PG&E develops a solar home initiative based on a portfolio of smaller size projects to accelerate the creation of five hundred megawatts of solar power generation capacity. …
… “The program, once complete, will generate up to 500 megawatts (MW) of clean energy, enough to meet the needs of about 150,000 homes in PG&E’s Northern and Central California service area. ” …
Via PG&E: Major Solar Energy Initiative
PG&E Power Mix.
Posted by Hal Dardick and John Byrne at 5:30 p.m.
Fifteen-story cellular towers would sprout up next to police stations and firehouses around Chicago under a plan the City Council Zoning Committee endorsed today to allow for clearer communication among police officers and firefighters.
If approved by the full council, the towers would reach 150 feet. That’s 30 feet higher than the 120 feet city law currently allows in most places. The exceptions are areas zoned for manufacturing and transportation,
where 150-foot towers are already allowed.
The proposed change would allow the taller towers outside manufacturing and transportation zones only for public safety uses. Officials said the extra height would improve radio communications in neighborhoods with dense tree cover or other obstructions.
Police officials testified the taller towers are necessary to ensure
strong wireless signals between officers on patrol and their area
dispatchers.
The taller structures would go up next to the Town Hall District and Monroe District police headquarters buildings, as well as the new Engine Co. 109 firehouse at 2343 S. Kedzie Ave., according to Kevin Smith, spokesman for the city Public Building Commission.
"Similar such towers will likely be a part of future public safety projects," Smith said in an e-mail.
Zoning Committee Chairman Ald. Daniel Solis, 25th, said he supports the taller towers because he’s in favor of anything that helps advance public safety.
“They will be able to get clearer and better picture and sound because they are higher,” Solis said.
A man from West Africa who boarded a New York-bound flight in Senegal was added to the no-fly list while the plane was already heading over the Atlantic Ocean, according to a passenger on the flight and two sources with knowledge of the situation.
On Wednesday night, Delta Airlines Flight 215 departed from Abuja, Nigeria, stopping later in Dakar, Senegal, before heading for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, according to Delta’s website.
The plane made an unplanned stop in Puerto Rico. Delta’s website said the plane was “diverted,” but a statement from Customs and Border Protection called it a “routine refueling stop.”
“The plane did not have enough gas to make it to New York because the winds,” one of the passengers on the plane, Joan Mower, told Fox News. “It was a small plane, and it was strong winds. … We couldn’t make it direct from Dakar to New York.”
After the refueling, there was a “big sort of kerfuffle,” said Mower, who works for Voice of America and was on her way home from a week-long business trip in Nigeria.
CBP officers boarded the plane and removed what the CBP statement called a “potential person of interest.”
“Then the pilot came on and said, ‘We’ve been delayed some more, because there was someone who got on the plane, and we were just told they added him to the no-fly list after he was on the plane,’” Mower said.
In fact, Mower said, the pilot described it as “a serious security risk.”
Mower was unable to see the man who was taken off the plane, she said.
“The question for Homeland Security, I think, is ‘Why was the guy allowed to get on the plane in [Africa], and then added to the no-fly list while the plane was in the air?,’” she said.
Two sources confirmed to Fox News that the man in question, a citizen of Gambia, had been added to the no-fly list while Flight 215 was in the air.
The man had already been on the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment list, which is comprised of more than 500,000 people with even limited ties to known terrorists, one source said.
“But there’s a low threshold to get on TIDE,” one source said.
In addition, one source said, in the aftermath of the attempted Christmas Day bombing, being added to the no-fly list is sometimes a precaution, rather than an indication of a present threat.
“They’re putting more people on [there] if they have any sort of connection to anyone they deem might be a threat,” the source said. “Until [authorities] run the leads and determine [he] is not a jihadi, he could be on the list.”
In fact, both sources said, this could be a situation where someone knowingly relayed false, but negative, information about the man.
In this case, the FBI received a tip from someone shortly before Flight 215 left for the United States, according to one source.
“Someone suggested that this was a bad guy … and could potentially be involved in some kind of security incident,” one source said. “What choice does that leave?”
As of Thursday evening, the man was still in the custody of CBP. Authorities had yet to find anything to corroborate the claim that he posed a threat, but the investigation is ongoing.
Filed under: Budget, Safety, Technology, Subaru
Volvo may have been one of the first car companies to bring an automatic braking system to the street, but it certainly won’t be the last. Subaru just announced it’s the New EyeSight – a system that uses two cameras to detect potential collision hazards and stop the vehicle if necessary. The cameras work in conjunction with something Subaru is calling pre-collision braking control. If the cameras detect an object like a pedestrian or car in the vehicle’s path, an alarm will sound to alert the driver. If the driver still takes no action, the car will stop itself, potentially avoiding a collision or reducing damage from the impact.
Subaru says that the system will only stop the car if the difference in speed between the two objects is less than 18.5 mph. If the difference is any faster than that, and the New EyeSight system will simply slow the vehicle.
The company also announced a new brake assist system. When the driver applies the brakes in a panic situation, brake-assist equipped cars will add an extra boost to the brake system, hopefully stopping the vehicle before an impact.
Finally, New EyeSight equipped vehicles will also feature adaptive cruise control. Like similar systems from other manufacturers, the Subaru cars will be able to detect the speed of vehicles ahead of it in traffic, and adjust its speed accordingly when the cruise control is active. So far there’s no word on how much the New EyeSight system will cost when it hits the market. Japanese customers should be able to order it on Legacy models starting next month. Full details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Subaru]
Continue reading Subaru introduces “New EyeSight” system
Subaru introduces “New EyeSight” system originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
2011 BMW 5-Series
BMW will unveil an electric 5-Series at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show. Known as the Echo, the electric 5-Series is a joint project between BMW and Tongji University.
While technical details of the car are being kept under the wraps until its unveiled at the show, we do know that the concept has an all-electric range of 62 miles. The car is being described as being “built in China, by China, and for China” by BMW and sources say that there are currently no plans to put it into production.
“The Chinese government is investing billions of dollars in electric car technology, and that is pushing development at an incredible pace,” the source told AutoCar. “Electric cars make so much sense for China; at present it has to import crude oil and it has a pollution problem, yet it has access to hundreds of years’ worth of coal, and therefore easy electricity.”
The Echo was built at BMW’s Shanyang facility in China.
Click here for more news on the BMW 5-Series.
2011 BMW 5-Series:
– By: Omar Rana
Source: AutoCar
As many of you know, I dig racing. I’ve already dedicated several posts to efforts being made by the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) to promote a greener image when it comes to auto racing and to highlight the efforts being made in the racing world to develop green technology. While many people might dismiss the notion of production car-based racing as green, the fact is that many major manufacturers use racing as a test bed for new technologies, both performance oriented and otherwise, that eventually find their way into dealerships.
Last Friday, the ALMS announced a five member “Green Dream Team” made up of five racers from the ALMS. These five men will serve as ambassadors towards a greener racing series. Bob Dickinson, Vice President of Public Relations/Media Service, reached out and clarified for me what these ambassadors will do, and how the ALMS is looking towards a greener, and faster, future.
Possession of less than an ounce of marijuana can no longer lead to criminal charges in Massachusetts, but it can lead to suspension from Harvard University. This was just one of the issues discussed at a no-holds-barred Winthrop House event this week.
Sponsored by Harvard University Health Services’ (HUHS) Office of Alcohol & Other Drug Services (AODS), and organized by the Drug & Alcohol Peer Advisers’ Community Education & Outreach subcommittee, the event provided a forum for students to ask questions about many aspects of marijuana use — from legal risks to the effect on one’s physical and mental health.
“I’m from Massachusetts, and was completely unsure where the law now stands on marijuana, so it was good to come here and learn the facts and how you’ll be affected legally,” said Harvard freshman Melanie Comeau.
Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Richard J. Crosby Jr. provided a legal overview of marijuana in the state. Aimed less at zero-tolerance and more on controlling dangerous behavior, the law dictates that possessing an ounce or less of marijuana is now a civil offense that carries a fine of $100 and forfeiture of the contraband.
In addition to the fine, anyone under age 18 caught with marijuana is required to attend a drug awareness program, and anyone found with more than an ounce will be charged with a misdemeanor that carries a possible sentence of six months and a $500 fine. Harvard prohibits use or possession of any illicit drug on campus.
Ranna Parekh, a psychiatrist at HUHS and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), said car accidents are the No. 1 killer of people ages 15 to 24. “We often think of alcohol when we hear that statistic, but you also need to consider marijuana. It delays your reflexes; it delays your capacity to make quick assessments. Misuse includes when you use it and you get behind the wheel of a car, or you get into a car with a driver who has used it.”
Parekh, who has worked in MGH’s addiction clinic, spoke of what is known about marijuana’s physiological effects. “Marijuana works by increasing the brain’s neurotransmitter dopamine. People often think it will help them to concentrate, when in fact it decreases that ability and can affect the memory,” she said. “It’s an important thing to think about, particularly now as students are entering final exams.”
Although marijuana use isn’t the top concern in her field, Parekh cautioned students to be mindful of what it can do to the body. “People in my profession don’t ask about marijuana use. It’s way down the list after alcohol, cocaine, pills, heroin,” she said. “The problem is that we’re missing warning signs in many people who present with depressive issues,” Parekh added. “Research shows that those who use marijuana earlier in life have a higher risk of developing depressive problems later on.”
AODS planned the event after an equally successful turnout at last fall’s session on study drugs. The organization plans to continue holding such educational forums for students in the upcoming school year, to provide important information on a variety of drug issues.
Crosby reminded the crowd to consider all the facts about drug consumption and its effects, and to remember that researchers still don’t know everything about marijuana’s long-term medical impact. “You kids will absolutely be the leaders of the world,” he said. “What you do will have a big impact.”
Pepsi and Waste Management are teaming up to make every kid’s on-the-go recycling dream come true with Dream Machine, a giant, computerized recycling bin that doles out points for returned bottles. Because who needs deposits when you can have dreams. More »
Arkansas, North Dakota and South Carolina are the three states with the most competitive broadband markets, according to a report released today by ID Insights and broadband consultant Craig Settles, president of Successful.com. For those questioning what makes these states so competitive, it’s the fact that no single provider — or even a duopoly of providers — serves a huge percentage of the state’s broadband subscribers. For example, in Arkansas the top two providers offer service to just 49 percent of broadband customers, whereas the top two ISPs in the least competitive market, Rhode Island, cover 95 percent of subscribers.
What’s more interesting is that the survey draws out a correlation (not causation, guys) between home values and income, showing that the wealthier you are and the higher your home value, the less likely you are to live in a place with competitive access to broadband. Plus, the more people online in your state, the less competition there is.
This may at a certain level be counter-intuitive. However, when you look at this one layer deeper, it begins to make sense. In more prosperous states where there are many users, and more wealth, this tended to attract the largest providers. As infrastructure was enabled and larger providers began to dominate markets, it became increasingly difficult for new entrants to establish themselves.
Competition, or the lack of it, is one of the key reasons the U.S. lags behind in broadband speeds, and can also be tied to anti-competitive tactics such as tiered broadband. The Federal Communications Commission hopes to address the lack of competition with mobile broadband and better data, which this report helps provide, but I’m not holding out for a any miracles of access technology coming to my home unless Google chooses Austin for its experimental fiber network. Below is a list of the top 20 states, and the full report can be found here.
Image courtesy of Flickr user OakleyOriginals
A limited edition of the Panerai Radiomir Regatta will be released in association with the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge – an international circuit of regattas reserved for vintage and classic sailing boats. The watch – The Radiomir Regatta 1/8th Second Titanio is a split-seconds chronograph with a 1/8th second foudroyante function and an express scale in knots for the calculation of the average speed of the vessel. Winners of the challenge will be also be awarded with these watches as part of the prize winnings. Yachting enthusiasts or not, these watches are definitely worth owning, especially since only 500 will be made.
Continue reading for more information about the Yachts Challenge and the watch.
Panerai Radiomir Regatta 2010 (PAM 343) – Limited Edition of 500
47mm brushed titanium case, “OP” crown, Panerai OP XXI caliber (automatic mechanical), 1/8th second counter at 9’oclock, Water resistant 100 meters, Leather strap with brushed titanium buckle
Panerai Press Release: For the 2010 edition of the Panerai Classic, the circuit has grown thanks to new and prestigious regatta fields: for the first time, the historical British Classic Yacht Club Cowes Regatta (Isle of Wight, Great Britain) and the Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta (Marblehead, USA) are also part of the circuit. The latter is one of the most famous and exclusive American yachting centres, as well as being the historical birthplace of the American Navy.
The inclusion of the Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta represents an important change for the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, not just because of the prestige of the event but also, for the first time, the American regattas are combined to form an independent Trophy, parallel to that of the Mediterranean: the North American Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge. This Trophy event takes place entirely in the waters of New England and is made up of the Marblehead Regatta, the Newport Opera House Cup and the Museum of Yachting Classic Yacht Regatta, also in Newport. The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta Trophy however remains an independent event, and in April, like every year, it will open the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge in the clear waters of the Caribbean island.
The other great change in 2010 is the British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta. With more than 65 classic yachts expected at the start, this traditional appointment – held every year, in July, in the waters of the Solent, the stretch of sea which separates the Isle of Wight from Great Britain – is likely to be the largest regatta reserved for vintage and classic sailing boats ever held in the region.
Prestigious confirmations for the Mediterranean circuit of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge: as well as Les Voiles d’Antibes and the Régates Royales in Cannes, which open and close the circuit season every year in the Costa Azzurra, the circuit features the spectacular meeting of the Vele d’Epoca in Imperia, which every other year brings to the Ligurian coast an exceptional number of vessels from every class, and the traditional Copa del Rey in Mahon, on the island of Minorca.
Among the more than 500 vintage boats taking part in the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge regattas, 2010 will also see the debut of Eilean, the Bermudan ketch built in 1936 in the legendary Scottish Fife boatyards, which was purchased and painstakingly restored by Officine Panerai, as part its commitment to safeguarding and promoting classic yachting.
Source: Perpetuelle
If you remember the iFixit teardown of the Nexus One, it revealed the device had a Broadcom chip labeled BCM4329EKUBG (which supports Wireless N) and a FM transmitter. Both features were not present when the phone launched on January 5th, but it looks like each is close to being implemented in Android 2.2.
Broadcom and Google just released updated drivers for the WiFi chipset which appear to enable Wireless N. Android hacker Steve Kondik (@cyanogen) was quick to pull the files into his repo and then @kmobs compiled them to run on his Nexus One. After setting his WiFi router to 802.11 N, Mr. Kmobs was able to connect his Nexus One and browse the internets.
This was captured in a short blurry-cam video.
If Broadcom and Google have already released these files into the wild, chances are pretty high they have already been implemented in an upcoming firmware. The official Android Open Source Project is typically a month behind (or more) the latest Android firmware.
What other tricks does the Nexus One have up its sleeve?
by Grist
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Art: Nat Damm
Leslie Christian
Founder, Upstream 21 and Portfolio 21
Seattle, Wash.
“Small companies are critical to the future of our communities,” says Leslie Christian, 62—so she helped concoct an innovative way to support them. Upstream 21, whose board she chairs, is a Portland, Ore.-based regional holding company that acquires and supports small, locally focused, privately held companies in the Pacific Northwest—currently, three forest products companies that are embracing sustainable practices. Right from the drafting of its foundational document, Upstream 21 aimed to break away from business as usual: “Our corporate charter specifically states that the best interests of employees, customers, suppliers, the community, and the environment must be balanced with those of the shareholders over both the short and long term,” Christian explains. She is also president and CEO of Portfolio 21 Investments, which specializes in environmentally and socially responsible investing.
Watch Christian explain the Upstream 21 vision:
Meet more people who are redefining green.
Related Links:
‘Green tea party’ closes out U.S. Earth Day celebrations
Below, from the White House….
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_____________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release April 22, 2010
President Obama Names Stephanie Cutter Assistant to the President for Special Projects
Washington — President Obama today named Stephanie Cutter to the position of Assistant to the President for Special Projects. In this role Cutter will advise on key presidential initiatives, including the communications and outreach strategy for the implementation of the landmark health insurance reform legislation. She will begin work on May 1, 2010.
“Stephanie is one of the most respected professionals in public affairs and has an innate understanding of the nexus between policy and communications. She’s also a veteran of the White House, and I’m thrilled to have her on board in this new role,” said President Obama.
Stephanie Cutter has spent two decades in public service, serving most recently as an advisor to the First Lady in the development and launch of the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative. She also recently served as Adviser to the President in overseeing the political and communications strategy around the successful nomination of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. From January to May 2009, Cutter served as Counselor to the Treasury Secretary, helping to guide the strategy behind the development and implementation of the Administration’s Financial Stability Plan.
Prior to serving in the Administration, Cutter was the Chief Spokesperson for the Obama-Biden Transition, and was Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff during the presidential campaign.
Stephanie Cutter is also the founder of the The Cutter Media Group, LLC, a strategic communications firm, and served as a senior strategist for Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and Senator John Kerry. She held several positions in the Clinton Administration, including Deputy Communications Director for the White House.
A graduate of Smith College and the Georgetown University Law Center, Cutter has also served as a lecturer at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
###
by Grist
.series-head{background:url(http://www.grist.org/i/assets/2/forty_people/40people_header_C.gif) no-repeat; height:68px; text-indent:-9999px;} h3.subscribe-head{padding-left:5px;background-color:black;color:#ff8400;} dl.series-nav{margin-top:-15px;} .media {float:left; width:300px; margin-right:10px;}
Art: Nat Damm
Robert Cialdini
Psychologist
Tempe, Ariz.
Robert Cialdini, 64, until recently a psychology and marketing professor at Arizona State University, wrote Influence, the classic book on persuasion. Lately he’s been researching the best ways to persuade people to save energy. In 2007, he coauthored a study [PDF] that found that giving people info about neighborhood energy-use norms (combined with smiley faces) led to large home energy savings. His research inspired the creation of the company Opower, which sells software that utilities can use to make smarter bills and inspire energy efficiency. Cialdini now serves as chief scientist for Opower and is president of the Influence at Work consulting firm. Read a Grist interview with Cialdini and Grist article about Cialdini’s work and Opower.
Meet more people who are redefining green.
Related Links:
14 buildings compete to be the Biggest Loser (of energy waste)
‘Green tea party’ closes out U.S. Earth Day celebrations
From Green Right Now
The California Public Utilities Commission today approved a Pacific Gas and Electric Company plan for a new solar photovoltaic program. Once complete, the utility company said the initiative will generate up to 500 megawatts of clean energy, enough to meet the needs of about 150,000 homes in PG&E’s Northern and Central California service area.
PG&E’s solar program is part of a five-year plan for up to 250 megawatts of utility-owned PV generation and another 250 megawatts provided by independent developers. The moderately sized projects targeted by PG&E’s initiative, ranging from 1 megawatt to 20 megawatts, should require less time to plan and build than many large projects that have faced lengthy delays, PG&E said.
Projects to be owned by PG&E will be located near company substations to reduce the costs and delays of interconnecting them to the power grid.
“We applaud the CPUC’s decision to approve this important renewable energy initiative and look forward to beginning its implementation,” Steve Malnight, the utility’s vice president for renewable energy, said in a statement. “This program will provide our customers with timely access to solar power and create local benefits including green jobs for the communities we serve.”
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, based in San Francisco, serves 15 million people in Northern and Central California.
CT News Junkie scoured Democrat Dick Blumenthal’s campaign finance filing and found more than $200,000 in PAC contributions.
Blumenthal has always taken pride in the fact that he has not accepted special interest money — until he launched his U.S. Senate campaign.
When he told MSNBC shortly after announcing his Senate candidacy that “I’ve never taken PAC money and I have rejected all special interest money because I have stood strong and have taken legal action against many of those special interests,” he was talking about his past runs for AG, not the current Senate campaign.
“He was asked about, and he talked about what he did as attorney general,” spokeswoman Maura Downes said. “He wasn’t asked about and he didn’t talk about what he would do in this campaign.”
La estrella de Chevrolet en el Salón de Pekín que se inaugurará hoy para la prensa será una nueva variante en forma de monovolumen del ya conocido por todos Volt. Su carácter, no obstante, es de momento conceptual, y servirá para mostrar la capacidad de adaptación de la plataforma híbrida Voltec a un nuevo segmento muy distinto del compacto original en el que se instaló inicialmente.
Pero, seguro que muchos ya lo han intuido: efectivamente el diseño es una evolución del prototipo Orlando que se presentó en el Salón de París en el año 2008, y que debería aparecer en el mercado más pronto que tarde. Sin embargo, en el caso del Volt MPV5 se ha modificado de forma que adquiera los mismos rasgos que la versión de cinco puertas, con sus mismos faros, parrillas o llantas entre otras cosas. Asimismo, la batalla ha crecido 15 milímetros (2760 milímetros en total), la largura 181 para alcanzar 4,585 metros, la anchura 73 milímetros y la altura 182. En todo caso, el resultado es muy bueno y su imagen es moderna pero sobre todo robusta gracias a sus numerosas líneas rectas y los ensanchados pasos de rueda traseros.
El habitáculo, por otra parte, no ha visto ningún cambio estético con respecto al Volt de cinco puertas. No obstante, el interior, que puede albergar hasta cinco ocupantes, sí destaca por su gran amplitud gracias a la forma de la carrocería y consigue un maletero de 863 litros de capacidad que pueden aumentar hasta los 1764 si se abaten los asientos de la segunda fila.
En cuanto al aspecto mecánico, la plataforma Voltec mantiene la misma estructura que en el Volt berlina: un motor eléctrico unido a otro de gasolina de 1.4 litros. Este último tan solo tiene la misión de recargar las baterías cuando estén bajas de energía, mientras que el eléctrico se encarga de mover las ruedas durante 51′5 kilómetros él solo, o unos 483 kilómetros si le ayuda el térmico actuando de generador.
Chevrolet no ha dado todavía planes de producción para este concepto pero puede que acabe como una variante nueva del Orlando definitivo. Asimismo, no hay que descartar nuevas variantes de la plataforma Voltec.
Vía | Autocar
When Massachusetts announced their cash-for-clunker appliance rebate program, Consumerist bet it would last one day before the rebate cash ran dry. We were wrong — it took less than three hours.
The program, which launched this morning at 10 a.m. and was supposed to go until May 5, got a mammoth response from consumers, who instantly flooded its website and phone lines. Many people were locked out because of the overload.
According to reports, the initial $5.4 million in rebates were gone by 11:52 a.m. and the $2 million wait list was gone by 12:25 p.m.
Similar programs in other states have likewise had short life spans. Florida’s only lasted two days and the rebate money in Illinois was gone within 11 hours.
State appliance rebate program runs dry [Boston Herald]
Thanks to Adam for the tip!
Kindle and iBooks on iPad still have a long way to go. Craig Mod, publishing experimenter, breaks them down, tells us what needs fixing and offers up some future functionality for digital books. More »
The Earth Day episode of The Price is Right featured a Tesla Roadster as the grand prize. With a value of over $100,000 it was the most expensive single item giveaway the show has ever had.
