| The Incredible Shrinking Sheep of Scotland |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 5:15 PM - by Delta Flyer
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 Bergmann's rule states animals get larger in colder climates in order to exist. Why are the sheep smaller?
Bryan Walsh - TIME - July 2, 2009
Some say Global Warming, others think otherwise. See Bergman's Rule --Ed.
News alert: the sheep of Scotland are shrinking! On Soay Island, off the western coast of Scotland, wild sheep are apparently defying the theory of evolution and progressively getting smaller.
Why? In short, because of climate change. Generally, the sheep's life cycle goes like this: they fatten up on grass during the fertile, sunny summer; then the harsh winter comes, the... [Read More]
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1 Reply | 21 Views
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| Red light cameras now check for insurance, too |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:41 PM - by Delta Flyer
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No additional technology required to do an insurance check
Tom Barlow - WALLETPOP - June 29, 2009
Something like this may go to the Supreme Court one day --Ed.
Drive without insurance? Then you'd better stay out of Ohio, where the state is considering a program that uses red-light cameras and insurance company databases to check passing traffic for uninsured motorists. The system would use license plate numbers to verify driver insurance. According to the Columbus Dispatch, officials in Chicago, who are... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 20 Views
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| Can GM be reinvented by GM-lifers? |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 4:02 PM - by Delta Flyer
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Career GM executives know the culture, but most turnarounds come from the outside
Chris Isidore - CNN - July 1, 2009
Best solution may be a mix of GM and exec from the outside --Ed.
General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson has argued this week that a bankruptcy court needs to approve plans to create a new GM, one unburdened by many of the contracts and liabilities of the past.
But there are many auto industry experts who question whether Henderson, who has worked at GM ever since graduating from business school 25 years ago, is the right man to bring about a necessary change at the company.
Critics argue that if ever there was a company in need of shaking... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 22 Views
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| A Breathalyzer in Every Car? |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 12:55 PM - by Delta Flyer
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States wouldn't have to abide by the ruling, but there would be heavy pressure to conform, since states that don't adopt the mandate could lose their highway funds.
Jane Sobel Klonsky - TIME - July 1, 2009
The safety vs freedom issue again --Ed.
Nearly 13,000 Americans die in traffic accidents every year (think they meant from DUI). Now Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is opening a new front in its war on drunk drivers, and it's getting help from the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
A new highway bill pending before Congress would instruct all 50 states to require all motorists... [Read More]
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31 Replies | 224 Views
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| Corvette-Inspired Hybrid Hits the Road |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 12:01 PM - by SlowHands
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Hydraulic Hybrid Hits the Highway.
Ben Mack - WIRED - June 30, 2009
The continuing story of a start up American company -- Ed.
Four months ago, the LH4 from Lightning Hybrids was nothing but a mound of clay, but now the Colorado company has a running prototype and some video of it on the road. It’s brief, but you can tell from the video the Corvette-inspired, hydraulic hybrid is not your typical hybrid. It sounds like a British sports car with a bad muffler, but it doesn’t look too shabby.
Lightning Hybrids is making steady progress after working double-time getting the LH4 built in time for the... [Read More]
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2 Replies | 75 Views
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| Portugal creates electric car recharging network |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 9:32 AM - by msantos
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 in recent years it has become a European pioneer in the development of clean energy
Staff - FORBES - July 1, 2009
What kind of example can a small European country provide to an energy hungry world? Well, the same example and courage it provided with its ocean explorers roughly 500+ years ago.  --Ed.
LISBON, Portugal -- Portugal announced a plan Monday to install about 1,300 recharging sites for electric vehicles over the next two years, part of an effort to create a mass market for environmentally friendly... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 25 Views
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| Chicago 'burb ditches red light cameras, no safety advantage |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 9:21 AM - by PaleMelanesian
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The police chief is recommending the removal of the one that was installed and that the city avoid putting up any more, citing no advantage in safety.
Jacqui Cheng - ARSTECHNICA - July 1, 2009
Pleased to see someone testing for effectiveness before endorsing cameras. --Ed.
There are many reasons for Chicagoans to poke fun at the northwest suburb of Schaumburg, but the existence of red light cameras soon won't be one of them. Officials expect to get rid of Schaumburg's sole red light camera in July after the local police department has determined that it provides no appreciable safety benefits.
[Read More]
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8 Replies | 83 Views
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| Hybrid Car Sales Set to Boom in Near Future |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 7:56 AM - by msantos
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 Remaining largely unaffected from the economic recession, sales of hybrid vehicles is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of nearly 20% during 2009-2012, says RNCOS.
Staff - PRMINDS - July 1, 2009
Too bad current sales statistics do not reflect this optimism. But then again, oil prices have not risen enough yet... --Ed.
The year 2009 has so far been witnessing negative trend in the overall automobile sales, affected by the ongoing global economic crisis. Yet, hybrid cars have emerged as a highly lucrative segment, defying the current economic downturn, owing to the rising energy costs... [Read More]
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1 Reply | 51 Views
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| Future for plug-in cars linked to electric utilities |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 7:49 AM - by msantos
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Utilities are expected to install millions of "smart meters" at homes
James Pethokoukis - REUTERS - July 1, 2009
We keep talking but delivery still appears to be the kind of stuff dreams are made of. --Ed.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Under pressure to deliver sharply higher fuel economy in coming years, U.S. automakers are deepening ties with electric utilities as rechargeable cars move from the drawing board and head toward the dealership.
Both the embattled auto industry and the utilities are retooling and both industries have a stake in the success of the growing effort to... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 33 Views
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| 11 reasons not to drive |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 7:43 AM - by msantos
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 Time to do some thinking about your automotive use...
Staff - THESTAR - July 2, 2009
A very special topic we should all reflect on - once in a while. --Ed.
- The ranking of motor vehicle crashes as an accidental killer of school children: 1
- The dollar cost in billions of (motor vehicle) traffic congestion to the economy of the GTA: 2.2
- The mortality-related costs, in billions of dollars, from traffic pollution in Toronto: $2.2
- The percentage of greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto produced by motor vehicles: 36
- The percentage of those Canadians who get to work by car who live within five kilometres
... [Read More]
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10 Replies | 160 Views
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| Several Automakers Leaving Behind Diesel Plans |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 7:30 AM - by msantos
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Financial woes and a negative stigma of diesel is causing some automakers to rethink plans
Michael Barkoviak - DAILYTECH - July 2, 2009
Too bad other automakers are not leveraging their "diesel portfolios" in this fuel economy race... --Ed.
Nine diesel-powered cars expected to be released next year have been pushed back as companies suffer continued financial problems and reconsider vehicle fuel economy.
As Toyota and Honda rethink using diesel in favor of other clean technology, Chrysler and General Motors have growing money problems, and can't afford to develop further... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 57 Views
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| 2010 Honda Insight hybrid: it is a winner |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 7:19 AM - by Right Lane Cruiser
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 The bottom line -- EV Evelyn says buy this car -- despite what Consumer Reports says.
Evelyn Kanter - EXAMINER - June 30, 2009
Finally a positive review in the midst of a fire storm of hybrid bashing! --Ed.
I’ve just spent a week with the 2010 Honda Insight, and I’m in love. Not just with the 38mpg fuel economy – okay, it was 37.9 – but with its visibility, handling and a bunch of creature features you don’t expect in a car at this price.
High fuel economy and low price are a one-two punch that is the biggest selling point for the Honda Insight and... [Read More]
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10 Replies | 136 Views
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| Mercedes Benz Unveils S-Class Hybrid |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 7:14 AM - by Right Lane Cruiser
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Like the Lexus and Toyota’s Prius, the S 400 is a “parallel” hybrid.
AUTORACINGDAILY - July 01, 2009
More bling, but if it helps save fuel... --Ed.
German luxury carmaker Daimler released their first hybrid model last week, 10 years after Toyota debuted their best selling hybrid.
The Mercedes Benz S Class is now available in Europe with two motor options: electric and gasoline.
The “CO2 champion of luxury cars,” as Mercedes calls it, is still one of the worst polluters available. However, a spokesman noted that, “We want to launch at least one hybrid model per year.”
This is an unusual move for... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 34 Views
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| Toyota, Honda Hybrids Narrow Drop in Japan Car Sales |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 6:58 AM - by Right Lane Cruiser
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The government expects the incentives to lead to the sale of an additional 690,000 vehicles this fiscal year.
Makiko Kitamura - BLOOMBERG - July 1, 2009
They are suffering too, but at least they aren't in bankruptcy. --Ed.
Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., Japan’s two largest carmakers, slowed the decline in domestic auto sales last month as their new hybrid models and government incentives boosted demand.
Sales of cars, trucks and buses, excluding minicars, fell 14 percent to 243,342 vehicles, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said in a statement today. Toyota sold 110,677 units excluding Lexus brand cars, down 11... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 33 Views
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| Hybrid Electric Scooter Runs On Anything That Burns |
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Jul 02, 2009 - 6:53 AM - by Right Lane Cruiser
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A prototype of the bike has yet to be seen.
Jerry James Stone - REUTERS - July 1, 2009
The Segway didn't do so well with the public, but maybe this will? --Ed.
Segway inventor Dean Kamen is developing a hybrid electric scooter that can run on almost anything that burns.
According to the patent, the bike has a small two-piston Stirling engine right under the seat. Though with an engine of that size, it really isn't going to provide much juice - not much more than 5bhp.
A Stirling engine is based on tech which predates internal combustion engines by almost 100 years. It's kinda like a steam engine in the sense that it uses external... [Read More]
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2 Replies | 93 Views
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