Panda Energy, is not giving up. A little more than a year after walking away from its bankrupt ethanol business, the Dallas energy developer’s solar unit, Panda Solar Ventures, has teamed-up with ConEdison Development, a unit of the New York City electric utility, to develop up to 20 megawatts of solar PV projects on the East Coast.
This is the first time the two companies’ work together.
Panda is betting solar power could be its entry point into the green energy business. And with the price of PV panels trading at record lows, Panda’s strategy makes sense. Panda and ConEd, which are equal partners in the two projects, did not say how much they would cost to develop them. According to industry estimates it costs about $6.1 million to put a single megawatt online.
ConEd bring to the deal financial security as its large balance sheet will make it easier to secure project financing. “ConEd is a good partner to have when it comes time to get financing, ” a Panda official tells us.
The Panda official declined to says where exactly in the Northeast the two farms would be deployed. While a lot of solar power projects are being developed in the sun-rich Western U.S. the northeast, with its large load centers and easy access to the grid, is also prime real estate.
According to a release issued this morning, Panda will operate the plant as well negotiate the long-term power purchase agreements. ConEd will handle project finance. So far none of the projects are backed by PPAs.
BMW 1 Series M prototype on the ‘Ring – Click above to watch the video after the break
The BMW1 Series M is getting ever closer to production, and what appears to be a real production prototype has made its first appearance at the “Green Hell.” The previously seen tacked-on rear fender flares of the previous mules have been discarded in favor of enhanced sheet metal. All of the metal from the side character line is covered in the standard-issue BMW swirly prototype wrap. Based on the new nose, this car has some serious air ingestion requirements as evidenced by the large openings below the bumper.
Within the wheels, the BMW engineers have wasted none of the available space, filling the fronts with as much brake hardware as could be squeezed in with only slightly less going into the back corners.
If the production car sounds like what we hear in the video after the jump, driving this 1 M/M1/135is/whatever will be a glorious audio experience. Tip of the hat to Luis!
Gizmodo’s back with PBS Newshour—guess what we talked about this week? Well, we also talked about something Incredible (hint, hint). Oh, I actually wore a collared shirt, but I look pretty fat this time around. So I clearly can’t win here. [PBS] More »
We all know that E-Readers have grown in popularity over the past couple of months, and we have seen a wide variety of them, most of them rather non pocket friendly, much like that iPad thing. The LiSeng Vbook offers you two 5-inch screens, one E-ink and one 800×600 touchscreen that will be running Android 1.6. While still on the small side in form factor, the device will offer 128MB of RAM, 2GB of flash storage, and even offer Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, pricing and a timeframe of release of this unit still remain unknown, but hopefully now that we have seen this much, we will continue to see more about this unit. [Engadget via Engadget Chinese]
In the market for a new whip? Jon Gosselin wants to talk to you!
The unemployed and down-on-his-luck Octodad is having trouble paying the $22,000 he’s required to pony over to ex-wife Kate in monthly child support payments for the former couple’s kid army. The payout’s left Jon in need of some mayjah dinero, but the reality dad’s hoping getting rid of his luxury sports coupe will help him earn some quick cash.
“Jon is selling his BMW to raise cash until he gets a job,” a source close to the 33-year-old told Us Weekly Thursday.
Although he paid $30,000 for the used M3 last year, Jon’s hoping to pocket $25,000 for the vehicle.
Kate’s slated to launch her own TLC series — titled Twist of Kate — this summer and Jon, desperate for cash now that Jon & Kate Plus 8 has been sent to the Reality TV Graveyard, is reportedly itching for his own show on the network.
“I just can’t afford the $22,000 a month right now,” Jon told TMZ.com this week. “That is why I’m trying to find a job. I would like a job in some aspect of TV, probably as a host.”
“He has been lobbying TLC to get a show of his own,” the insider told Us.
Remember yesterday, when we wrote about some major TV networks balking over whether or not to air a sexy Lane Bryant lingerie ad? Well, it looks like Fox — the arbiter of good taste in prime time — has decided to not be so prim and proper, and will actually air the commercial.
According to BrandWeek, the spot will run during the April 28 broadcast of American Idol. “Following Lane Bryant’s refusal to make requested edits, Fox agreed to air the unedited ad during the last 10 minutes,” the site quotes a source as saying.
Meanwhile, ABC, who Lane Bryant said would only air the ad during the final seconds of Dancing With the Stars, denies the allegations:
Their statements are not true. The ad was accepted. Lane Bryant was treated absolutely no differently than any advertiser for the same product. We were willing to accommodate them, but they chose to seek publicity instead.
The oil rig that exploded off the Louisiana coast on Wednesday is a tragic reminder of why the movement that mobilized forty years ago for Earth Day is still so necessary, notes Brad Johnson in this WR repost.
It has now sunk below the waves in a fiery grave, potentially spilling thousands of gallons of oil underwater. Hope for the eleven men left missing in the explosion has dropped sharply. Grist’s Jonathan Hiskes notes that this comes within weeks of:
The cold reality is that fossil fuel production, just like its combustion, is neither clean nor safe, despite the endless propaganda from the mouthpieces of Big Oil and King Coal:
Heritage Foundation: Since gas prices have fallen from record levels in the summer, drilling has taken a backseat to concerns over the economy. Allowing and expanding safe domestic energy production will not only help in keeping prices low but it will also help stimulate the economy.
Consumer Energy Alliance: The federal government must recognize the tremendous economic opportunity that safe and responsible offshore energy exploration presents to the citizens of coastal Atlantic states and the nation at large.
Heritage Foundation: Thanks to technological advances, offshore energy production has become very safe, as is witnessed by the excellent record of recent years.
Dow Energy: Congress should not re-impose the moratoria on offshore drilling, but create a statutory construct under which drilling can go forward in a safe and effective manner.
Energy Tomorrow: The oil and natural gas industry has a proven track record of safe oil and natural gas development and the majority of the American people recognize this by supporting greater development for the benefit of their communities, their states and their nation.
Institute for Energy Research: Offshore energy exploration and production in the United States is safe and environmentally sound. Over the past 50 years, the U.S. oil and gas industry has developed innovative, 21st century technologies and exploration techniques that are efficient, pose little threat to the environment, and ensure worker safety.
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA): I am committed to continue working with Secretary Salazar as well as our state and federal partners to ensure the safe and responsible production of American made energy and the creation of much needed jobs in the Commonwealth.
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK): Offshore drilling is environmentally safe. Major spills from platforms are nearly non-existent.
Georgia has about 12 laws on the books to make it difficult for solar power to compete head to head with fossil power. All twelve were lobbied for successfully by Georgia Power, and its parent Southern Company. But the most effective of the twelve anti-competitive laws is the Territorial Electric Service Act which gives the utility a monopoly over “the purchase of energy”.
The cheapest way to get solar is to just purchase the energy. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) can deliver clean power at a lower cost than utility power.
Under a PPA, you simply buy the electricity from the the solar panels on your roof – just like you now buy the electricity from your utility now.
Shouldn’t any solar business be able to sell you solar power off your roof? In California, and Colorado and many states they can. I am not sure why the Southern Company is not regulated by the FTC. That rule constitutes imposing an anti-competitive monopoly in forbidding “the purchase of energy” – except from them. (more…)
From a million throats and more there rose a lusty yell; It rumbled through the Valley, it rattled in the basin; It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled out to the east, For Tony, mighty Tony, was advancing to the bat.
There was ease in Tony’s manner as he sang his song of solar power; There was Measure B upon his lips, and green in all his words,. And when, responding to the jeers, he swiftly filed suit, No voter still could doubt that greed was at the heart.
And when the votes were tallied, shouts of joy erupted in the air, As Tony stood a-watching in haughty grandeur there. His smirk of certainty faded as the shock became so clear, “That ain’t our style. Strike one,” the voters blared.
Without a hint of shame great Tony said, “So what?” And took his place at bat again and ignoring the rising tumult, ;He took a second swing with the Son of B, The frightened 15 took heed of the uproar, and said “Strike two.”
The sneer is fixed on Tony’s lip, his teeth are clenched in hate; He calls on Austin for advice on how to shake the money tree,. A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down their pants, We shall get all the green they got, he proudly tells his boss
Oh, somewhere in this troubled town the sun is shining bright; The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in City Hall — mighty Tony has struck out.
The moral of this poem, is not to be so very arrogant — Wikipedia (With apologies to Ernest Thayer)
This past September, we were fortunate enough to spend a week with the 2010 Mazda3 and were very pleased to say the least. The Japanese carmaker’s compact offering is practical, fuel-efficient, modestly priced, and drives much better than most of its competition. With this in mind, it was with great excitement that we got behind the wheel of the 2010 Mazdaspeed3, a high-performance version of the Mazda3 that competes with the likes Volkswagen GTI, Subaru Impreza WRX 5- door, Honda Civic SI and the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart.
Despite the powertrain being left virtually untouched, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 sees some significant improvement over the previous generation which improve the hot-hatchback overall. Also upgraded for the 2010 model year however, is the Volkswagen GTI, a staunch competitor to the Mazdaspeed3. We’ll take a look at how the two measure up against each other during our review.
Hit the jump to read more and to view our high-res image gallery (at the bottom of the post).
Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed3:
2010 Mazdaspeed3 Specifications:
Base Price: $23,945. Price as Tested: $26,165. Engine: MZR 2.3L DISI Turbo – 263-hp / 280 lb-ft of torque. Transmission: 6-speed manual. Curb Weight: 3,221 lbs. 0 to 60 mph: 6.4 seconds. Top Speed: 155 mph Fuel-Economy (city/highway): 18/25 mpg.
The Mazdaspeed3 has always been derived from the Mazda3 5-door hatchback, but this generation sees a bold and aggressive design enhancement that adds a certain level of functionality.
Points of design differentiation on the front of the vehicle include a lower air dam, round fog lights, and an organic, metallic black grille. The hood has been altered to house the intercooler scoop in order to improve charge air cooling, and the front-end fenders have been flared out so as to make room to contain the wider tires featured on the Mazdaspeed variant.
The rear sees the addition of larger dual exhaust tips, a valance painted with the same metallic black as the front grille, and a larger, roof-mounted rear wing. All pf this sits atop 18 x 7.5-inch aluminum wheels that complete the look.
Mazda outdid themselves in terms of exterior design, as the Nagare inspired design of the Mazdaspeed3 gives the car a tremendous amount of sex appeal over the competition.
Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed3
Interior:
Use of better quality materials and a more ergonomic design signify a dramatic enhancement in interior design as well as exterior. There are not many features optionally available on the Mazdaspeed3; the $1,895 Tech package is the only available upgrade. The package includes keyless entry, push-button start, compact full-color navigation system, Sirius satellite radio (six-month trial subscription included), a perimeter alarm, 6-CD changer, and Bose Centerpoint surround sound.
Don’t panic though, because the car also comes standard with plenty of options; variable intermittent windshield wipers, a roof-mounted aerodynamic antenna, illuminated vanity mirrors, electroluminescent gauges, aluminum pedals, ‘Mazdaspeed’ branded black and red cloth seats, door trim, interior trim, floor mats, scuff plates with ‘Mazdaspeed’ decoration panel, and dual-zone climate control are all included as standard equipment.
There were only two bones to pick with the interior; the navigation screen is extremely small and fully-controlled through the steering wheel – which made for very difficult operation – and the vehicle is not offered with a moonroof option.
Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed3
Performance:
The ’10 Mazdaspeed3 derives its power from the automaker’s award-winning MZR 2.3L DISI Turbo which puts out 263-hp at 5,500 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. No automatic transmission is available, and the Mazdaspeed3 comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. As Mazda pointed out themselves, they felt no need to tinker with the engine but instead focused its attention on the more effective harnessing of power.
Mazda has added a hood-mounted intercooler scoop, which improves airflow significantly over the grille-mounted intercooler duct of the previous generation. Gear ratios have also been revised in the compact , three-shaft gearbox; gears 2 through 5 have all been made slightly taller to make better use of the engine’s impressive torque. Mazda’s Advanced Torque Management system is also at play; it minimizes torque steer by adjusting torque output based on gear position and steering angle. The car still retains the significant torque that it has always been known for; it is just better managed and slightly improved.
60 mph comes in about 6.4 seconds; a tad slower than the previous generation, and top speed is electronically governed at 155 mph. Despite the 0-60 time loss and no power upgrades, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is an overall higher quality car than previous models.
How does it stand up to the 2010 Volkswagen GTI:
We drove the 2010 GTI back in December and loved every second of it. We described that car as ‘stonkingly fast, fuel-efficient, practical, and affordable.’ Lets see how the ’10 Mazdaspeed3 stands in comparison to the ’10 GTI.
Although the Mazdaspeed3 has significantly more horsepower – 263-hp versus the GTI’s 200-hp, the GTI rides in a much more refined manner, almost like a miniature Audi. Considering the large difference in horsepower, the fact that the GTI reaches 60 mph in 6.7 seconds as opposed to the 3’s 6.4 seconds is also a trait to the credit of the Germans. The handling on the GTI is also far superior to that on the Mazdspeed3.
If you’re the type for burnouts and a ton of noise and torque steer, then the Mazdaspeed 3 is your vehicle, but if you prefer a precise, sporty drive that leaves you with a sense of confidence, you want to opt for the GTI.
Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed3
Overall:
The ’10 Mazdaspeed 3 comes with a starting MSRP of $23,945. Opt for the Tech Package and that number shoots to $25,840. With accessories such as all-weather floor mats, wheel locks, cargo net, and other options, the 3 could wind up costing you as much as $26,335. The GTI carries a starting sticker of $23,489 and increases in price to $24,089 for the 5 door model, and after a bunch of options can be as high as the low $30k’s. Pricing considered, shop based on your style and choose accordingly.
Twitter has made it’s latest acquisition this Friday. It goes by the name of Cloudhopper and is an SMS service that connects to Twitter. The two founders of Cloudhopper, who were working in partnership with Twitter will now join it full time. This is a part of the expansion plans Twitter has probably decided on after Chirp’s success.
Cloudhopper is described on the homppage as,
Cloudhopper provides mobile messaging technology and expertise to businesses in the wireless space. Currently, Cloudhopper powers some of the largest and most successful mobile messaging (SMS and MMS) campaigns in North America, Europe, and Africa.
This provides new ventures for Twitter’s expansion plan. Twitter has been popular on networks with data access but that is not the situation in most countries. This move will help Twitter expand into markets where mobile voice networks have emerged without giving much thought about data communication.
Twitter acquired Tweetie a few days ago and is also planning to create official apps for all mobile platforms. Twitter is surely looking forward to an expansion into the mobile sector. It also claims that the number of tweets sent over SMS is on a constant rise and the aquisition of Cloudhopper has made it easier for Twitter to provide its services in some specific areas regionally. Thus, the responsibility of maintaining uptime locally falls on Cloudhopper.
[JURIST] US federal prosecutors have charged a group of 11 suspected Somali pirates in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to indictments unsealed Friday. The US District Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia filed separate charges against two different groups of suspected pirates. Charges were filed against a group of six alleged pirates who were captured by the USS Nicholas in late March, and separate charges were filed against the other five who were captured by the USS Ashland earlier this month. The US government is prosecuting the suspects for conspiring to commit and committing various offenses, including piracy and attack with the intent to plunder a vessel, noting that “the primary purpose of the conspiracy was to make money by means of piracy on the high seas.”
Earlier this week, a US government official said that at least five accused Somali pirates would face charges in the US. In the beginning of April, Kenyan Foreign Minister Minister Moses Wetangula said that Kenya will no longer accept Somalian pirate cases to be tried in its courts. In January, the International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported that 2009 marked the worst year for maritime piracy in six years. The information indicated that the total reported incidents of piracy reached 406, surpassing 400 for the first time since 2003. In November, Somali judge Mohamed Abdi Aware, known for jailing suspected pirates, human traffickers, and Islamist insurgents, was shot dead while leaving a mosque in the Puntland city of Bossaso.
Posted by Tribune staff at 1:40 p.m.; updated at 4:28 p.m.
Republican governor candidate Bill Brady’s income fell from more than half a million dollars a year in 2004 to less than $120,000 last year as his family home building business struggles along with the housing market, his campaign said today.
Brady’s adjusted gross income was $558,798 in 2004, but fell to $119,910 in 2009, his campaign said in a news release. Brady reported a loss in 2008 of $116,679.
Brady also paid no federal income tax in 2008 and 2009, according to a campaign news release. He paid nearly $41,700 in federal taxes in 2007, $1,228 in 2006 and $124,255 in 2005, according to the campaign.
The downstate senator from Bloomington said on Thursday that his returns would reflect the recession’s impact.
"They will show that my family business is struggling in an economy that
has been a burden on all businesses in Illinois. It has not been good,"
said Brady, whose construction business made him wealthy during the boom years of the
1990s.
Responding to pressure from Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn to release his tax
returns, Brady is making them available to reporters at his Springfield
campaign headquarters for three hours this afternoon.
Quinn released his tax returns earlier this week. Quinn reported an adjusted gross income of $157,122 in 2009, including
his salary as governor, interest income and withdrawal from his pension
account. He paid $27,547 in federal income tax and $4,468 in state
income tax. Quinn became governor in late January after his two time running mate, Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was
impeached and removed by the General Assembly.
Wow, these industry performance tables from a Goldman ‘Wavefront Market Monitor’ piece show how the REITs rally was put to an end lately. Office and retail REITs fell last week, underperforming the S&P 500 (SPX):
Note that commodities related industries such as steel and mining were creamed as well.
Now contrast the above table vs. the three month performance table below. Residential REITs are the top performer in the 3-month chart below, but aren’t even on the map for performance in the chart above. Also, office and retail REITs weren’t doing so badly before. Thus there’s been a big relative performance change for the REITs space.
In fact, overall Industry performance over the last three months (below) has changed a lot in the most recent week (above).
It ain’t over yet for Agent Rico Rodriguez Square Enix has just announced two incoming DLC packs for your strike against Panau. Extra extra, read all about it.
Is the world ready for yet another smartphone platform? Probably not – but it’s got until June to get prepped. According to Samsung, that’s when they’ll be launching the Wave, their first phone to be powered by Bada.
The good word comes after a handful of UK retailers started promising that Wave pre-orders would be filled in the next few weeks, implying that the handset would drop in April or May. Check out Samsung’s statement after the jump.
The comment from a Samsung Spokesperson, which was sent to TechRadar this morning: “The Samsung Wave is not currently available for sale in the UK, but we look forward to its launch in June 2010, at which time details of tariffs and stockists will be released by our operator partners.”
So what do you think? Are you dying to ride the Wave?
This is a picture of the majestic Carina Nebula—a cool hydrogen and dust titan in the Milky Way Galaxy—as captured by Hubble. NASA has turned it into a 3D volumetric model, allowing you to fly right in: More »
Harpo Studios has announced the release of the brand new Oprah Mobile app aimed at hardcore fans of the daytime giant. For a one-time $1.99 charge users can keep up with just about every aspect of Oprah, from the talk show to her magazine and twitter account. Users can enjoy video clips, vote in polls, listen to audio, and order tickets to the final season. Oprah Mobile also provides instant help in locating the local channel and time(s) for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” based on their location. Download the app out of the Android Market today!
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Heathrow Celebrates Resumed Flights with Android App Heathrow Airport is celebrating their resumed flights this week with the announcement of Heathrow Airport Guide for Android handsets. As the official app for the United Kingdom’s largest airport, thi…
2Face, a contemporary Nigerian artist, will be performing live at The Days Inn Gateway in Washington DC. A very popular artist with a string of international music awards, he usually performs with such energy that his audience is usually brought to their feet with rousing applause.
2Face
Born Innocent Ujuba Idibia, he started his music career in a group he co-founded called the Plantashun Boyz. Popularly known as Two-Baba in Nigeria, he has built up a solid repetoire of songs and racked up a notable list of awards including:
MTV Europe Awards 2005 – Best African Act
MOBO Awards 2005 – Best African Act (Nominated)
MOBO Awards 2007 – Best African Act (Won)
Channel O Music Video Awards 2005 – Best Male Video and Best African Video (both for “African Queen”)[
KORA Awards 2005 – Revelation of the Year
Hip Hop World Awards 2006 – Special Recognition Award
2006 Channel O Music Video Awards – Best African Pop (”Ole“)
2006 Channel O Music Video Awards – Best African West (”Ole“)
Nigeria Entertainment Awards 2006 – Special Recognition Award. Nigeria Breakthrough Artist of the Year
Nigerian Music Awards 2008 – Album of the Year and R&B Song of the Year (Won)
World Music Awards 2008 – Best Nigerian Act (Won)
MTV Africa Music Awards 2009 – Best R&B
MTV Africa Music Awards 2009 – Artist of the Year & Best Male & Best Video (”Enter the Place“) (nominated)
In addition to making an impact internationally, his song “African Queen” (probably one of the most over-played songs in the history of African contemporary songs), was used in the soundtrack for the movie “Phat Girlz“. He is also one of the singers in a song that was produced for the 2010 World Cup to be held in South Africa later this year.
Other artists that will be performing include Laj, Tonestar, Kunzo, Certified Bangers, and Viper.
Location: The Days Inn Gateway, 2700 New York Ave NE, Washington DC 20002
Price: $25 In advance; $50 VIP
For more Information: 240 784 0975
Ford Start Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
As we were checking out the new Ford Start concept at the Beijing Motor Show, we ran into the head of Ford’s advanced studio in California, Freeman Thomas, and the mini car’s lead exterior designer, Jeff Nield.
According to Nield, he wanted to create a vehicle that retained elements of Ford’s “Kinetic Design” language while at the same time create something more subdued, able to stand apart from the noise surrounding the show. Thus the Start has a cleaner simpler shape that’s slightly more serious than past concepts. Nield mentioned the Mini and how it’s always had a cute, happy demeanor about it. He wanted to create something different – a thing of beauty injected with very natural, organic elements.
Thomas explained that the designers wanted to experiment with a hybrid construction consisting of a mix of aluminum, high strenght steel and composites. This allowed the creation of a very open, airy cockpit, with thin pillars for good visibility, while also providing occupants a feeling of safety with the high belt line.
One of the more interesting interior details is the monorail front seat tracks that have the thrones on a central pedestal, thus increasing foot room for rear passengers. There are no production plans for any of this right now, but some of the ideas could shine a light on where to go next – and that turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder is definitely finding its way to market.
Panda Energy, is not giving up. A little more than a year after walking away from its bankrupt ethanol business, the Dallas energy developer’s solar unit, Panda Solar Ventures, has teamed-up with ConEdison Development, a unit of the New York City electric utility, to develop up to 20 megawatts of solar PV projects on the East Coast.
The oil rig that exploded off the Louisiana coast on Wednesday is a tragic reminder of why the movement that mobilized forty years ago for Earth Day is still so necessary, notes Brad Johnson in this WR 
