tingilinde

a crossover point

EVs are getting less expensive faster than expected.

I wonder what would have happened if EV tax credits had a $25k sticker price limit.  Would we see the rapid development of cars with smaller batteries good for the type of driving most people do?

 

 

phev issues

Their IC engines run more often than claimed.  Real world CO2 emissions are much larger than calming emissions.

snip

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Testing by TU Graz, commissioned by environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), has found that the newest generation of PHEVs emit significantly more CO2 than claimed on city and commuter routes. Two years ago, T&E found the technology polluted significantly more than advertised on longer routes. The NGP says the new tests confirm that lawmakers should base taxes for PHEVs on their actual pollution and stop subsidizing their sale.

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a poll on christian nationalism

Some commentary by Jennifer Rubin.  It's straight up Christofascism. 

snip

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“Christian nationalism is a new term for a worldview that has been with us since the founding of our country — the idea that America is destined to be a promised land for European Christians,” PRRI president and founder Robert P. Jones explained in a news release on the survey of more than 6,000 Americans. “While most Americans today embrace pluralism and reject this anti-democratic claim, majorities of white evangelical Protestants and Republicans remain animated by this vision of a white Christian America.”The poll used the following beliefs to gauge how deeply respondents embraced Christian nationalism:

“The U.S. government should declare America a Christian nation.”

“U.S. laws should be based on Christian values.”

“If the U.S. moves away from our Christian foundations, we will not have a country anymore.”

“Being Christian is an important part of being truly American.”

“God has called Christians to exercise dominion over all areas of American society.”

PRRI found that 10 percent (“adherents”) of American adults believe in these ideas overwhelmingly or completely; 19 percent agree but not completely (“sympathizers”); 39 percent disagree (“skeptics”) but not completely; and 29 percent disagree completely (“rejecters”).

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on thermal-acoustic heat pumps

How they work.

There are production prototypes in France.  Ben & Jerrys funded some research that went on at Penn State nearly 20 years ago.

 

 

 

 

one person's favorite computer

A very old Mac that doesn't steal attention.

I bought a new laptop this week replacing my 2015 laptop.  It's fast and generally lovely, but on a scale of how-much-did-it-bring-a-smile-over-what-I-did-before, pale in comparison to my first personal computer nearly 40 years ago. 

 

 

 

commentary

a tip of the hat to Jim

 

a venn diagram

 

 

 

color

 

There's physics folklore that Disney called a Nobel laureate, the name changes depending on the storyteller, and asked what color are electrons, protons and neutrons for a science film they were doing. The great physicist thought for a minute, realizing that a proper explanation wouldn't work,  and gave them colors.

 

polar vortex printer

Will parts of the US have a frigid end of Winter?  Bart points to a primer on the Polar Vortex.

 

 

research progress