Articles by Sarah K. Burkhalter

Smaller cars make a comeback … kind of.

Great news! According to at least one analyst, sales of subcompact cars in the U.S. are supposed to double in the next five years!

If this gives you visions of nation-wide FUH2 dancing in your head, you may also be one of those folks who believed your friends when they said the word "gullible" wasn't in the dictionary. (Hint: it is.) A doubling of the U.S. subcompact car market would bring small cars' share of the new-vehicle market to a whopping 3 percent. Actually less than 3 percent. Sigh. Why, why would this be? Says another analyst:

I don't think [the subcompact is] a car for the U.S. market ... Those cars look great in Europe, but put them on road here next to a big SUV and they don't look so good anymore.

I'm assuming by "good" he means "pridefully wasteful to compensate for small-manhood syndrome." That being the case, I suppose he has a point.

The AIA and BuildingGreen team up

If only life was like Monopoly. A straightforward path to follow ... unexpected money windfalls ... all those little green houses ...

Well, I can't bring you a definitive life path, or bestow a pot of money on you for landing on Go, but I can report on a potential step toward a greener housing market. A new agreement between the American Institute of Architects and indie publishing company BuildingGreen, Inc. allows the AIA's 77,000 members to quickly and easily access sustainable design information through BuildingGreen Suite.

This online resource features comprehensive, practical information on a wide range of topics related to sustainable building -- from energy efficiency and recycled-content materials to land-use planning and indoor air quality.

It's subscription only, and is accessible to the layperson for only $199 a year. Sigh. However, if you're an architect in the American Institute you get a 30 percent discount.

RenewAmerica Fred Hutchison writes a column about a Gristmill convo

Long, long ago (November) and far, far away right here in Gristmill, I facilitated a debate between Fred Hutchison, über-conservative RenewAmerica columnist, and atmospheric scientist cum Gristmill reader mihan (mihan, are you out there? You're gonna want to see this).

Never one to let things go, Fred has written an "issues analysis" of his Gristmill conversation (it's also about his conversation with another scientist who dared to defend Einstein). Highly entertaining. Check it out. But be aware that Fred warns:

As I summarize these debates for our readers, there will be moments that will be embarrassing for the two scientists, if they condescend to read this review.

Steel yourselves.

Chuck Norris strikes yet again.

And while I'm at it:

There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of animals Chuck Norris allows to live.

Ah, minutes of entertainment.