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House, car of animal researchers bombed; animal-rights groups suspected

This weekend, two University of California-Santa Cruz scientists who use animals in their experiments were the target of two separate bombings. One scientist who uses mice in his research on […]

Notable quotable

"Listen, I'm skinny but I'm tough."

-- Barack Obama as quoted in a Wall Street Journal article that questions if he is too fit to be president.

Snippets from the news

• U.K. is delusional that it’s cutting emissions. • Canada releases climate change report, denies playing it down. • Lawsuit brought in Everglades, sugar deal. • Brazil launches fund to […]

Gray skies loom over Beijing as Chinese officials announce emergency air-pollution measures

A haze descended on Beijing for four consecutive days earlier this week and made a fitting backdrop for state environmental regulators to announce emergency measures that they'll put in place if air pollution remains a problem. More power plants and manufacturing facilities could be shut down, and more cars pulled from the roads, according to a news release from the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

This second wave of shut-downs would affect small solvent factories that had previously been overlooked because of their relatively low pollutant emissions as compared to iron factories or coal plants. As The New York Times reports:

Snippets from the news

• Most Californians now favor offshore drilling. • SoCal judge rules against natural-gas plants. • Researchers demonstrate improved fuel cell. • San Francisco may require businesses to help workers commute. […]

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens indicted on corruption charges, McCain cancels trip to offshore oil rig, and

Read the news items highlighted in this week’s podcast: Duck! Be a Dolly and Cancel My Trip, Will You? Are You Just Toying With Us? U.S. Geological Survey Says … […]

Snippets from the news

• U.S. passes Germany as world’s top wind power producer. • U.N. turns down the AC and encourages less clothing. • McCain talks energy in Nevada. • South Africa outlines […]

Groups sue Navy over underwater explosions

Environmental groups are up in arms about training exercises conducted by the U.S. Navy — not sonar this time, but underwater explosives. The Wild Fish Conservancy and Public Employees for […]

Toyota at work on commercial plug-in hybrids, Mitsubishi to offer electric car

Call me an optimist, but a feasible plug-in appears to be just over the horizon.

First, Toyota has several plug-in Priuses being driven in Japan to collect data -- technical and human behavioral. They are sticking with NiMH batteries for now.

Next, Honda is finally getting ready to launch the much-needed Prius alternative. There are a lot of people out there who refuse to buy a Prius for various reasons that would be alleviated with a serious competitor that is not only cheaper, but just as distinctive looking.*

Finally, Mitsubishi will sell an electric car next year called the i-MiEV (sport version seen here) that uses an advanced battery being developed by Mitsubishi Motors, GS Yuasa Ltd., and Mitsubishi Trading Co. The significance of this announcement is that they must now have a battery that can be charged and discharged to within 80 percent of its capacity, which will also last the life of the car. It still has limited range, and I suspect will primarily be used for around town errands -- fulfilling the role of second car for urban families. Although it won't be cheap, the hatchback version will hold four people, and both versions look sharp.

*I recently listened to a book called Differentiate or Die by Jack Trout. Although the book is all about marketing, not evolutionary selective pressures, this marketing maxim wouldn't work if humans didn't have an urge to differentiate. I'm sure it's got something to do with attracting mates, sex, and genes using that combination to propel themselves into the future; Marketing fulfills that drive.

EPA and Florida sucking at Everglades cleanup, says judge

Florida and the U.S. EPA have been skewered by a federal judge for their Everglades cleanup efforts (or rather, lack thereof). In 2003, Florida pushed back a deadline for reducing […]