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George Allen’s parting shot

Priceless:

As a last little gift to America, Senator George Allen, who was narrowly defeated by James Webb this month, has introduced what may be his final piece of legislation: a bill that would allow the carrying of concealed weapons in national parks.

(via TP)

Enviros, believe it or not, protest

A government commission has recommended lifting Australia's restrictions on nuclear energy and uranium mining, according to a report by Tim Johnston in The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune.

Australia, with 40% of the world's uranium reserves, currently has no commercial nuclear power plants and strictly limits uranium mining. Along with the U.S., Australia refused to join as a signatory to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

The panel, commissioned by Prime Minister John Howard's government last June, asserted that developing nuclear power and easing curbs on uranium mining could reduce carbon emissions from coal and lift revenues from uranium exports by $1.4 billion a year. The commission advocated constructing 25 nuclear reactors to supply a third of Australia's electricity by 2050.

Electric bike talk

This post is for all the nerds out there who keep sending me emails with technical questions. Consider it an update to my update.

I designed a new battery holder out of PVC sheet to replace the wooden box used on my first prototype. I also replaced a fried switch with one that has a higher current rating and designed a new wiring harness with quick disconnects. My lead-acid battery pack is already starting to take less charge and I have now relegated it to back-up status.

I’m having a pessimistic day

Sometimes I am amazed at the stories that come to light about the duplicity, dishonesty, and plain old inadequacy of politicians and industries. OK, not amazed. Perhaps outraged. What really gets my goat (ha! Did I really just say "gets my goat"?) is that these stories show up in the MSM, and are read, and I'm sure people are amazed/outraged, and then ... what? Then nothing, that's what. We go back to staring out the window at the rain.

To wit:

Perpetually

AP:

As many as 100 million acres of cropland and pastures would have to be dedicated to cultivating biomass fuels like switchgrass to support a national goal of 25 percent renewable energy use by 2025, a University of Tennessee study says.

Moreover, new commercial technologies will be needed to turn switchgrass, wheat, rice and forest products into ethanol fuel, now principally made from corn, and their byproducts into feedstock for power generation.

And on that note, see: Robert Rapier, "Cellulosic Ethanol Reality Check"

Yes? No? Maybe?

I've seen about 10 head-scratchers since the election about the prospects of climate-change legislation in the new Democratic Congress. They're all working with the same basic premises:

• Scientific consensus has rendered denialism untenable.
• International pressure is growing.
• Barbara Boxer, the new Senate EPW committee chair, gets it.
• John Dingell, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, doesn't get it.
• Dingell is in powerful thrall to American automakers, who still -- unbelievably -- don't get it.
• The oil barons have Democratic quislings in the House too, not just Republicans.
• Bush may veto a bill, or then again, may be forced to compromise.

Every piece more or less rearranges these facts. If I were smarter, better at self-promotion, and less lazy, I would have cranked out such a piece myself.

All of this is a roundabout way of saying that Brad Plumer at The New Republic has one of these pieces out. It's better than most, and has some background on Dingell's history on climate change. Worth a read.

Gloom and doom with a sense of precipitation

Does your blog proprietor seem sluggish and grumpy today? Perhaps it's because his home city, Seattle -- or as it's known around the house these days, "f**king Seattle" -- is in the midst of its rainiest November ever.

Outside my home office window, it is dark as night. The wind is blowing. The air is frigid. And if I'm not hallucinating, I think it just started hailing.

Kill me.

Update [2006-11-21 14:1:18 by David Roberts]: Oh, hey, speaking of darkness, does anybody out there know what's up with those full-spectrum lamps? Supposedly they make your body squirt happy chemicals? Anybody got one? Do they work or is it a scam? Know where I can find a cheap one? I have a feeling it's going to be a long, dark winter.

Far Side author working for Conservation Intl.

Several people have written to call my attention to this interview with reclusive cartoonist Gary Larson (of Far Side fame) in USA Today. Seems he's come out of hiding to promote his latest calendar, all profits of which will go to Conservation International to help fight illegal wildlife trade in Asia.

Give it a read.

Jay-Z pimps for clean water

Rapper and media mogul Jay-Z has joined the ranks of entertainment stars speaking up on environment, health, or development issues. Last week at the UN he shared stories from his recent trip to sub-Saharan Africa, where he focused his attention on the dire water and sanitation situation. MTV will air a 30 minute documentary on his trip Nov. 24th.

It is easy to be cynical and say he sees the good free press other entertainers have garnered for similar humanitarian efforts. But it takes all types to tackle these huge problems. If helping him sell some more records (and he apparently needs the help, as the new album is getting panned) is the cost of alerting new audiences to the plight of the 1.1 billion without access to clean water and 2.6 billion without access to adequate sanitation, then pump up the volume.

And it is refreshing that Jay-Z has chosen one of the less photogenic environmental and health issues -- water and sanitation gets such a low "cute and cuddly" score compared to other charity choices.

Energy polled high in voter concern this past election

Two weeks ago, I was quoted in Muckraker casting doubt on how important environmental issues were in the past election. Two new polls -- from Zogby on global warming and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner on energy (PDF of full memo) -- force me to reconsider that position.

Seems Republican's failure on energy and gasoline prices was the top concern, by a 20 point margin, among Democratic voters who considered voting Republican. Energy was also a top concern of other key groups.

Read them and smile!