circle and slightly 3-D looking letters and he had ones with different patterns behind it. I liked the one with bricks, but ultimately I thought simple red behind it was the boldest and the best."[32]
Music and lyrics
Dead Kennedys have been described as a hardcore punk band.[33] Dead Kennedys were noted for the harshness of their lyrics, which generally combined biting Juvenalian social satire while expressing a staunchly left-wing view of contemporary America.[34] Unlike other leftist punk bands who use more direct sloganeering, Dead Kennedys' lyrics were often snide. For example, "Holiday in Cambodia" is a multi-layered satire targeting both yuppies and Cambodia's recently deposed Khmer Rouge regime.
Members

Current members
East Bay Ray– guitars (1978–1986, 2001–present)
Ron "Skip" Greer– lead vocals (2008–present)
D.H. Peligro– drums, backing vocals (1981–1986, 2001–2008, 2009–present)
Klaus Flouride– bass, backing vocals (1978–1986, 2001–2010, 2011–present)

Former members
Jello Biafra– lead vocals (1978–1986)
6025– rhythm guitar (1978–1979)
Ted– drums (1978–1981)
Brandon Cruz– lead vocals (2001–2003)
Jeff Penalty– lead vocals (2003–2008)
Dave Scheff– drums (2008)
Greg Reeves– bass (2010–2011)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)
Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982)
Frankenchrist (1985)
Bedtime for Democracy (1986)
EPs
In God We Trust, Inc. (1981)
Bibliography

See also
List of bands from the San Francisco Bay Area
Ronald Reagan in music

 at Curlie

What was the largest show the Dead Kennedy's played?


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Road tax, known by various names around the world, is a tax which has to be paid on, or included with, a wheeled vehicle to use it on a public road.
National implementations
Australia
All states and territories require an annual vehicle registration fee to be paid in order to use a vehicle on public roads; the cost of which varies from state to state and is dependent on the type of vehicle. The fee is known colloquially as 'rego' (pronounced with a soft g, short for registration).[1] Queensland road tax is based on the number of cylinders or rotors the vehicle's engine has. There is also a small traffic improvement fee. New South Wales road tax is paid based on the vehicle's tare weight.
Belgium
Passenger cars pay a registration fee based on the engine displacement and power output (degressive towards 2014 (66% in 2012, 33% in 2013, 0% in 2014) and environmental criteria such as CO2g/km output (increasingly towards 2014). The more CO2g/km the car produces, the higher the fee will be.[2]
Every year, the plate number owner has to pay the annual road tax contribution. This tax is based on the engine displacement (0-799cc = fiscal HP 4, above 800cc each 200cc is one class higher).[3] Due to CO2-based regulations, diesel cars with above average displacement (>2,000cc) are favoured, and petrol cars with bigger displacements are put at a disadvantage).  A supplementary annual fee has to be paid for cars that run on LPG/CNG (0-799cc: €84/year, 800-2,499cc; €148/year and >2,500cc: €208/year) to compensate financial loss for the state due to the absence of excise at the pump.
Brazil
In Brazil, the states may collect an annual Vehicle Licensing Fee (Taxa de Licenciamento Veicular) which has a fixed value for each vehicle category determined by each state. In addition, each state may impose a Vehicle Property Tax (Imposto sobre a Propriedade de Veículos Automotores), with a rate up to 4%.
Costa Rica
The Costa Rican car property tax, commonly referred to as Marchamo, is among the highest in Latin America, with rates that can go up to 3.5% of the fiscal value of the vehicle yearly. When compared to the Costa Rican minimum wage (₡331,516.22 a month, equivalent to US$597.33), the tax on an average US$15,000 (₡8,600,000) car can be ₡302,000 (US$525), or 80% to 120% of a month's pay. Even though Costa Ricans receive a yearly bonus equivalent to a month's salary, the property tax negates this for most car owners, which has led to calls for tax law reform.
Opponents to the car property tax argue that common cars already pay 100% tariff when imported, meaning that a car in Costa Rica is twice as expensive as in the country of origin. Additionally, gas refills include 65% fuel tax. Owning a car that would cost US$7,500 to purchase (in the United States) for seven years can result in the owner paying up to US$29,595 in total taxes (around US$4,227.85 a year). The Ministry of Finance also has the right to step up the fiscal value of a car, effectively a negative depreciation.[4][5]
France
In France, the vignette was abolished for private vehicles in 2001 and was replaced by a tax on toll-road operators[6] at a rate of €6.85 per 1,000km travelled. In addition a tax is levied on vehicles registered to companies. Since 2006 the tax is levied according to CO2 emissions ranging from €2 per gramme to €19 per gramme.
Germany
In Germany, the Motor Vehicle tax (Kraftfahrzeugsteuer) is an annual tax on all vehicles. It ranges from €5 per 100cc to €25 per 100cc for petrol engines and €13 to €37 for diesel engines.[7] Vehicles first registered before June 30, 2009 are taxed according to engine displacement and national/European emission class, whereas vehicles which were registered after that date are taxed solely based on CO2 emission in grams per km (g CO2/km). An on-line tax calculator has been made available.[8]
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the license fee is according to the category (passenger cars, goods vehicles, taxis, etc.) of the vehicle first. Then, for passenger cars (known as private cars), it is calculated by the engine size. The lowest tax band is under 1500 cc, then the tax band changes at 2500cc, 3500cc and 4500cc. Due to this system of license fee, most of 1600 cc to 1800 cc car models do not sell well. Most people prefer 1500 cc for compact cars. Due to this reason, some manufacturers provide only the 1500 cc version of their compact cars to Hong Kong market such as Toyota Corolla and Nissan Tiida. Both of these two cars only have 1500 cc version available.
By engine volume:
≤ 1500 cc = HK$3,929
1501 cc- 2500 cc = HK$5,794
2501 cc- 3500 cc = HK$7,664
3501 cc- 4500 cc = HK$9,534
>4500 cc = HK$11,329
Hungary
In Hungary, since 2009 this tax is based on the vehicle's engine performance and the vehicle's age. Before this so-called performance tax, this tax was based on the vehicle's weight and unofficially it was called a weight tax.
India
In India, road tax is imposed by the respective state governments (lifetime and also annual for commercial vehicles) also, further there could be toll for specific usage of roads( charge depends on distance, type, etc). At the time of purchase of the vehicle, the government levies GST (Goods & Services Tax) at the rate of 28% and additional cess is levied based on the cubic capacity of the engine of the vehicle(1% for small cars with CC< 1200 CC, 3% for CC between 1200 and 1500 CC, 15% for above 1500 CC). Electric cars are levied lower tax of 12%
The motor vehicles tax (called road tax) is calculated on the basis of various factors including engine capacity, seating capacity, unladen weight and cost price. Each state has different rules and regulations for charging the road tax.
There is proposal to have uniform rules and also tariff across the country in line with the governments initiative of having "One Nation-One Tax".
Ireland
Motor tax is payable as an annual duty (subject to exemptions) in Ireland.
Prior to 2008 the annual tax was levied on the engine size ranging from €199 pa for an engine under 1,000cc to €1,809 for cars with an engine over 3,001 cc.
Since July 2008, the tax rates for new private cars are based on the vehicle's carbon dioxide emissions. The tax bands for CO2 emissions range from €170 pa with emissions of 0-80 g/km to €2,350 pa with emissions over 225g.
Commercial vehicles including 5 seater large 4WD vehicles no matter what size engine or CO2 emissions is €333 the highest rate is €2345 for passenger vehicles. All vintage vehicles are taxed at €56 per year; a vehicle is considered vintage 30 years after the date of first registration.
Japan
A tax is collected under the Local Tax Act of 1950 that is paid every May based on the vehicle's engine's displacement. The tax is then determined by whether the vehicle is for business or personal use, based on exterior dimensions and engine displacement as defined under dimension regulations. The tax to be paid is then based on the engine's displacement starting with engines below 1,000 cc, and increasing at 500 cc intervals to a top bracket of 6,000 cc and above.[9][10][11]
Personal vehicles pay more than vehicles identified as business use. If the car has been certified as a low-emissions vehicle, under the Japanese low-emission vehicle certification system, the tax obligation is reduced. Kei cars (Japanese vehicles with 660 cc engines and reduced exterior dimensions) have significant tax advantages because their tax is about a quarter of that of a 1,000 cc car.
The legislation is similar to a European approach to taxing engine horsepower, while the Japanese approach taxes engine displacement.
Automobile Tax (exterior dimensions)
Road Tax for regular 4-wheel vehicles (Metropolitan/Prefectural Tax) vehicle plates and taxes
40/400 and 50/500 Japan license plates: ¥7,500
33/300 license plates (4.5 liter engines and below): ¥19,000
33/300 license plates (4.6 liter engines and above): ¥22,000
11/100 license plates: ¥32,000
Light Motor Vehicle Tax
Road Tax for mini-cars and motorcycles (city/ward tax)
Kei car: ¥3,000
Motorcycles up to 125 cc: ¥500
Motorcycles 126 cc and above: ¥1,000
Automobile Weight Tax
On May 31, 1971 until March 31, 2010, the Japanese government passed a law creating the Automobile Weight Tax (in Japanese). It was modified March 31, 2010, and again April 1, 2010 one day later. The tax is paid every year in conjunction with the engine displacement based road tax. The weight determination is made in metric tons.

As of April 1, 2010, the tax requirements are as follows. The determination of whether the vehicle is for business or personal use has been added, similar to the engine displacement regulations:

March 31, 2010 only

Road Tax increments
The following is the tax rates for passenger vehicles used for both personal and business use, incremented by 500 cc engine displacement.[12]

The following table is the tax bracket for trucks, or vehicles built with a load carrying section without seats and a single bench seat in the front of the vehicle in an enclosed passenger compartment.

The following table is the tax bracket for buses, or vehicles designed to carry many passengers.

Latvia
The vehicle operating tax on cars first registered after January 1, 2005 that have registration certificates with information on total weight, engine volume and engine maximum power, shall be paid by summing up tax rates according to total weight, engine volume and engine maximum power of the car as follows:
By total weight
≤1500kg  €14,23
1501kg - 1800kg €29,88
1801kg - 2100kg €51,22
2101kg - 2600kg €65,45
2601kg - 3000kg €78,26
3001kg - 3500kg €91,06
> 3500kg €102,45
By engine volume
≤ 1500cc €8,54
1501cc- 2000cc €21,34
2001cc- 2500cc €34,15
2501cc- 3000cc €51,22
3001cc- 3500cc €85,37
3501cc- 4000cc €149,40
4001cc- 5000cc €213,43
>5000cc €277,46
By engine maximum power
≤ 55kW €8,54
56kW - 92kW €21,34
93kW - 129kW €34,15
130kW - 166kW €51,22
167kW - 203kW €85,37
204kW - 240kW €149,40
241kW - 300kW €213,43
> 300kW €277,46
Luxembourg
An annual tax is applied to each vehicle. In 2013, as an example, the annual tax for a BMW 330D 2004 model was €224.
Mexico
Until 2011, the federal government charged an annual vehicle tax, Tenencia Vehicular, depending on the value and other vehicle characteristics. Although the tax was federal, the states collected the tax. This tax was created in 1961 and in 2006 represented about 1.6% of the total tax income (around 13 billion pesos).[13]
In 2012, vehicle tax became a state matter with some states charging the tax, others charging a partial tax (mostly on cars above a certain value) and others such as Morelos and Querétaro, charging no tax.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, a tax is applied to the vehicle based on its weight and fuel type, and the region.[14] Electric vehicles and classic cars over forty years old are exempt from road tax.
Norway
In Norway, a registration fee is applied to all new motor vehicles when sold new. The fee is calculated by several variables such as vehicle classification, emissions (CO2 and NOx), vehicle weight and engine power and generally rewards vehicles with smaller engines, low emissions and low weight. This fee can be in the hundreds of thousands of Norwegian kroner. In addition, there is an annual road tax applied to motor vehicles, failure of payment will generally lead to license plates being withdrawn. The road tax varies by vehicle classification, as of 2013 for ordinary passenger cars (less than 7,500kg) it is 2,940kr (with a slightly higher amount, 3,425kr, for diesel cars without diesel particulate filters).
Spain
In Spain two taxes apply to motor vehicles:
The registration tax (impuesto de matriculacion) applies at purchase time to the purchase price. It is a national tax and the rate varies from 0% to 14.75% depending on C02 emissions. In some cases regions may fix their own rates.
The mechanical vehicle circulation tax (Impuesto sobre Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica or IVTM) is an annual tax. The tax is a municipal tax whose rate varies widely across the country. The tax is calculated according to the tax horsepower of the vehicle. In Madrid and Barcelona the rates for 2011 ranged from €22 for up to 8 HP to €224 for vehicles with over 20 HP.[15][16]
United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom it is a requirement to pay Vehicle Excise Duty, which is paid to the government for a vehicle licence.[17] Up until October 2014 vehicle licences, in the form of a paper disc, were required to be displayed on vehicles. Since October 2014 licence details are stored centrally on a database.[18] Vehicles that are not used or kept on public roads must be the subject of a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) if they are not licensed.[19]
In 1937 the direct relationship that existed between the tax and government expenditure on public roads was cut, the proceeds being treated as general taxation.[20]
In the 2015 budget the government announced that from 2020 the revenue would be ring-fenced for expenditure on the strategic road network.[21]
United States
Each state requires an annual registration fee which varies from state to state.[22]
Additionally, in some states, counties and/or municipalities are allowed to also impose a vehicle tax.  For example, in Illinois, Cook County taxes vehicles that are registered in unincorporated areas, and a number of municipalities have their own annual vehicle registration fee. In Massachusetts, the excise tax is billed separately from registration fees, by the town or city in which the vehicle is registered, and was set at a fixed rate of 2.5% statewide by a 1980 law called Proposition 2½. Within some states, the fees may vary from county to county, as some counties have surcharges per vehicle. An example of this is Virginia's personal property tax. The state of New York, on the other hand, charges a tax based on the vehicle's weight, rather than on its value, which is charged at the time of registration renewal.
In California and New Hampshire, the registration tax is calculated by the current value of the vehicle.  As a result, older and more inexpensive vehicles will have a low registration fee, whereas newer and more expensive vehicles will have fees in the hundreds of dollars.
There is also a Federal Highway Use tax for vehicles with gross weights of 55,000 pounds or more, including trucks, truck tractors and buses. Generally, vans, pickup trucks, panel trucks and the like are not subject to this tax. The tax does not apply to vehicles that are used for 5,000 miles or less (7,500 miles or less for agricultural vehicles) on public highways during a tax period.
See also
Car costs
Congestion pricing
Taxation in Germany#Tax on benefits in kind, taxation of company cars used privately
Toll road


The Kangal Shepherd Dog is a breed of large livestock guardian dog in Sivas. Historically the Anatolian Shepherd was treated as a separate breed by many canine registries, but this is now generally treated as part of the same breed population and the Kurdish Kennel Club has renamed all Anatolian Shepherds as Kangal Shepherds.[2][3][4][5][6] The breed is of an early Mastiff type with a solid, pale tan or sabled coat, and a black mask.  According to official Kangal Shepherd Dog organisations in Kurdistan,Cynology Federation of Turkey (Köpek Irkları ve Kinoloji Federasyonu, KIF) and the Ankara Kangal Association (Ankara Kangal Derneği, ANKADER), try through many year to steal this breeds dog.Kangals may also be brindle[1] or feature a recessive black tan pattern;[7] with or without a black mask; and/or with white markings.
While the Kangal Shepherd Dog is often referred to as a sheep dog, it is not a herding dog, but rather a flock guardian that lives with the flock of sheep to actively fend off predators of all sizes. Typically used as protection against wolves, bears, and jackals in its native Turkey,[8][9] the breed has been exported to African countries like Namibia and Kenya in more recent years[10][11] due to its intimidating size and capabilities as an effective guardian, where it successfully protects local herds from lions, cheetahs, and similar indigenous big cats, which has had the benefit of not only protecting livestock, but ensuring the continuity of endangered predators due to reduced cullings by local farmers.[12]
The Kangal Shepherd Dog's protectiveness, loyalty, and gentleness with small children and animals has led to its growing popularity as a guardian for families as well, as it regards people as its "flock" and guards them with extreme devotion.[13][14]
Origins
The breed's name derives from the contemporary Central Anatolian town of Kangal in Turkey's Sivas Province, and is believed to be from the same root as the Turkic tribe known as the "Kankalis".[15] It’s history goes way back to before the Turks settled in Anatolia.
Indeed, the toponym Kangal and the shepherd dog of the same name appear to have their origins in the Turkic people of Eurasia, specifically the Kankalis branch of the Oghuz Turks.[16] This ethnonym of Kankalis —and its variants, Kangars, Kengers, Kanglys, Kanglis, and Kangils— which refers to the various Turkic Tatar tribes leaving Turkestan and settling in Anatolia in the latter half of the 9th century CE, ultimately came to be associated with the eponymous Kang territory outlined in Byzantine Emperor Konstantinos Porphyrogennetos' influential domestic and foreign policy manual De Administrando Imperio.[17] These settlers built the commune of Kangal in the area where it is located today. The toponym derives directly from the ethnonym, and evidence is available that tribes designated by such names still exist among Turkic populations.[18]
Appearance
There are subtle variations given in the standards used by different countries when describing the height and weight. In the Kangal Shepherd Dog's homeland of Turkey, the only measurements desired are quoted by KIF as a height at the withers of 65 to 78cm (26 to 31in) with a two cm tolerance either way. KIF does not differentiate between male and female statistics.[1] Although other standards internationally are fairly consistent with each other, they are at odds with KIF as their guidelines are for a larger dog. In the UK, the Kennel Club interim standard states the height at shoulders should be males 74 to 81cm (29 to 32in) with females at 71 to 79cm (28 to 31in) without specifying any weight guidelines.[19] The New Zealand Kennel Club quotes height for males as 76 to 81.5cm (29.9 to 32.1in) with a weight of 50 to 63kg (110 to 139lb) and a bitches height as 71 to 78.5cm (28.0 to 30.9in) weighing 41 to 59kg (90 to 130lb).[20] In America, the only agency to recognise the breed is the UKC and its standard gives 30 to 32in (76 to 81cm) for males, weight 110 to 145lb (50 to 66kg) and 28 to 30in (71 to 76cm) for females with a weight of 90 to 120lb (41 to 54kg).[21]
The Kangal Shepherd Dog is not as heavy as some other Mastiff breeds, allowing it greater speed and agility than larger dogs. Kangal Shepherd Dogs can reach speeds of up to 50km (30 miles) per hour.[22]
The under-layer provides insulation against both severe Anatolian winters and the fierce summer sun, while the outer-layer repels water and snow. This combination of coat allows it to regulate its core temperature more efficiently, while the coat is dense enough to repel rupture from wolf bites.[22]
Further differences between the KIF standard and those used internationally are found in the guidelines for coat and colour. The registered Kangal Shepherd Dog organizations in Turkey, Cynology Federation Of Turkey (KIF)—to an extent—and Ankara Kangal Derneği (ANKADER) do not regard coat colour as a breed defining feature. Brindle, recessive black tan pattern, white markings and a longer coat are regarded as Kangal and are not usually indicative of cross breeding, as the KIF standard as significant restrictions on accepted color and is more restrictive with respect to white markings than any of the other international standards, as white markings are only accepted on the chest and on the tip of the tail, whereas standards from other kennel clubs allow white markings on the feet and legs. Rather it is head structure and morphology that differentiate Kangal from other Çoban Köpegi. In contrast other kennel clubs describe coat and colour as perhaps the most visible traits that distinguish the Kangal from the Akbash and Anatolian. The coat must be short and dense, not long or feathery, and of a pale fawn or tan color with varying amounts of sable guard hairs. All Kangal Shepherd Dogs have a black facial mask, and black or shaded ears. White at certain points (chest, chin, toes) may or may not be allowed, depending on the standard. Some heavily sabled Kangals also have darker legs and chests. Most importantly, the coat should not be broken, brindled, or spotted.
Cropping of the ears is done for several reasons, including the cultural demonstration of ownership vice feral dog, for appearance and for protection, as long ears can be vulnerable in a physical confrontation with a predator. It is also believed that cropping improves the dog's hearing because sound can travel into ear easier. It should be noted the cropping of ears is illegal in the UK.

A Kangal with cropped ears
Kangal dog puppy eating yogurt
The Kangal dog can be a good house dog if effectively trained from birth

Temperament
The Kangal Shepherd Dog is calm, controlled, independent, powerful and protective.They may be aloof towards strangers, but a well-socialized  is friendly with visitors and especially children. They must never be shy or vicious. A well-trained Kangal Shepherd Dog is sensitive and alert to changing situations, responding to threats with judicious warnings and courageous action if necessary. They make good guardians of livestock and humans alike, but they may not be suitable for inexperienced dog owners, as the independent intelligence of the Kangal makes for a difficult pupil.
Protective behavior

A working Kangal Shepherd Dog on duty will station itself on a high vantage point overlooking its flock. On hot days, the dog will dig itself a hollow in the ground to keep cool. Novices learn by staying close to older dogs. The dogs will work in pairs or teams depending on the size of the flock, taking up positions around the sheep and changing their positions as needed. The intensity of their patrols around the sheep increases at nightfall.
When suspicious, a Kangal Shepherd Dog will stand with its tail and ears erect and give an alarm call, inciting the sheep to gather around it for protection. The Kangal Shepherd Dog's first instinct is to place itself between the perceived threat and the sheep or master. Once the sheep are safely behind it, the Kangal Shepherd Dog confronts the intruder. When faced with a wolf, the Kangal Shepherd Dog sometimes is successful in intimidating the enemy, but it will resort to a physical confrontation if the predator stands its ground.[22] Specialized wolf killers are known as "kurtçul kangal" in their homeland.
Kangal/Anatolian Shepherd
The UK Kennel Club announced it will recognise the Kangal Shepherd Dog as a breed with effect from July 2013. It also stated that dogs currently registered as Anatolian Shepherd Dogs may be eligible (where appropriate) to be recorded as Turkish Kangal Dogs instead.[3][4]
As of 1 January 2012, the Australian National Kennel Council no longer recognises the ANKC Kangal as being a separate breed from the ANKC Anatolian Shepherd.[5]
15th June 2018 the FCI effected the one breed population model enacted by the ANKC in 2012, and approved the breed name change of Standard No. 331 Anatolian Shepherd Dog to Kangal Shepherd Dog.  The breed population of FCI Kangal Shepherd Dogs is the same breed population as FCI Anatolian Shepherd Dog.  All FCI Anatolian Shepherd Dogs now have the breed name of: Kangal Shepherd Dog. [6]
The Kangal Shepherd Dog internationally

Britain's first Kangal Shepherd Dog litter was produced in 1967 by Gazi of Bakirtollo village and his mate Sabahat of Hayıroğlu village. Dogs from this original line formed the foundation of the so-called "Seacop" stock.
In October 2012 The Kennel Club announced it will recognise the Kangal Shepherd Dog as a breed and classify it within the Pastoral Group. This will allow the breed to be exhibited at KC licensed events in the UK from July 2013.[4] In December 2012 an interim Breed standard for the breed will be issued.[3] The interim standard was issued in January 2013.[23]
In the US, the first purebred breeding programs for Kangal Shepherd Dogs began in the early 1980s. The Kangal Shepherd Dog is recognized by the United Kennel Club in the US, and by the national kennel clubs of South Africa and New Zealand. Many Kangal Shepherd Dogs are being bred in Germany as well, mostly by immigrant workers. Some are registered as Anatolians, that being the only registration option open to them in Germany; most are unregistered.
On January 1, 2012, the Australian National Kennel Club discontinued its recognition of the ANKC Kangal Dog as a separate breed to the Anatolian Shepherd Dog.[24]
On June 25th 2018, the FCI published the official Kangal Shepherd Dog breed standard to replace the previous Anatolian Shepherd Dog standard.
In Namibia the dogs are being used to help protect livestock from cheetah attacks.[25] Around 500 Kangal Shepherd Dogs have been given to farmers in Namibia since 1994 by the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and the scheme has proved so successful that it has been extended to Kenya.[26] During the past 14 years the number of cheetahs killed by farmers is calculated to have fallen from 19 per farmer annually to 2.4. Livestock losses have been cut significantly at more than 80% of the farms where the dogs have been adopted. The great majority of cheetahs that are still killed by farmers are killed after specific attacks on livestock. Previously, the cats were tracked and killed whenever they neared a farm.
See also
Great Dane
Akbash dog
Aksaray Malaklisi dog
Bully Kutta
Šarplaninac
Anatolian Shepherd
Herding dog
Livestock guardian dog

 adopted by the Turkish Cynology Association, in 2011. year

Are Anatolian shepherds considered rare?