Print Article"It's a little black box. What happens inside? It's magic!" Okay, you've got to see this. It is the flowchart picture (sort of) of the McGyan process of moderately high temperature, catalyzed biodiesel conversion process. Now I haven't see it for myself, so my "testimony" is based mainly on their news reports and a couple of conversations, but I think they have a valid process, and that in itself it exciting technology. The "little black box" part I don't like in the drawing is the EFAR (Easy Fatty Acid Removal) box (actually it's blue in the picture). Their description is that it "recycles any unreacted feedstock back through the reactor." I am not saying that they don't do that. I am not even saying that I doubt their description at all. What I am troubled about is that when you hide too many of the details it begins to be difficult to tell the snake-oil salesmen from the scientists, and black boxes are no way to build confidence. Sorry guys. I genuinely like you, and am impressed with your accomplishments thus far. I just have a thing about black boxes (and orange-haired, sycophantic girls with too many freckles). Can't stand them.
"It's a game changer!" According to Bob Lutz, one of the many a vice presidents at General Motors. Indeed, if it is in fact a success, the Chevy Volt, could be a significant wrinkle in the transportation industry. Despite the hype this iteration of the electric car truly is only a wrinkle, and while the cosmetics industry has been battling without defeating the wrinkle for thousands of years, oil of Olay has conquered many of them. Oil of Ali and Oil of Ohio on not about to disappear, nor should they.
Mr. Lutz is famous in the auto industry as a sales executive who championed some innovative and some successful bold ventures and new models including the Dodge Viper, and PT Cruiser. There's also no doubt that the General Motors investment in battery technology has been significant and its impact on commuter travel could, over time, allow a lot of people to breathe to easier during rush hour. But no matter how successful this leading edge model may be it Will be a very long time before a significant number of even just commuter vehicles are powered all day long only by electricity. Remember too this vehicle also has a small internal combustion engine specifically to recharge the batteries after the initial 40 mile range. At the moment no hint has been given that this might be even a flex fuel internal combustion engine, though certainly I for one would heartily endorse that the designers should consider this option or at least making such an engine available as an option to the consumer.
General Motors now plans to be selling consumer models of the Volt by November of 2010. In his interview with PBS television host Charlie Rose, (Charlie Rose on PBS) Mr. Lutz and friends showed off the improvement from a 1200 pound nickel metal hydride battery to the current state the root of the of the art 400 pound lithium ion model intended power the Volt. Both were rated at 16 kilowatts according to the discussion.
But Charlie Rose was busy this week on his PBS show. He also visited Tehran, Iran, to interview Iranian President Ahmedenijad. It may well be that the Iranian leader is as wild-eyed and fanatical as the majority of the western press has portrayed him, but that was not the way he came across in this somewhat informal interview. On the question of Georgia and Russian troops there, he spoke calmly about how, "Georgia could have handled the situation better." He was clear that he did not want to see outside interference from either Russia or the European NATO allies. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pointed out that the countries and the peoples in those regions have been working out their own problems for hundreds of years, and they managed to do so without benefit of outside interference. More particularly, he was against allowing Russian troops to remain in Georgia, and was adamant that each country has a right to sovereignty over its own territory.
Mr. Ahmadinejad was equally measured and rational on the subject of Afghanistan. He was cautious not to say that he specifically opposed the Taliban, but that as a neighbor, he recognized that there were some 10 factions within the country that were vying for various political positions, but that NATO's presence had no clear "objective". He asked, "When will they leave?" referring to NATO troops that support the current government of the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai.
Just this week reports from that blighted country recount that some 76 civilians were killed in air strikes by US led coalition forces, while the US claims to have killed 30 "insurgents" in a roadside battle a couple of days before. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's point was, at least in part, that the foreign forces present had done nothing to curtail the growing and traffic in opium, and had no real incentive to ever leave, since no definitive goal had been defined as an end point objective. He was also eager to point out that the Iraqi government is now asking the US forces to leave that country, though Mr. Rose pointed out, too, that the request was not to leave, "immediately" but on a gradual timetable.
I have delayed concluding this column until I saw the speech from Denver by Michelle Obama. Now frankly, Caroline Kennedy gave a nice little speech that turned out to be an introduction to a speech by her "Uncle Teddy". House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's attempt was rather feeble and poorly received, though Senator Kennedy's remarks were filled with that spark of Kennedy family democratic fervour that found favor with the crowd. Michelle, as the keynote speaker and highlight of the evening did not disappoint. MSNBC commentators Chris Matthews of Hardball on MSNBC with Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann, Countdown with Keith Olbermann remarked that if it was supposed to be style over substance it hit the perfect note, as it did in the opposite direction as well.
Brideshead Revisited the new, 2008 release with a respectible if tiny turn by Emma Thompson did have a delightful "Nanny Hawkins" character played by Rita Davies as well, but the standout in a rather lacklustre retelling of the oft told tale from Evelyn Waugh's novel from 1945, was Ben Wishaw as the much tortured and tormented Sebastian Flyte. Mr. Wishaw was just restrained enough to portray the flamboyant bonvivante without quite being a caricature of the tragic boy. The story itself holds up well. The conversation after the show among my companions was more about the antique autos than the acting, however.
I encountered a rush of public mindedness a few days ago. I responded to an email invitation to watch the Democratic National Convention coverage at the county Democratic Party campaign office. When I received their reply today, I took a nap, and got over the urge. I should be fine in the morning.
Love and warm wishes,
Stafford "Doc" Williamson
"It's a game changer!" According to Bob Lutz, one of the many a vice presidents at General Motors. Indeed, if it is in fact a success, the Chevy Volt, could be a significant wrinkle in the transportation industry. Despite the hype this iteration of the electric car truly is only a wrinkle, and while the cosmetics industry has been battling without defeating the wrinkle for thousands of years, oil of Olay has conquered many of them. Oil of Ali and Oil of Ohio on not about to disappear, nor should they.
Mr. Lutz is famous in the auto industry as a sales executive who championed some innovative and some successful bold ventures and new models including the Dodge Viper, and PT Cruiser. There's also no doubt that the General Motors investment in battery technology has been significant and its impact on commuter travel could, over time, allow a lot of people to breathe to easier during rush hour. But no matter how successful this leading edge model may be it Will be a very long time before a significant number of even just commuter vehicles are powered all day long only by electricity. Remember too this vehicle also has a small internal combustion engine specifically to recharge the batteries after the initial 40 mile range. At the moment no hint has been given that this might be even a flex fuel internal combustion engine, though certainly I for one would heartily endorse that the designers should consider this option or at least making such an engine available as an option to the consumer.
General Motors now plans to be selling consumer models of the Volt by November of 2010. In his interview with PBS television host Charlie Rose, (Charlie Rose on PBS) Mr. Lutz and friends showed off the improvement from a 1200 pound nickel metal hydride battery to the current state the root of the of the art 400 pound lithium ion model intended power the Volt. Both were rated at 16 kilowatts according to the discussion.
But Charlie Rose was busy this week on his PBS show. He also visited Tehran, Iran, to interview Iranian President Ahmedenijad. It may well be that the Iranian leader is as wild-eyed and fanatical as the majority of the western press has portrayed him, but that was not the way he came across in this somewhat informal interview. On the question of Georgia and Russian troops there, he spoke calmly about how, "Georgia could have handled the situation better." He was clear that he did not want to see outside interference from either Russia or the European NATO allies. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pointed out that the countries and the peoples in those regions have been working out their own problems for hundreds of years, and they managed to do so without benefit of outside interference. More particularly, he was against allowing Russian troops to remain in Georgia, and was adamant that each country has a right to sovereignty over its own territory.
Mr. Ahmadinejad was equally measured and rational on the subject of Afghanistan. He was cautious not to say that he specifically opposed the Taliban, but that as a neighbor, he recognized that there were some 10 factions within the country that were vying for various political positions, but that NATO's presence had no clear "objective". He asked, "When will they leave?" referring to NATO troops that support the current government of the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai.
Just this week reports from that blighted country recount that some 76 civilians were killed in air strikes by US led coalition forces, while the US claims to have killed 30 "insurgents" in a roadside battle a couple of days before. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's point was, at least in part, that the foreign forces present had done nothing to curtail the growing and traffic in opium, and had no real incentive to ever leave, since no definitive goal had been defined as an end point objective. He was also eager to point out that the Iraqi government is now asking the US forces to leave that country, though Mr. Rose pointed out, too, that the request was not to leave, "immediately" but on a gradual timetable.
I have delayed concluding this column until I saw the speech from Denver by Michelle Obama. Now frankly, Caroline Kennedy gave a nice little speech that turned out to be an introduction to a speech by her "Uncle Teddy". House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's attempt was rather feeble and poorly received, though Senator Kennedy's remarks were filled with that spark of Kennedy family democratic fervour that found favor with the crowd. Michelle, as the keynote speaker and highlight of the evening did not disappoint. MSNBC commentators Chris Matthews of Hardball on MSNBC with Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann, Countdown with Keith Olbermann remarked that if it was supposed to be style over substance it hit the perfect note, as it did in the opposite direction as well.
Brideshead Revisited the new, 2008 release with a respectible if tiny turn by Emma Thompson did have a delightful "Nanny Hawkins" character played by Rita Davies as well, but the standout in a rather lacklustre retelling of the oft told tale from Evelyn Waugh's novel from 1945, was Ben Wishaw as the much tortured and tormented Sebastian Flyte. Mr. Wishaw was just restrained enough to portray the flamboyant bonvivante without quite being a caricature of the tragic boy. The story itself holds up well. The conversation after the show among my companions was more about the antique autos than the acting, however.
I encountered a rush of public mindedness a few days ago. I responded to an email invitation to watch the Democratic National Convention coverage at the county Democratic Party campaign office. When I received their reply today, I took a nap, and got over the urge. I should be fine in the morning.
Love and warm wishes,
Stafford "Doc" Williamson
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