Paul Kedrosky (not a meteorologist that we know of) of Infectious Greed has a quick round-up of tropical storm Gustav.
Take a look at the weather maps vs. oil platform locations.
Another case of wait and see. Or should that be wait and sea?
Bill Luby of VIX and More goes even further than weather maps, and points readers to Intrade, a prediction market site where you can put your money where your mouth is (on hurricane landfalls and almost anything else).
After reading a recent review, we just put this book on our reading list: Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt.
As if it isn’t enough to deal with traffic and more traffic every day, somebody feels he has to study it and write about it! Some of his observations per the review.
How long is the ideal commute? 16 min. (ideal length for a slice of alone time.)
His visit with Hans Monderman we found fascinating.
At one point, Vanderbilt visits with celebrated Dutch traffic engineer Hans Monderman, who created the “intersection heard around the world.” Monderman redesigned a congested four-way crossing in the city of Drachten by basically removing all of the traffic signs. The lack of signals created uncertainty and forced drivers to slow down, cooperate with one another, and watch out for bicyclists and pedestrians. It also allowed traffic to flow more smoothly. His animating idea was to put some of the “social world” into the “traffic world.” While talking with Vanderbilt, Monderman demonstrated the success of his concept by walking backward into the street—with his eyes closed.
And everybody is a bad driver. We all have driving habits that we are not aware of, that make us accidents waiting to happen. (We have just been lucky so far.)
Open your eyes, people!
April 10 marked the 100th day of 2008. Tom Kloiza of Speaking of Oil recaps the numbers and gives us his comments.
Jim Fraser of The Energy Blog gives us some pause for thought about global warming: Climate Change Confirmed, but Global Warming Is Canceled. Not so sure we buy this one.
For inquiring minds from The Oil Drum. The scoop on winter vs. summer gasoline. Yes, there is a difference. No, you can’t buy it in winter and save it for summer to save $$. (Hope I didn’t spoil the ending for you.)
OMGoodness, oil futures over $115 today. Settled at $114.93. Phew!
What do you think about McCain’s gas tax cut proposal? Experts are skeptical.
Massive oil field discovered off Brazil. “Unofficially.” But it’s way, way down at the bottom of the deep, blue sea, so not a snap to pump it out.
Scheduled to begin Sept. next year, the Progressive Automotive X Prize competition will award $10 million to the first team that can build and bring to market a car that gets 100 mpg. It’s international, so no downsizing the field.
Some of the contestants were shown at the NY International Auto Show. No major US auto company has announced it would compete. VW says it has been there, done that. Honda thinks that the 62 mpg for its hydrogen fuel-cell car is pretty darn good.
“We need a car that is not just a concept but can be made in mass quantities at a reasonable cost for the average American,” says Jack Hidary, chairman of the Coalition Advocating for Smart Transportation and a donor to the X Prize’s new effort. “Unfortunately, Detroit has not stepped up to the plate, they have fought CAFE [Corporate Average Fuel Economy] standards every step of the way.”
60 teams from 9 countries have entered the competition, including high school and college students. Sounds like some serious thinking outside the box is going on here.
The skeptics’ basic argument is that the Prius’ battery is irredeemably un-green, mostly because of its high nickel content and complex manufacturing process. As a result, “Dust to Dust” contends that a Prius will consume $3.25 worth of energy per mile over its cradle-to-grave lifetime. A Hummer H2, by contrast, will use $3.03 per mile and the Hummer H3 just $1.95.
All this nickel talk may be misleading. The Hummer’s frame contains twice as much nickel as the Prius. Prius fuel efficiency is 48 mpg in the city. Beat that!
Of course, there are more complaints about the Prius, but:
None of these critiques should obscure that fact that the Prius represents a step in the right direction—innovation designed to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions and that the market (abetted by tax breaks) seems to be rewarding. Will the car slow climate change all by its lonesome? Of course not, but no one has ever suggested as much. Will it soon be eclipsed by newer technologies? Quite likely, and quite hopefully. But attacking the Prius for not being perfect—especially with lame scuttlebutt masquerading as science—strikes the Lantern [the Green Lantern, Slate Magazine] as dangerously inane.