If you fast forward through this vlog...
http://www.remyc.com/raising_minnesota/raising_minnesota_vlog.wmv
there's an interview and images from galactic pizza
plus pix here:
http://www.remyc.com/raising_minnesota/minnesota_pix.html

+++

From:
Hoodoo
hoodoo@ spamcop.net

Who Didn't Kill The Electric Car?
Posted by Jim Walsh

City Pages - The Blotter -
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2006/08/who_killed_the.asp

Tuesday, as the Edina theater marquee asked Who Killed The Electric Car? and
gas station marquees hailed the highest gas prices in the history of the
Twin Cities ($3.105 for unleaded), I turned the ignition key on one of the
few known electric cars in the state, clicked the switch on the control
panel to "reverse" and put my foot on the accelerator as the vehicle's
owner, Pete Bonahoom, nervously cautioned, "Just remember, this is a $25,000
car."

Not to mention the future of everything
http://www.slate.com/id/2146239
chick magnet, tonic for the troops, dude magnet, the answer to all our
problems, kid magnet, hope for the planet, motorcyclist magnet, the only way
to go, skateboarder magnet, big fun, and, as one slack-jawed Earth-loving
cat with an Amoeba Records Hollywood T-shirt on Lake Street put it, "a very
sweet ride."

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/images/electric_car_002.jpg
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/images/electric_car_004.jpg
(Left) Pizza Galactic brothers Greg and Pete (foreground) Bonahoom, and
(right) the Myers Motors sweet ride.

Bonahoom, 28, is the owner of Galactic Pizza
http://www.galacticpizza.com
in Minneapolis. The two-year-old restaurant is best known for its
superhero-costumed delivery people, and it got Hummer-sized press in early
June when one of its superheroes nabbed a purse snatcher. But perhaps most
importantly, Bonahoom and Galactic is the owner of three electric cars
"three-wheel buggies that can be seen tooling all over south Minneapolis
"that would be the envy of all the former electric car owners in California
who lament the General Motors-big oil-feds-led hit on their beloved EV1s in
Who Killed The Electric Car?
http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com

Bonahoom bought his vehicles from NevCo, a now-defunct Eugene, Oregon
company, who came out with an electric car in 1999 and went under last year.
"No one else (in Minnesota) has these. They only made 38 of them, and I have
four," says Bonahoom, a former stock trader for Piper-Jaffray. "I freaked
out when I looked at the people around me and saw where that whole path
would take me; it was just after 9/11 and the world was entering this
super-chaotic state," he says, explaining how he embarked on his organic
business and came to buy the cars, dubbed Gizmos, for under $12,000 each.

"I didn't want to be pissed at myself on my deathbed, and hate what I'd been
doing. I started learning the whole concept of socially-responsible
business, and thought it was something that needed to be worked on," says
Bonahoom, sitting at his neat timecard-strewn desk in the back of the
Galactic kitchen. He's wearing a "Dy-No-Mite" T-shirt and a glazed look, due
to an exhausting week
that has seen business spike due to the purse snatcher press, and news that
one of his drivers was in a serious hit-and-run motorcycle accident the
night before.

"One of the major impacts that pizza restaurants have on the environment is
that you drive crappy cars everywhere and spew out
emissions and all that," he says. "So I just Googled `electric car' and
found a few different choices, and went with the Gizmo for various
reasons, price being the biggest. Plus, they're really unique-looking. The
other one we have now is stylish, but (the three) Gizmos are funny, and I'd
rather have humor in the business than style."

Because it's easier to drive (the Gizmos are driven with two hand-controlled
brakes and accelerator sticks), Bonahoom suggests I take for a spin the
stylish one: A sleek blue version from Myers Motors
http://www.myersmotors.com
that comes with the standard steering wheel and floor brake and accelerator.
The car was given to Galactic as a promotional tool after someone at Myers
saw a national TV story on the purse snatcher.

Bonahoom takes me out to the back parking lot, where his brother Greg is
working on the vehicles. The Myers car's fuel "tank" is hooked up to a
generator, which is attached to the car's battery. Pete pulls the hose out
of the tank, and says the car can run for a couple hours per charge, but
that he wants it back after 30 minutes because he needs it for deliveries.
The car can reach 75 miles per hour, but its internal computer is set to not
exceed 45, because Bonahoom doesn't want anyone
flipping it.

I pull out of the Galactic back lot and onto Garfield Avenue. After gingerly
making my way up the one-way, I ease out onto Lake Street
and, with SUVs and other monster trucks whizzing past and bearing down, I
feel like a go-cart at Elko Speedway. I cruise down Lyndale, picking up
speed and confidence as I go. At every intersection I find myself silently
idling at, I have conversations with strangers. People of all ages on the
street wave and point and smile; the ones who don't wear expressions that
suggest they want to drive it, own it, know what it is.

Look, I test-drove a Hummer a couple years ago
http://citypages.com/databank/24/1190/article11514.asp
and it wasn't nearly as much fun as this. Driving the H2, I pretty much felt
like a dick, and the one thing I remember is that it had a great radio (the
electric car has a decent CD player), and what the salesman told me as we
drove around a man-made lake in Arden Hills: "When you come up to an
intersection, they all stop for you. They want you to go first.

They want to watch you. And there's a fear factor, too." It did not charm
me, nor did it inspire thumbs-ups, or a couple of electric youth
on bikes to yell, as they did just past Lakewood Cemetery, "Oh, that's
sick!" Nor did it come with this quote from Romans, which Myers Motors has
on its promotional materials: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

One of the main points of Who Killed The Electric Car? is that General
Motors never marketed the electric car the way every car in America has
been: as a sex symbol. Save for a brief love affair with a 1970 T-Bird with
suicide doors and an eight-track tape player, I have never owned a sex
machine, but trust me:
Hotties of all stripes like electric cars.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/08/09/MNGSSKDMBT1.DTL

Sure, some of the more conventional can't-be-bothereds look at you like
you're a little boy in a Rickshaw and like your manhood-car thing isn't even
in the running, but plenty of others "say, the blissed-out runner at Lake
Calhoun's North Beach" look at you with a wry smile that says she knows that
the "All Electric!!" sign on the side of the car goes for what's inside the
hood and in the cockpit.

After 30 minutes of electricity, I reluctantly return the car to Galactic,
on Lyndale and 28th. I get back into my emissions-belching
beast and drive home. No one looks at me. I am Clark Kent, no longer saving
the world or making a better future for the children. But, as with the last
three minutes of Who Killed The Electric Car?, I come away hopeful. Hopeful
that someday soon, the bums who run
oil slicked civilization will be out of power, and common-sense stuff like
the electric car will no longer be the vehicle of choice for solely
superheroes and dreamers.

"Most people don't even know the electric car is an option," says Bonahoom.
"My whole goal is to influence other businesses to do what I'm doing. That
way, not only am I doing stuff, but I'm spreading it."

From:
John Bryan
ra5ca1@ peoplepc.com

How would you like to see a video with a nice buxom babe starring in it?
Sound good? Ok, how about a buxom babe who talks with an English accent?
Doesn't that sound great!! Now how about a buxom babe, with a sexy English
accent driving an electric car? Sound too good to be true? Here it is:
http://tinyurl.com/f5cbo

Thanks to Hoodoo
hoodoo@ spamcop.net
for this item

August 10, 2006

Solar cells change electricity distribution

By DAVE FREEMAN AND JIM HARDING
GUEST COLUMNISTS
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/280625_solarcell10.html?source=m

Thursday, August 10, 2006
Solar cells change electricity distribution
By DAVE FREEMAN AND JIM HARDING
GUEST COLUMNISTS

In separate announcements over the past few months, researchers at the
University of Johannesburg and at Nanosolar, a private company in Palo Alto,
have announced major breakthroughs in reducing the cost of solar electric
cells. While trade journals are abuzz with the news, analysis of the
potential implications has been sparse.

We approach this news as current and former public electric utility
executives, sympathetic with consumer and environmental concerns. South
Africa and California technologies rely on the same alloy -- called CIGS
(for copper-indium-gallium-selenide) -- deposited in an extremely thin layer
on a flexible surface. Both companies claim that the technology reduces
solar cell production costs by a factor of 4-5. That would bring the cost to
or below that of delivered electricity in a large fraction of the world.

The California team is backed by a powerful team of private investors,
including Google's two founders and the insurance giant Swiss Re, among
others. It has announced plans to build a $100 million production facility
in the San Francisco Bay area that is slated to be operational at 215
megawatts next year, and soon thereafter capable of producing 430 megawatts
of cells annually.

What makes this particular news stand out? Cost, scale and financial
strength. The cost of the facility is about one-tenth that of recently
completed silicon cell facilities.

Second, Nanosolar is scaling up rapidly from pilot production to 430
megawatts, using a technology it equates to printing newspapers. That
implies both technical success and development of a highly automated
production process that captures important economies of scale. No one builds
that sort of industrial production facility in the Bay Area -- with
expensive labor, real estate and electricity costs -- without confidence.

Similar facilities can be built elsewhere. Half a dozen competitors also are
working along the same lines, led by private firms Miasole and Daystar, in
Sunnyvale, Calif., and New York.

But this is really not about who wins in the end. We all do. Thin solar
films can be used in building materials, including roofing materials and
glass, and built into mortgages, reducing their cost even further.
Inexpensive solar electric cells are, fundamentally, a "disruptive
technology," even in Seattle, with below-average electric rates and many
cloudy days. Much like cellular phones have changed the way people
communicate, cheap solar cells change the way we produce and distribute
electric energy. The race is on.

The announcements are good news for consumers worried about high energy
prices and dependence on the Middle East, utility executives worried about
the long-term viability of their next investment in central station power
plants, transmission, or distribution, and for all of us who worry about
climate change. It is also good news for the developing world, where
electricity generally is more expensive, mostly because electrification
requires long-distance transmission and serves small or irregular loads.
Inexpensive solar cells are an ideal solution.

Meanwhile, the prospect of this technology creates a conundrum for the
electric utility industry and Wall Street. Can -- or should -- any utility,
or investor, count on the long-term viability of a coal, nuclear or gas
investment? The answer is no. In about a year, we'll see how well those
technologies work. The question is whether federal energy policy can change
fast enough to join what appears to be a revolution.

+++

Dave Freeman has been general manager of multiple utilities, including the
Tennessee Valley Authority, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and
New York Power Authority.

Jim Harding is an energy and environment consultant in Olympia and formerly
director of power planning and forecasting at Seattle City Light. Also
contributing was Roger Duncan, assistant general manager of Austin Energy in
Austin, Texas.

Kris Payne, director of "Who Killed the Electric Car" just did a great
interview with Ed Shultz.  This is a second interview where Kris was
invited back after Ed had actually seen the movie.

http://audio.wegoted.com/podcasting/80706PaineChris.mp3

So, that's what, in England, is described with words like "buxom"
and "sexy"? How very sad for you. But then, it is a cold climate and
girls do tend to put on weight in the winter, so we understand.



--- In ETList@yahoogroups.com, Remy Chevalier <electrifyingtimes@...>
wrote:
>
> From:
> John Bryan
> ra5ca1@ peoplepc.com
>
> How would you like to see a video with a nice buxom babe starring in
it?
> Sound good? Ok, how about a buxom babe who talks with an English
accent?
> Doesn't that sound great!! Now how about a buxom babe, with a sexy
English
> accent driving an electric car? Sound too good to be true? Here it
is:
> http://tinyurl.com/f5cbo
>

We can save the world!
Ervin Laszlo

This article appeared in Ode issue: 36
http://www.odemagazine.com/article.php?aID=4351

Humanity faces a choice between collapsing into chaos and evolving into a
sustainable, ethical global community. There's never been a more powerful
moment in all history to make a difference in the world.

A Chinese proverb warns, "If we do not change direction, we are likely to
end up exactly where we are headed." Applied to humanity today, this would
be disastrous.

Without a change in direction, we are on the way to a world of increasing
political conflict and war; accelerating climate change and pollution; food,
water and energy shortages. We also run the risk of mega-disasters caused by
nuclear accidents and global warming.

Albert Einstein told us we cannot solve the major problems we face at the
same level of thinking that created them. He was right. Yet we continue
trying to fight terrorism, poverty, environmental degradation, even obesity
and other "sicknesses of civilization" with exactly the means and methods
that produced the problems in the first place.

A look at history, however, shows that fundamental shifts in societies have
happened at key points throughout our past. Look at the unprecedented
appearance of major civilizations in the Andes, Mexico, Egypt, China, India
and the Euphrates valley. Consider the rise of democracy in ancient Athens
and the emergence and spread of the Renaissance in medieval Europe. But
there is one difference today. In the past, there was time for new thinking
to evolve over generations or even centuries. This is no longer the case.
The critical period for a fundamental social shift in is now compressed into
a single lifetime.

Without significant and widespread changes, our global system could collapse
into chaos. But a wave of new thinking and the action it inspires offer us
hope for a global breakthrough that would create a better world for
ourselves and our children.

Let me offer one example of how such a breakthrough might look: Faced with
growing problems and shared threats, citizens across the planet pull
together to form associations and networks to pursue their dreams of peace
and environmental sustainability.

Business leaders and entrepreneurs recognize the importance of these
aspirations and respond with new goods and services that help make them a
reality. Soon, global news and entertainment media commit themselves to
chronicling emerging social and cultural innovations. On the Internet and
through other grassroots communication networks, people everywhere begin
exploring new visions of the natural world, the global community and human
existence itself.

Out of all this comes a new culture of solidarity and social responsibility
across the planet. Public support mounts for government policies that
institute social and ecological repairs. Money is diverted from the military
and defence industries to the needs of people. New measures are implemented
to develop sustainable energy, transportation, industrial, technological and
agricultural systems. Huge numbers of people around the world get better
access to food, jobs, and education.

As a result of these developments, international mistrust, ethnic conflict,
racial oppression, economic inequity, and gender inequality give way to new
traditions of mutual respect. Rather than breaking down in conflict and war,
humanity breaks through to a sustainable world of self-reliant but
co-operating communities, enterprises, countries and regions.

At this point in our history, human beings have accumulated unprecedented
power-hence responsibility-to decide our destiny. Although the prospect of
global breakdown stares us in the face, it is by no means inevitable.

We also have the unprecedented option of choosing a brighter tomorrow.
Nothing prevents us from shifting our evolutionary path toward a peaceful
and sustainable civilization-nothing except our own patterns of thinking and
action. The leaders now in power and the mainstream society they represent
have not yet glimpsed a different future for our civilization. Yet many
other people are inspired by visions of a global breakthrough that are
already emerging at the creative frontiers of our society. Societies are
seldom culturally monolithic in their thinking. This is especially true in
eras of innovation and ferment. Those periods spawn a large number of
subcultures, or alternative cultures, that spring up alongside the
prevailing power structure.

This is what we see happening today, with some of these alternative cultures
devoting themselves to imaginatively rethinking the priorities, values, and
behaviours of society, giving particular attention to how we can improve
environmental sustainability and human ethics. This sort of fundamental
reassessment of how we live, even if overlooked or ignored by those in
power, can spark rapid and revolutionary change. While barely visible in the
major media, a number of grassroots movements, from global justice to
holistic health to spiritual exploration, are already blazing the trail away
from the usual assumptions of mainstream culture.

Even the people involved with these movements underestimate their own
numbers, in part because most of them go about their business without trying
to convert others and because they lack social and political cohesion. Yet
the more serious and sincere of these alternative cultures show promise as
catalysts of a social breakthrough. Unlike many subcultures and sects, these
people do not relish taking antisocial stances or want to hide away from
everyone else. Rather, they are quietly but profoundly engaged in the world,
as they challenge accepted beliefs and pursue new avenues of personal and
social commitment.

The people drawn to these sometimes-diffuse movements are united by the
aspiration to live a more simple, healthy, whole and ethical life. They are
appalled by what they see as the heartless impersonality and mindless
destructiveness of contemporary society.

The Institute of Noetic Sciences, founded in California by Apollo astronaut
Edgar Mitchell to explore the potential for expanding human consciousness,
has documented the following changes in values and behaviour among some of
these subcultures now emerging in the United States:

* A shift from competition to partnership
* A shift from greed to caring
* A shift from feelings of scarcity to feelings of sufficiency
* A shift from reliance on outer sources of "authority" to inner sources of
"knowing"
* A shift from viewing the world as mechanistic system to viewing it as a
living system
* And, perhaps most significant of all, a shift from separation to
wholeness-a fresh recognition of the interconnectedness of all aspects of
life and reality.

Such a significant redirection of values among a growing number of people
merits serious consideration. Yet mainstream society and media often dismiss
these developments as "New Age," not bothering to differentiate between the
sincere, positive people in alternative cultures and others more inclined to
the narcissism, naïveté or hucksterism. To dismiss everyone in these
alternative cultures as cult members or "flakes" is to throw out the baby
with the bathwater.

No new chapter in human civilization will ever emerge if we just sit around
with our hands in our laps waiting for a holistic convergence that will
foster a new way of thinking. A critical mass of people in society must
stand up to make it happen. That means you and me, and many others around
the planet. And now is the time to get started.

Following are some decisive things you and I can do right now, on a personal
and a social basis, to promote the shift toward peaceful and sustainable
civilization.

1. Let go of old beliefs that no longer make sense

Here are good places to start:

* Nature is inexhaustible.
* The world operates like a giant mechanism.
* Life is a struggle and only the fittest survive.
* The market is the only means of distributing wealth and benefits.
* The more you earn and consume the more successful and happy you are.

2. Think globally, act morally

In a healthy, high-functioning society, everyone shares a common morality.
But what is moral in one culture may be unacceptable in another. This is a
cause of much international tension and conflict today. As countries grow
more interdependent, economically and socially, the urgent need surfaces for
a morality that can be accepted by all humans, wherever they live.

What would such a morality look like? Traditionally, setting the norms of
morality was the task of the religions. Today the dominance of science and
economics has reduced the power of religious doctrines in many nations to
regulate human behaviour. The attempts of Marx, Lenin, and Mao to replace
religion with their own moral precepts have failed. That leaves liberalism
(in the classic sense of free-market economics and elections) as the most
widely espoused morality in the world today. The essence of "liberal"
morality is "live and let live": people are not to be prevented from
pursuing self-interest as long as they observe the rules of civilized
society.

But with the growing problems the world faces today, there are serious risks
involved in classical liberalism's insistence that everyone may do as they
please so long as they don't break any laws. The rich and the powerful
consume a disproportionate share of the resources to which the poor, too,
have a legitimate claim. Rich and poor alike inflict irreversible damage on
the environment that all people must share.

Rather than "live and let live," we need a universal morality better adapted
to the conditions in which humanity finds itself. One inspiration might be
Gandhi's message, "Live more simply, so others can simply live."

That advice is even more urgent today than it was in Gandhi's day. It is
also easier for us to do. Today it's widely recognized that living simply is
not a form of punishment or sacrifice. On the contrary, simple living is a
sensible choice that offers us greater personal well-being and a deeper
sense of meaning in life. The survival of humanity is intimately tied to
nurturing a sense of solidarity and co-operation in the global community, as
well as a respect for the integrity of nature.

3. Dream-and take your dreams seriously

In 1968, when Senator Robert Kennedy ran for president of the U.S., he said,
"Some men see things as they are and say, why? I dream things that never
were and say, why not?" To imagine what you want for the world is not
foolish nor a waste of time. Today, as we face the choice between a global
breakdown or breakthrough, dreams are more important than ever before.

4. Evolve your consciousness

Expanding your own sense of consciousness can be a powerful tool in bringing
critical changes to the world. How? In a heightened "decision window" time
such as ours, even small shifts can influence the course of civilization. As
anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only
thing that ever has."
One way to do it that may surprise you is by entering a so-called altered
state of consciousness that is typical of deep meditation and intense
prayer. This allows you to experience a profound oneness with the natural
world and other people. whether they are next door, in distant parts of the
world, or part of generations yet to come-and realize that the fate of
nature and people is not separate from your own fate.

Not everybody, of course, is drawn to deep prayer or meditation.
Fortunately, other paths lead to the same place. Another route is to get in
touch with our bodies. We use our bodies as we use our cars or computers,
giving them commands to take us where we want to go and do what we want to
have done. We live in our heads. We can break free of that cerebral
imprisonment with yoga, tai chi, qi gong, Ayurvedic exercises, as well as
simple breathing techniques or deep relaxation. Even a daily walk can help.

The stresses and strains of existence also have an impact on our emotional
lives. Negative feelings such as anger, hate, fear, anxiety, suspicion,
jealousy, contempt and indifference dominate the tenor of modern existence.
Negative experiences generate negative attitudes that create further
negative experiences. This cycle must be broken.

Take stock of your feelings and make a conscious effort to transform
negative emotions. It is not easy to replace hate with love, suspicion with
trust, contempt with respect, jealousy with appreciation and anxiety with
self-assurance, yet it can be done. All the religions and spiritual
traditions of the world offer ways to do it. Or try secular techniques, such
as therapy or support groups, that allow you to share your fears and hopes.
Positive emotions can be generated by opening ourselves to experiences of
nature, beholding the beauty of a sunset or making time to relax and play
with our friends and family.

Addressing a joint session of the U.S. Congress in February of 1990, Václav
Havel, then the president of Czechoslovakia, said, "Without a global
revolution in the sphere of human consciousness, nothing will change for the
better . and the catastrophe toward which this world is headed-the
ecological, social, demographic or general breakdown of civilization-will be
unavoidable."

Havel did not mean to discourage us with pessimism, but challenge us to
re-examine our thinking and evolve our consciousness. If we do so, the brave
but small movement seeking a more holistic, peaceful and sustainable
civilization could turn into a powerful force that washes away the old
mindset that's ruled the world for too long. We can change the world and
leave our children with a better place to live.

Adapted with kind permission from Ervin Laszlo's new book,
The Chaos Point: The World at the Crossroads
(Hampton Roads, 2006, ISBN 1571744851)

From:
Wendy Brawer

Grant Topics:
Environmental Justice, Education, and Transportation & Safety Action:
Program Opportunity Notice

New York State Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Technology Initiative

Deadline: 09/18/06

Total Funding: $10 million
Agency: NYSERDA

Publication Date:08/11/06

Eligibility:Proposals may be submitted by individual companies or teams. The
proposing team must be led by a business entity capable of commercializing
the PHEV technology. Proposing teams may include, but are not limited to,
manufacturers, utilities, service firms, industry associations, consultants,
educational institutions, research organizations, government agencies,
end-users, and other stakeholders. Proposers must present a viable plan to
manufacture all, or a significant portion of the PHEV conversion system in
New York State, or otherwise generate significant economic activity in the
State. Teaming arrangements are encouraged when necessary to meet project
goals. Proposers must have sufficient financial resources to perform the
proposed work, and must also have appropriate technical expertise,access to
adequate facilities, and a good performance record.

Summary:
This New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Program Opportunity Notice (PON) 1088 seeks proposals for the New York State
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Technology Initiative, aimed at
accelerating the adoption and use of plug-in hybrid electric passenger
vehicles in the State. The program will provide funding for businesses to
develop, test, demonstrate, and ultimately supply to selected NYS government
fleets the hardware and services necessary to convert existing State-owned
hybrid electric passenger cars and light trucks to plug-in hybrid operation.

Contact:
Pursuant to §139-j(2)(a) of the State Finance Law, the individuals below
have been designated as persons who may be contacted by Proposers relative
to this procurement. Thedesignated individuals may be reached as indicated
below by e-mail or by phoning (518) 862-1090 and selecting the appropriate
extension:

Richard Drake, Program Manager ext. 3258 rld@ nyserda.org
Joe Wagner, Sr. Project Manager ext. 3228 jrw@ nyserda.org
Frank Ralbovsky, Sr. Project Manager ext. 3260 fsr@ nyserda.org
Joe Tario, Sr. Project Manager ext. 3215 jdt@ nyserda.org

Contractual questions should be directed to
Diane Vogel at ext. 3299, or at drv@ nyserda.org

Grant Web Link:
http://www.nyserda.org/includes/funding_content_pop.asp?i=PON 1088

CHBCFrom:
info@ califoriniahydrogen.org

Dr. Iris Ovshinsky - ECD Ovonics Co-Founder, Vice President And Director,
Dies in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

It is with deep sorrow that Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD Ovonics)
announces the death of Dr. Iris M. Ovshinsky, co-founder, vice president and
a director of the company. Dr. Ovshinsky died August 16, 2006, at her home
in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, at the age of 79.

Iris Ovshinsky and Stan Ovshinsky, her husband and fellow scientist, founded
ECD Ovonics in 1960 to research and use new science and technology to solve
serious societal problems. Since the company's founding, Iris was a true
pioneer and played a leading role with Stan in all areas based on his
inventions in amorphous and disordered materials. Under their leadership,
ECD Ovonics has developed into a multi-disciplinary business, scientific,
technical and manufacturing organization in the fields of alternative energy
generation, energy storage and information technologies.

"We are greatly saddened by Iris' death. She was a woman of great vision and
an amazing human being," said Robert C. Stempel, Chairman and CEO of ECD
Ovonics. "She built a corporate culture which helped us grow as a company.
All of us in the ECD Ovonics community will greatly miss her and join me in
extending our deepest condolences to Stan and her family."

Speaking for the family, Dr. Ovshinsky's daughter, Dr. Robin Dibner, said,
"Iris fought for peace, equality and justice with empathy for everyone. She
found great happiness in creating new industries that resulted in high-value
jobs. She was full of life and sparkle, bringing joy to all who met her."

Iris graduated with a B.A. in Zoology from Swarthmore College, received an
M.S. in Biology from the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry
from Boston University. She is a member of Sigma Xi, an associate member of
Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics of The University of Michigan, and a
member of the Editorial Board.

In 2000, Iris was named "Hero of Chemistry" by the American Chemical society
along with Stan as "chemical innovators whose industrial work in chemistry
or chemical engineering has made significant and lasting contributions to
global human welfare." In 2003, Iris was inducted into the "Academy of
Distinguished Alumni" of her alma mater, Boston University. Recently, she
and Stan were profiled in the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?"

Dr. Ovshinsky is survived by her husband, Stan Ovshinsky; their five
children, Robin and Steven Dibner, Harvey, Dale and Ben Ovshinsky; and four
grandchildren, Natasha and Noah Ovshinsky, Sylvie Polsky and Pablo Dibner.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to
The American Civil Liberties Union -- Michigan Chapter,
the Physicians for a National Health Program
(29 E. Madison, Suite 602, Chicago, IL 60602),
or The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring (26341 Coolidge Hwy., Oak Park, MI
48237).

A memorial tribute will be held at a later date.

California Hydrogen Business Council
760-341-2924
http://www.CaliforniaHydrogen.org

From:
Paul Scott
pscottvfx@ earthlink.net
via: bhammon1@ san.rr.com
via: davecutter@ pleiades-enterprises.com

Tesla Electric Roadster "Signature One Hundred" Series Sells Out

16 August 2006

The limited-edition "Signature One Hundred" series Tesla Roadster,the first
high-performance electric car manufactured by Tesla Motors, has sold out in
three weeks.

The electric-powered Tesla Roadster can accelerate from 0-60 mph in about
four seconds. It offers the equivalent of 135 mpg and a range of 250 miles
on a single charge, a combination heretofore unseen in a mass-produced
electric vehicle.

(Performance numbers are still preliminary. Tesla converts from electric
consumption to gallons of gasoline equivalent is calculated using the EPA
conversion factor documented in the Federal Register: June 12, 2000 (Volume
65, Number 113), Rules and Regulations, Pages 36,985-36,992.)

Our goal in designing the Tesla Roadster was to build a car with zero
emissions that people would love to drive. Each of our Signature One Hundred
customers could drive any flashy, fast, gas-powered car they wanted. Instead
they did the right thing, investing in an attractive car that uses no oil
and is responsible for far fewer greenhouse gasses than the alternatives.
"Martin Eberhard, Tesla Motors co-founder and CEO"

Each customer made a $100,000 deposit to join the Signature One Hundred Club
and reserve their Signature One Hundred special edition Tesla Roadster. The
Signature One Hundred edition includes a commemorative plaque in the cockpit
personalized for the customer and signed by the company's principals, a
special Signature One Hundred trim package and all available options,
including a state-of-the-art navigation system and a hard top. Deliveries of
the Tesla Roadster are expected to begin mid-2007.

Some of the initial buyers include actor George Clooney, actor Dennis
Haysbert, Jim Marver of VantagePoint Venture Partners, Jeff Skoll, formerly
of eBay, as well as Martin Eberhard and Elon Musk, chairman of Tesla Motors.
Musk led or co-led all three rounds of investment resulting in $60 million
in funding.

I just had confirmation from Tom Gage that AC Propulstion, who makes
the T-Zero and designed the power train for the Tesla Roadster,
Writespeed X1 and Volvo 3CC, are going to do an initial run of 20 Scion
Xb conversions.  The EV will be called the ACP Ebox.  I will be posting
more info on evfinder.com shortly but from what I remember it will have
a top speed around 80 mph and a range of about 150 miles on Li Ion
batteries.  Cost for conversion will be $55,000 plus the Scion Xb of
your choice.  ACP will probably limit the availability of the vehicle
to some extent, such as only in California, but I don't think a firm
decision on this has been made.  A press release should be available
shortly with more info.

Formula Zero - Fuel Cell Go-Kart Series

http://www.gizmag.co.uk/go/6030/

View all images - http://www.gizmag.co.uk/go/6030/gallery/

August 19, 2006 We love big ideas and this one is a ripper – a young
and dynamic Dutch-based company named Formula Zero is setting up a new
fuel cell race car class to help generate public enthusiasm,
demonstrate the viability, and accelerate the uptake of emission-free
transport. Now here’s the really clever bit – the intention is to
construct a complete portable travelling circus a-la-Formula-One,
which can be set up on any flat surface, complete with racetrack,
grandstands, hospitality, pits, clean technology power and hydrogen
generation and timing facilities.

The 600 metre track will include seating for 1500 spectators and the
races will be held in conjunction with major motor shows, motor racing
events, international political summits, industrial fairs and events
such as the Paris Air Show, Goodwood, Festival of speed, and the
Michelin Challenge Bibendum. Six races will be held during 2008–09
with university teams competing from across the world. The aim is to
start with go-karts on the smaller track and scale-up to full size
fuel cell race cars on full race circuits as technology allows over
the next decade, all under the auspices of the FIA. Formula Zero is
seeking sponsors, host event partners and University teams interested
in fielding a car and we think this is a winner.

The Formula Zero kart class will bring together top corporate
sponsors, high quality university teams, technology providers and
organizers of esteemed international events.

Formula Zero will start in 2008–09 as a new race category with an
annual competition for open single seater race cars that are powered
by fuel cell technology. This is the only competition in the world
dedicated to fuel cell vehicles and high-speed racing, contrasting to
other low speed efficiency races. The first step of the Formula Zero
Championship will be a class for fuel cell karts and as a proof of
concept, Formula Zero, in conjunction with partners Shell Hydrogen,
Ecofys and TNO Automotive, has developed the world’s first fuel cell
race kart, the Mark 2. These karts will be developed and built by
selected universities. The race category will then grow through
several classes into a competition for full size zero emissions race
cars. Formula Zero will become an open series, creating a level
playing field for manufacturers to compete, and showcase their
different innovative technologies.

The selected university-teams are to conceive, design, fabricate, and
compete with small formula-style racing cars. The restrictions on the
car and fuel cell are limited so that the knowledge, creativity, and
imagination of the students are challenged.

Hydrogen karts can give young talent of today the opportunity to
develop their technical skills for the technology of tomorrow. For
this purpose a new competition

The FIA Alternative energies commission will act as the regulating
body for the sports side of the championship, making it an
international recognized race category. The technical regulations are
co-developed with the FIA.

Race events

The race events are centred around the mobile racetrack and are
planned to last from two to five days, with the duration tailored to
complement the activities of the host event.

This mobile racetrack can be set up on any piece of flat tarmac that
is ideally situated to attract large crowds of the desired target
audience. The program will consists of training sessions,
demonstrations with celebrities behind the wheel and an official
competition for university teams.

One of the key features of the circus will be the demonstration of
well-to-wheel-zero-emissions and there will be on-site renewable
energy production with wind turbines to capture wind energy and solar
panels to make electricity from the sun. This electricity will be
converted into hydrogen with a mobile electrolysis unit thus creating
the fuel to power the karts.

Mobile Race Track

The track itself will be 600 metres long and be fully compliant with
FIA-CIK regulations, capable of seating 1500 people, of which 270 will
have full VIP facilities, divided between the three main sponsors in
three hospitality areas.

The track is designed to be set up on any flat surface, and although a
tramc or concrete surface would be ideal, facility has been made for a
dirt or gravel base to be covered with supa-track panels for the
racetrack surface.

The fully transportable infrastructure for the race meetings will also
include the barriers and other safety measures to protect the public,
on-site energy production facilities with turbines and solar panels,
on-site hydrogen generation and re-fuelling facilities and the full
pit lane and pit box infrastructure for up to nine teams.

I know first hand, from good account, that this book, though fiction, is in
fact, inspired from real events, experienced first hand. If we want a world
without oil, then we better start - dealing with Texas!
RemyC. ~ ET webed

A Crack in the Foundation (Paperback)
by Hedy M. Salazar & Helen E. Newell

$17.99 Paperback 388 pages
(December 20, 2005)
ISBN: 1419614924

PBookSurge Publishing
BookSurge LLC
5341 Dorchester Road, Suite 16,
Charleston, SC 29418
(843) 579-0000
Toll Free: 1-866-308-6235
customerservice@ booksurge.com

Author Contact:
281-259-0666
helious12@ aol.com

Order Now:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1419614924/electrifyingt-20

Suspense and intrigue amidst Houston's oil industry! Randolph E. MacGregor,
President and owner of MacGregor Oil Company, uses his power and wealth to
manipulate his destiny and to vanquish his enemies.

His corrupt executive staff jeopardize his future, using intimidation and
blackmail to advance and maintain their positions. In their fight against
corporate discrimination, a trio of female employees uncover drugs,
prostitution and murder.

These criminal activities impede their efforts, threaten their quest for
equality and endanger their lives, yet, strengthens their convictions and
goals. The Houston Police Department initiates an investigation into the
alleged criminal activities of MacGregor management.

Will money and power prevail? Can the power moguls be brought down? Will the
united efforts of the trio pitted against the unscrupulous, power-hungry
management cause a crack in the foundation?

Amazon Reviews

Ann Linderman "Blood Type: Book Positive" (Las Vegas, NV)
A most riveting book from cover to cover, fraught with angst and innuendo,
written by a duo who saw first-hand the corruption which today is Vernon.

Ms. Brown "Kay" (tomball texas)
Reminds me of another big oil company.
I really enjoyed reading this book, could hardly wait to turn each page.

Paula Vaught "babybird" (Las Vegas, NV)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot is really easy to follow and the
characters are great. This should be an Oprah pick.

Joshua S. Beck
Characters that rival a Dickens novel. Greed, Corruption, and the corporate
world collide with three strong-willed and undaunted women. This is a must
read.

I know first hand, from good account, that this book, though fiction, is in
fact, inspired from real events, experienced first hand. If we want a world
without oil, then we better start - dealing with Texas!
RemyC. ~ ET webed

A Crack in the Foundation (Paperback)
by Hedy M. Salazar & Helen E. Newell

$17.99 Paperback 388 pages
(December 20, 2005)
ISBN: 1419614924

PBookSurge Publishing
BookSurge LLC
5341 Dorchester Road, Suite 16,
Charleston, SC 29418
(843) 579-0000
Toll Free: 1-866-308-6235
customerservice@ booksurge.com

Author Contact:
281-259-0666
helious12@ aol.com

Order Now:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1419614924/electrifyingt-20

Suspense and intrigue amidst Houston's oil industry! Randolph E. MacGregor,
President and owner of MacGregor Oil Company, uses his power and wealth to
manipulate his destiny and to vanquish his enemies.

His corrupt executive staff jeopardize his future, using intimidation and
blackmail to advance and maintain their positions. In their fight against
corporate discrimination, a trio of female employees uncover drugs,
prostitution and murder.

These criminal activities impede their efforts, threaten their quest for
equality and endanger their lives, yet, strengthens their convictions and
goals. The Houston Police Department initiates an investigation into the
alleged criminal activities of MacGregor management.

Will money and power prevail? Can the power moguls be brought down? Will the
united efforts of the trio pitted against the unscrupulous, power-hungry
management cause a crack in the foundation?

Amazon Reviews

Ann Linderman "Blood Type: Book Positive" (Las Vegas, NV)
A most riveting book from cover to cover, fraught with angst and innuendo,
written by a duo who saw first-hand the corruption which today is Vernon.

Ms. Brown "Kay" (tomball texas)
Reminds me of another big oil company.
I really enjoyed reading this book, could hardly wait to turn each page.

Paula Vaught "babybird" (Las Vegas, NV)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot is really easy to follow and the
characters are great. This should be an Oprah pick.

Joshua S. Beck
Characters that rival a Dickens novel. Greed, Corruption, and the corporate
world collide with three strong-willed and undaunted women. This is a must
read.

August 23, 2006 - Justin Thomas, Virginia

Nanosolar is a company based in Palo Alto, California, which uses an innovative technique to produce a kind of "solar film". To make the film, Nanosolar prints CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-selenium) onto a thin polymer using machines that look like printing presses. There is no costly silicon involved in the process, and, ultimately, a solar cell from Nanosolar will cost about one-fifth to one-tenth the cost of a standard silicon solar panel. Nanosolar is only a few years old, but it has laid plans to take on multinational corporations, such as BP and Sharp, in the solar industry.

From:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/localnews/ci_4200930
via: http://ecorazzi.groovygreen.com/?p=176

Bay Area firm's electric car drives and sells quickly
$100,000 coupes bought up in less than three weeks on market

By Douglas Fischer, STAFF WRITER

The first high-performance electric car isn't just fast on the road. It's
also proving fast out the showroom door.

San Carlos-based manufacturers of the Tesla Roadster, a $100,000 coupe
capable of hitting 60 mph in 4 seconds from a dead stop, announced Wednesday
that their initial run of 100 cars had sold out in less than three weeks.

Demand was so strong, Tesla Motors found itself bumping people who ordered a
car but couldn't pony up the cash fast enough, said Mike Harrigan, Tesla's
vice president of marketing.

"We were totally surprised," he said.

The Tesla, the initial car from a company formed in 2003 to accelerate
electric car development, was unveiled last month in Santa Monica and has
ridden a wave of press and adulation ever since.

The car's 0-60 mph acceleration matches or beats all but the fastest
high-end production cars on the market. But while the competition guzzles
gas at 5 to 12 miles per gallon - making the Ford Model T look miserly - the
Tesla plugs into the grid, earning the energy equivalent of 135 miles per
gallon on a battery that can last up to 250 miles on a charge.

"Our goal in designing the Tesla Roadster was to build a car with zero
emissions that people would love to drive," said Tesla co-founder Martin
Eberhard in a statement.

Yes, but is the Tesla anything more than a trendy toy for the deep-pocketed?

Most definitely, said Roland Hwang, vehicles policy director for the Natural
Resources Defense Council in San Francisco.
The only obstacle to successful mass production of electric vehicles is the
battery: Manufacturers can't pack enough juice into a battery to even begin
to compete with an internal combustion engine.

If Tesla, with its state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery, can crack that nut,
their battery can just as easily power the family sedan, Hwang said.

"The major auto companies appear to have no interest in this, he said
Wednesday. If we're going to have these new technologies, it appears it's
going to be an innovator like Tesla."

"That's the plan," added Harrigan. "We're a start-up. We knew we couldn't do
a high-volume, low-price production car. But the next car, already on the
drawing boards, is a four-door sedan."

Initial Roadster buyers include Oscar-winning actor George Clooney,
television star Dennis Haysbert of 24, and Jeff Skoll, co-founder and former
president of eBay. More than a quarter of all buyers are previous electric
vehicle owners, Harrigan said.

They'll take delivery in mid-2007 of a car with a personalized plaque in the
cockpit and a motor under the hood that rockets along in virtual silence.

Each of the 100 people to reserve a car, Eberhard said, could have bought
any flashy, fast, gas-powered car they wanted. Instead, he said, they opted
to help lay the foundation that will make electric cars possible for
everyone.

Have $100,000 and miss out on the initial rush to buy a Tesla? The company
is taking orders for the next 100 cars. Visit http://www.Teslamotors.com for
more information.

Contact Douglas Fischer at
dfischer@ angnewspapers.com

-----Original Message-----
From: evrider [mailto:noreply@...]
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 05:19 PM
To: davecutter@..., dave@...
Cc: evrider@...
Subject: Watch "Commuter Car Conversion Workshop EVent" on Google Video

Your friend, evrider@..., has sent you the following video from Google Video and included this message:

Get ready to learn the basics of converting the automobile of your choice to a born again electric car. This is the story of 'L'il Phoenix', Da little 'lectric car' with two lives. You'll catch the simple nifty facts on how we did it, and how you can do it too. It's EVen more fun with a group. Follow the flight of the 'Da L'il Phoenix' in San Dieguito, California. Arriba!

While you might still be wondering about 'Who Killed the Electric Car?', Village Energy participated in an accredited instruction course at the San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas, California, where a group of 30 men and women learned how to convert an ICE (internal combustion engine car) into a battery-powered ZEV (zero-emission vehicle) in just 10 days!

Excellent videography by Mark Kearns - $15.00 per DVD, which includes mailing. Email: kearns.home@...

Commuter Car Conversion Workshop EVent

Description:
Commuter Car Conversion Workshop EVent. Village Energy participates with 30 men and women who came together for one common cause - This high quality video tells the true story about how 'Da Little Phoenix' returns to life as an electric car! More at http://www.pleiades-enterprises.bigstep.com/generic173.html - Village Energy

Want to see more cool videos?
Go to video.google.com/

Think you have an even cooler video?
Add it at video.google.com/videouploadform

If you're having trouble watching the video, try copying the following URL into your browser:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5148280482272042028&pr=goog-sl

 

--
Advancing transportation solutions that are green, practical, and fun.
http://www.pleiades-enterprises.com/ 
--

New! - Is Industrial Hemp the only biomass resource capable of making America energy independent?
http://www.pleiades-enterprises.bigstep.com/generic178.html
--
What can be done for a nation addicted to oil?
http://www.pleiades-enterprises.bigstep.com/generic103.html

--
Burn Rubber, NOT gas, Baby! - Tesla Motors Roadster Debut

http://www.pleiades-enterprises.bigstep.com/generic175.html

--
Who Killed the Electric Car? - Premiere Photo Story in L.A.
http://www.pleiades-enterprises.bigstep.com/generic172.html
--
Electric Cars and Clean Air, What a Concept!
http://www.pleiades-enterprises.bigstep.com/generic173.html
--
Drive-electric.com - Internet Service for discerning drivers.
http://www.drive-electric.com

From:
Nance ~ planetnews8@ gmail.com

Entertaining EV Clips on the electric car

A couple of entertaining clips on electric cars, and the movie Who Killed
the Electric Car?

In case you missed these...recent video posts to YouTube:

Chris Paine on the Daily Show about Who Killed The Electric Car?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Z4xEmAuR0

Here is Tom Hanks on David Letterman....and he hints about his involvement
with the eBox conversion....and "The Hankster" is mentioned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNZT61Dgbvs

From:
Lawrence Rhodes
primobassoon@ sbcglobal.net

Follow up on Tesla event at HP by Jorg.

I put a small video of this event up at:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2186558671707216597&pr=goog-sl

But essentially it's a home video, not a real video of Straubel's talk, or,
especially, of the Q&A session afterwards.

How soon can we get the real video online?  Is there any way I could help
facilitate that?

jorg

On 7/25/06, Sherry Boschert <shaalub@ yahoo.com> wrote:

>  Mark your calendars, the Silicon Valley EAA is proud
> to annouce that JB
> Straubel, CTO of Tesla Motors
> (http://www.teslamotors.com/), will attend a
> special meeting on Aug 5, 2006 from 10am-noon in Palo
> Alto, CA. JB promises
> to not only talk about their exciting new EV Roadster,
> but to bring one of
> these exciting new EVs along to show off.
>
> This is an excellent opportunity for anybody in the
> Bay Area (or beyond) who
> was not able to attend the official unveiling last
> week in Southern
> California.
>
> Please visit our website at http://www.eaasv.org/ for
> directions and
> location for this special event. Our meeting location
> is the Hewlett-Packard
> auditorium at 3000 Hanover Street in Palo Alto. This
> meeting, like all of
> our EAA meetings, is open to the public, so please
> tell your friends and
> family to also attend.
>
> Thanks,
> Kim

Kim Rogers
krogers@ alumni.calpoly.edu
krogers%40alumni.calpoly.edu

From:
Lee Dekker
heprv@...

Leading the way are two companies, A123Systems of Watertown, MA, and Valence
Technology of Austin, Texas, which have designed lithium-ion batteries that
avoid the traditional positive electrode materials used in most laptops and
cell phones today.

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17362&ch=biztech

Safer Lithium-Ion Batteries
In light of Apple's and Dell's massive recalls, will computer makers opt for
batteries that are less prone to catching fire?
By Kevin Bullis

During a nail puncture test, a traditional lithium-ion battery bursts into
flame. Safer battery materials, such as those used in a test by Valence
Technology (right), prevent this from happening. (Credit: Valence
Technology)

Yesterday's announcement by Apple that it is recalling more than one million
lithium-ion laptop batteries sold in the U.S. is again throwing the
spotlight on the safety of this battery chemistry.

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in laptops, cell phones, and other
mobile devices because of their ability to store lots of energy in a small,
light package. But with a recent spate of incidents in which these batteries
overheated or burst into flames -- prompting recalls of Sony batteries in
Apple computers and more than four million Dell laptops -- many experts are
questioning their safety.

A solution may be at hand, although it could mean accepting, for now at
least, lower battery capacity. Safer materials for lithium-ion batteries
already exist and are available in products such as power tools. With some
modification, they could be used in laptops, and also help facilitate the
widespread use of lithium-ion batteries in hybrid and electric vehicles.

Leading the way are two companies, A123Systems of Watertown, MA, and Valence
Technology of Austin, Texas, which have designed lithium-ion batteries that
avoid the traditional positive electrode materials used in most laptops and
cell phones today.

According to Yet-Ming Chiang, materials science and engineering professor at
MIT and a founder of A123, the cobalt-oxide or related oxide materials
typically used in lithium-ion batteries become unstable if overcharged or
overheated, which can happen in the case of battery damage or a fault in the
manufacturing process that leads to an internal short. The unstable
materials release oxygen, oxidizing other materials in the battery, which in
turn produces more heat. The cycle continues in a process called "thermal
runaway," which in some cases can lead to a violent explosion (see "Are
Lithium-Ion Electric Cars Safe?").

In the new lithium-ion batteries, cobalt oxide is replaced with iron
phosphate, a much more stable material. Indeed, a traditional lithium-ion
battery will burst into flames in abuse tests, such as being pierced by a
nail (see this A123 and this Valence video). But the new materials show
little reaction at all.

The downside of batteries using the new material is that they have less
energy capacity than those typically used in laptops today. A123's
batteries, for instance, have been engineered for applications in which
safety and quick bursts of power are more important, such as for power
tools. This power comes partly from the nature of the material; however,
making the electrodes thin also helps. So engineering batteries with thicker
electrodes can increase capacity.

Although safer lithium-ion batteries could be adapted for mobile devices, a
re-engineered battery would still have less runtime than users now expect in
their laptops and cell phones. The lower capacity, however, can be offset,
to some extent, especially in cell phones, by faster charging times made
possible by the new chemistry, says A123 founder and VP of business
development Ric Fulop. Although the battery would be exhausted faster, it
could be recharged during a break in a meeting or at a layover in an
airport. Fulop says their batteries also maintain capacity over more
charge/discharge cycles, extending their useful life.

Currently, A123 is focused on power tool and hybrid vehicle markets, where
high power is essential. But Valence, whose batteries run the Segway
personal transport vehicle, has been talking to laptop manufacturers about
adapting laptops to use their batteries, says vice president of marketing
Dean Bogues. So far, however, computer makers haven't taken the bait. "The
hurdle they've had is, who's going to be the first to give up energy
capacity to go with a safer technology?"

With the recent headline news of massive recalls and continuing worries over
the safety of more traditional lithium-ion batteries, though, some may begin
to change their thinking.

Copyright Technology Review 2006.

From:
Lawrence Rhodes
primobassoon@ sbcglobal.net

From the Arcane list. Diverse interest.

1. Pictures of the Tesla
     Posted by: "adrian cockcroft" adrian.cockcroft@ gmail.com hex007e
     Date: Sun Aug 6, 2006

I also took some pix and a video of it not making any noise as it left.

http://adriancockcroft.vox.com/ or
http://s69.photobucket.com/albums/i79/fastspider/Tesla/ for more pix and
video

Very nice presentation and a big turnout.

Cheers Adrian

NEW FROM
Temple University Press

For Immediate Release
Publication Date: August 24, 2006
Contact: Gary Kramer
215-204-3440 Fax: 215-204-4719
gkramer@ temple.edu

A revealing look at the dark side of the technology industry

Challenging the Chip: Labor Rights and Environmental Justice in the Global
Electronics Industry (Publication Date: August 24, 2006) is the first
comprehensive examination of the impacts of electronics manufacturing on
workers and local environments across the planet.

From Silicon Valley in California to Silicon Glen in Scotland, from Silicon
Island in Taiwan to Silicon Paddy in China, the social, economic, and
ecological effects of the international electronics industry are widespread.
The production of electronic and computer components contaminates air, land,
and water around the globe. As this eye-opening book reveals, the people who
suffer the consequences are largely poor, female, immigrant, and minority.

Contributors to this pioneering volume include many of the world's most
articulate, passionate, and progressive visionaries, scholars, and
advocates. Here they not only document the unsustainable and often
devastating practices of the global electronics industry but also chronicle
creative ways in which activists, government agencies, and others have
attempted to reform the industry-through resistance, persuasion, and
regulation.

Ted Smith is founder and Senior Strategist, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition,
and is co-founder and Coordinator of the International Campaign for
Responsible Technology. David A. Sonnenfeld is Associate Professor in the
Department of Community and Rural Sociology at Washington State University.
He is co-editor of Ecological Modernisation Around the World: Perspectives
and Critical Debates. David Naguib Pellow is Associate Professor of Ethnic
Studies at the University of California, San Diego. He is the author of
Garbage Wars: The Struggle for Environmental Justice in Chicago.

Challenging the Chip:
Labor Rights and Environmental Justice
in the Global Electronics Industry
Edited by Ted Smith, David A. Sonnenfeld, & David Naguib Pellow

Publication Date: August 24, 2006
368 pp., 37 b&w illustrations, 22 tables, 3 maps, 6 figures, 6 x 9"
paper ISBN 1-59213-330-4 $25.95

Q: What prompted you to assemble Challenging the Chip? Where did you learn
about the stories that are included in the book?
A: The book grew out of a global symposium sponsored by the Silicon Valley
Toxics Coalition (SVTC) and the International Campaign for Responsible
Technology (ICRT) in 2002 where people from 15 countries came together to
share experiences and common challenges. We realized that we had important
stories to bring to the attention of the general public, policymakers,
communities, workers, and others around the world. Many of the communities
most affected by negative high-tech impacts have been at the forefront of
creating solutions. Challenging the Chip brings these stories together to
document the incredibly brave and important efforts of many people over the
last three decades. In addition, the book provides some direction and hope
for a more sustainable future for all of us.

Q: Would you describe Challenging the Chip as an exposé of the electronics
industry?
A: Challenging the Chip definitely exposes the dark side of the electronics
revolution. In fact, the book includes the most comprehensive documentation
ever published about the negative impacts that the electronics industry has
had on communities around the globe. However, it is also about the bright
side, written by people who have come together in workplaces, communities,
and across borders to prompt the industry to examine the impacts to the
environment and people's health, and the social injustice towards workers in
the manufacturing of its products. Challenging the Chip is about challenging
the industry to use its incredible ingenuity to dazzle the world all over
again with cleaner, greener technologies, products, and components that are
free of toxics, easy to recycle, and produced without harm to those
manufacturing, assembling, and disassembling them.

Q: Your book talks about issues of health, environment, labor, and social
justice. What do you think are the most important concerns within the
electronics industry?
A: First, electronic products today are manufactured using more than a
thousand toxic chemicals-many of which are known to cause cancers,
miscarriages, reproductive problems, asthma, and other illnesses in the
workers who make them, the communities surrounding the manufacturing
facilities, and the places where e-waste is dumped and burned.
      Secondly, the industry's "planned obsolescence" of electronic products,
makes it almost impossible to repair or upgrade existing machines, forcing
consumers to buy the latest model and throw out the old one. The rapid pace
of change is a real double-edged sword because new chemicals are being
incorporated before adequate health testing is done, and we are also
consuming faster than we can recycle.
     Lastly, there has been a migration of high-tech facilities to
impoverished developing countries with weak environmental and worker
protections. This increases the power and profitability of electronics firms
at the expense of local communities and workers-many of whom are young women
of color-around the world.

Q: You talk about "providing a vision of what a sustainable electronics
industry can look like" in the book. How viable is this?
A: It's entirely possible, but only if people are aware and come together to
make the changes happen. The electronics industry is incredibly dynamic and
has shown it is capable of change. Organizations like the Silicon Valley
Toxics Coalition and efforts like the Computer TakeBack Campaign have moved
companies like Dell (see Chapter 25) to take back and recycle their
products. Today, Dell offers free recycling of any brand computer from
anywhere in the world when you buy a new Dell. That's enormous progress from
where they were just a few years ago! An industry that's been able to put
thousands of songs, photos, and videos on a tiny chip has the capacity to
pave the way towards a sustainable future.

Q: Do you think it is possible to change such a powerful and pervasive
industry?
A: The stories in the book are written by progressive visionaries, scholars,
and advocates in the field from all around the world who have already
succeeded in bringing about change in the industry over a number of years,
using a diverse range of tactics, including grassroots organizing, consumer
education, market-based campaigning, litigation, health advocacy,
shareholder initiatives, and government regulation. Until now, many of these
stories have never been told, let alone gathered in a single text.

Q: You profile several people and organizations around the world. What
similarities-or differences-do you see in the industry and how each country
handles the issues of labor, environment, and technology?
A: Challenging the Chip describes similarities in the "environmental
footprint" of high-tech development-worker health hazards, groundwater
contamination, and air pollution-whether in California, Texas, Scotland,
Taiwan, or Mexico. In Chapter 14, labor rights in Mexico are described in
depth, showing the violations in the length of the work day, the poor wages,
as well as issues of discrimination, harassment, and other basic human
rights. Likewise, the photos in Chapter 21, show things like a child in
India sorting through discarded electronic circuit boards without proper
protection. The book also addresses the critical questions of the long term
impacts of electronics manufacturing in China and India, where so much of
the production and disposal are now occurring.

Q: You fill this book with "people's histories." What story moved you the
most?
A: I am most moved by the story about Helen Clark, Jim McCourt, and their
colleagues in Silicon Glen, Scotland (Chapter 12). Their persistence,
courage, and ingenuity moved the Scottish government to conduct the world's
most comprehensive health study of semiconductor workers. Their efforts have
helped make working conditions in the industry safer and healthier not only
in Scotland but around the world. It's very sad that Helen gave up her life
in this struggle, but her spirit is still with us, and she is still
inspiring others to action.

Q: Challenging the Chip is an excellent handbook and reference guide for
learning more about the global electronics industry. What are some important
resources people should use to take action and become change-makers
themselves?
A: The book includes a comprehensive list of organizations, resources, and
websites for readers to follow up their interests in working with others to
change electronics in more healthy, environmentally-friendly, and socially
just ways. Such resources are growing rapidly, as the leading groups
continue to expand their work and as new groups become more involved. These
resources will be regularly updated on the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition's
website, www.svtc.org, which will serve as a clearing house and network hub
for a variety of newly-emerging initiatives.