Posted on 11/14/2002 4:43:46 AM PST by BigWaveBetty
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) - Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham (news - web sites) released a "roadmap" Tuesday for putting fuel cells in the nation's cars and trucks, further committing the United States to a hydrogen-based transportation system.
"Creating the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle of the future presents complex technical challenges," he told business leaders at the Global Forum on Personal Transportation in the hometown of Ford Motor Co. "Overcoming them will take an intensive and equally complex effort — but it will be worth it because the stakes really are so high."
The Department of Energy (news - web sites) and the nation's leading car and oil companies began work one year ago on a "National Hydrogen Energy Roadmap," Abraham said.
Abraham was holding a closed-door meeting later Tuesday with the heads of the chief executives of some of the nation's leading businesses, including Ford, General Motors Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp., as well as the leaders of American, Northwest and Southwest airlines.
Fuel cells use a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. When pure hydrogen is used, the only tailpipe emission is water vapor.
The technology could have two big benefits: sharply cutting America's dependence on oil imports from an unstable Middle East and reducing the production of greenhouse gases widely blamed for global warming (news - web sites).
But fuel-cell technology is not expected to be widely available until the end of the decade at least.
Critics say the Bush administration and auto industry are using fuel cell research as a way to fend off calls for vehicles that get more miles per gallon.
"The whole business about fuel cell vehicles is just political theater," said analyst David Healy of Burnham Securities.
He said a much better way to reduce oil consumption is through gas-electric vehicles, some of which already are on the road.
Oh look - a changing of the guard in China:
He wasn't a revered nation-builder like Mao Zedong or a visionary like Deng Xiaoping. Lacking the revolutionary stature of the Communist Party elders who elevated him, Jiang Zemin was an unexpectedly wily politician who clung to the peak of Chinese power for 13 years. On Thursday, as expected, Jiang surrendered his position as general secretary in the inner circle of communist power, the Politburo's Standing Committee. By doing so, he launched a generational shift expected to land Vice President Hu Jintao, 59, in China's top party post Friday and in the presidency in March. ABC News.
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Target Corp. posted a 50 percent jump in third-quarter net income Thursday, at the high end of analysts' forecasts, as a strong showing at its namesake discount stores made up for sluggish sales at its Marshall Field and Mervyn's department stores. CNN
More evidence that America is as much an aristocracy as a democracy. Forget the Bush dynasty. Both candidates for the Democratic House Minority leadership post are essentially scions of well-established political dynasties.
A reader points out:
Pelosi's father was a Congressman for a decade, then mayor of Baltimore for a dozen years while she was growing up. Her brother later was elected mayor of Baltimore. She graduated from Trinity College in Washington, DC, which was established as a finishing school for Catholic girls. Ford's father, Harold Ford, Sr., was elected to Congress from Memphis in 1974 and the youngster spent most of his time in Washington. He attended the tony St. Albans prep school on the grounds of the Episcopal National Cathedral, then went on to the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan Law School. He took over his father's seat when the elder decided not to seek reelection.
Not exactly a populist alternative, eh?
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This practice of inheriting congressional seats has always bugged me. It is the case in my congressional district, where I'm convinced most of the voters don't realize the old man has died; they just keep voting for the last name. I hope my current congressman doesn't have his sons follow in his footsteps, as they're usually in the drunk tank. *sigh*
Maybe he's not directing any stock in any of the companies involved. Sour grapes, perhaps?
I like Tarzhay; one just opened about 2 miles from our house!
So now you see why I live in Michigan and my family lives in California.
BAWAWAHAHAHA!!! That is strange HLL, about your brother.
I hope everyone is having a great day. I just got back from the doctor's office. Nothing bad, it was time to have my RX renewed. My doctor gives me a 6 month refill on all my meds. I just got a phone call from the doctor's office. I left my meds there. I guess I won't sleep tonight, LOL. I won't have my sleeping pill tonight. Oh well. I'll go get them in the morning. The office is too far to go back there today. BOO HOO!
We had frost in the front yard this morning. Burrr! really cold out here.
T - good to see you. Hope all is well.
No explanation was given for his morning no-show. But the pool photographer said he had been summoned to the judge's chambers because of objections by Jackson's lawyers to the courtroom pictures on the grounds they were distracting. The photographer was not however barred from the court.
Photos of Jackson on the stand on Wednesday showed him with a Band-Aid-type plaster on his scarred nose, pink lipstick, heavily black-penciled eyebrows and the beginning of a goatee-styled beard all framed by a long black mane of hair. Web services said the close-up pictures -- a rare glimpse of Jackson off-stage -- were some of the most viewed of the last 24 hours.
When the self-styled King of Pop finally returned to the courthouse at Santa Maria -- the central California town nearest to his Neverland Valley ranch -- he appeared drowsy. His eyes drooped and he had to be prompted to answer by lawyers as testimony proceeded at a snail's pace. full story
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