The CBC can kiss my black ass

And Stephanie Tubbs could drown in my crack.

Yes, she is still numero uno on my hit list.

From the Huff Post:


Barack Obama's endorsement of a white incumbent facing a black primary challenger has disappointed some members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who are wondering whether he will support them in their primaries.
Last month, the Illinois senator surprised many political observers by endorsing centrist Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.) in Tuesday's primary against state Sen. Regina Thomas.
Read the whole story here.

My Response:

Are these the same Lilly-livered colored cowards of the CBC who by and large refused to step out and strongly support the primary candidacy of Barack Obama?

Are these the same triangulating, self-serving Negroes who bet on the white woman from Arkansas when there was an actual viable candidate of color who differed negligibly in policy?!!!

IS THIS THE SAME CBC WHO DID NOT WANT TO MAKE RACE AN ISSUE IN THE PRIMARIES?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really? Is it now? you know what? I'm tired of us pretending there has ever been some kind of broad swath of racial solidarity in the black community. black preachers undermined King, black folks shot Malcolm, and black slaves turned in runaways regularly. This man owes these weak willed politicians NOTHING!!!! I am so glad he won without them because now he is not beholden to any of them. He gets to choose who he will support, just like most of them chose.

They don't get to play the "brother where art thou" card now. Oh no, my "brothers and sisters". Call Bill and Hillary and ask them for an endorsement. I'm sure they owe you one.

Study: Social Security Numbers May Be Hackable

Scientists have developed an algorithm that can reliably predict most of a person's Social Security number using public information, raising alarms about using the numbers for identifying purposes.

China Ethnic Unrest Kills 156

The death toll in the violence between predominantly Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese in western China is likely to increase, officials say. The clashes Sunday in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Province, underscored the deep hostility between the Uighurs and China's Han majority. The violence killed 156 people.

How Much Is Jackson's Share of ATV Worth?

Huge crowds are expected for Michael Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles Tuesday. When he died on June 25th, Jackson left behind a tangled web of assets and a mountain of debt. The most valuable asset is considered Jackson's share of ATV Music Publishing. It has the rights to more than 4,000 songs including most of the Beatles catalogue.

Recycling Around the World

Does creative bin design help you sort your trash?

read more

Is DARPA Working on a Handheld Nuclear Fusion Device?

The Pentagon's DARPA arm is known for its attempts to reduce devices to microchip size. Projects have included multi-purpose sensors, cryogenic coolers, video cameras, and apparently, "Chip-Scale High Energy Atomic Beams"--microchip-sized nuclear fusion reactors.

The project, which has a modest budget of $3 million in 2009, aims to "offer precise, micro actuators and high electric field generation at modest power levels that will enable several order of magnitude decreases in the volume needed to accelerate the ions. Furthermore, thermal isolation techniques will enable high efficiency beam to power converters, perhaps making chipscale self-sustained fusion possible." Chip-scale self-sustained fusion is quite a challenge, especially since large-scale nuclear fusion isn't yet possible. The $13 million International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), located in Caradache, France, will develop significant amounts of power by 2026 if all goes well.

DARPA's mini fusion reactors, on the other hand, might not make it that far. The Chip-Scale project isn't in the 2010 budget, which means that it's finished--at least for now. If ITER works, it wouldn't be a stretch for DARPA to resume research on a handheld device.

[Via Wired Danger Room]

Seven Ways to Cut Carbon Emissions, Courtesy of Tony Blair

Instead of taking the Dubya route of departing public life, former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair is going the way of Al Gore and championing climate change solutions. Blair's "Technology for a Low Carbon Future" report, part of his Breaking the Climate Deadlock initiative, outlines solutions to cut climate change through technological advances. The report comes three days ahead of the Major Economies Forum, which will bring together world leaders to discuss progress towards a global climate agreement. Below, we take a look at Blair's seven proposed policies for reducing greenhouse gasses.

1. Renewable Energy StandardsThis includes feed-in tariffs and regulations to require increased production of energy from renewable sources. In March, Gainesville, Florida became the first U.S. city to pay homeowners above-market rates for excess solar power. thus making the panels more affordable. Similar feed-in tariffs have been available in Germany since 1991.

2. Industry EfficiencyThis is a big category, encompassing everything from controversial carbon capture and storage technology to factories recycling waste into energy. Blair's report highlights the potential of biochar, a charcoal-like material produced by heating biomass with oxygen and used to store carbon dioxide in the ground.

3. Building CodesBuilding codes aren't as flashy as solar panels or hybrid cars, but they have the potential to make a big difference. Lighting, for example, accounts for 19% of the world's electricity consumption. The U.S. Congress is considering legislation to require residential and commercial buildings to become 50% more energy efficient in the next five to six years.

4. Vehicle Efficiency StandardsStandards will become easier to follow as more cars switch to electric power and low emission biofuels. Increased public transportation and high-speed rail lines will also aid in the reduction of carbon emissions. Already, Obama has announced targets of a 40% increase in fuel efficiency for model 2011 cars and light trucks.

5. Fuel Carbon Content StandardsThis is fairly self explanatory--Blair believes that reducing the carbon content of fuels could lead to 0.3 reduction in CO2. In April, the California Air Resources Board adopted the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which will require every fuel sold in the state to have 10% less carbon content by the end of the next decade.

6. Appliance StandardsThe U.S. Energy Department is in the midst of updating energy conservation standards for appliances like dishwashers, lamps, and microwave ovens. Energy savings should become increasingly easy for homeowners as electricity-monitoring programs like Google PowerMeter and Microsoft Hohm move into the mainstream.

7. Policies for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest DegradationThis requires putting pressure on companies that engage in deforestation (i.e. the leather and meat industries). The World Bank recently yanked a $90 million loan from Bertin, a beef and hide processor that bought products from newly deforested areas in the Amazon.

None of these solutions can work alone--appliance standards, for example, will become more effective if renewable energy standards make solar panels more common in homes. And aside from experimental carbon capture and storage, the technologies have largely been proven to work. World leaders would do well to take Blair's report into account during the Copenhagen climate talks in December.

newsletterPromo("Ethonomics", "right");

[The Office of Tony Blair via The Daily Beast]

Cargo Ship Propelled by Solar Panels Docks in L.A.

Like it or not, we still get most of our goods from overseas. And the cargo ships that transport our products use massive amounts of energy--on average, a 1,000 foot ship designed to carry 8,000 cargo containers sucks up as much as six megawatts of power, or enough electricity to power 4,000 homes. Now Tokyo-based shipping company NYK Line is trying to cut down on diesel power with the 665 foot long car carrier ship, the M/V Auriga Leader.

The ship has 328 solar panels on its top deck that provide 40 kilowatts of power. The Auriga set sail in Japan last year, but docked at the Port of Long Beach--the second busiest port in the U.S.-- for the first time last week. Other ships have put solar panels on cargo ships before, but only to provide auxiliary power. The Auriga's panels will direct power into the main electrical grid to power everything from the ship's thrusters to hydraulics for the steering gear. Still, even 328 panels can't provide all the ship's power--the array provides 10% of the Auriga's energy while docked. But it's a start for an industry notorious for clogging up the atmosphere with greenhouse gas emissions.

NYK hasn't yet made concrete plans to mass produce the Auriga Leader. For the next few years, NYK will conduct field experiments to check the ship's endurance against saltwater damage, wind pressure, constant vibrations, and more. During that time, Toyota will use the ship to transport cars between the U.S. and Japan. NYK has also shown off other carbon-cutting shipping ideas. The NYK Super Eco Ship 2030 concept uses liquified natural gas-powered hydrogen fuel cells to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 69%.

[Via Inhabitat]

First "Green" McDonald's to Offer ChargePoint EV Charging Stations

McDonald's food products may come from questionable sources, but that hasn't stopped the fast food chain from embracing environmental initiatives. The most recent is the addition of NovaCharge's ChargePoint Network electric vehicle Charging Stations at the first "green" McDonald's, located in Cary, North Carolina. Not just anyone can roll up to the plug-in EV stations--only ChargePoint Network subscribers can use the facilities, scheduled to debut on July 14th. Subscribers receive a ChargePoint Smart Card that allows them to juice their EVs at any ChargePoint station worldwide. Basic access to ChargePoint stations is free for the rest of 2009 as the EV charging infrastructure is built.

Other green initiatives at the Cary McDonalds include LED light fixtures, special parking spaces for hybrid vehicles, drought tolerant landscape plants, and an Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard designed to inform customers about the building's environmental efforts. All of these projects make more sense than the ChargePoint stations--as Engadget points out, it can take hours to charge EVs, and few people sit in fast food restaurants for that long.

But until McDonald's focuses its energy on incorporating more local foods into its menu--a monumental task considering the scale of the chain--any other improvements are just lip service to the sustainability movement.

newsletterPromo("Ethonomics", "right");

[NovaCharge]

Related:Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Gets Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

How Did You Know? – {day 5}

Play for your chance to WIN a $100 shopping spree in our store! We’re back with another 5-day trivia hunt! First let’s meet our current champion, and big $100 winner, Daniel Wilson. You can read all about him and see the answers to last month’s final puzzle here. As comments have been turned off for the length of [...]

Documentaries I Like: The Fog of War (featuring Robert McNamara)

Robert McNamara died today, at the age of 93. McNamara was US Secretary of Defense through most of the 1960’s, overseeing the start of the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, among other major Cold War crises. Back in 2003, documentarian Errol Morris made a film called The Fog of War featuring [...]