iogan - Slashdot User

Comment Re:Convincing one of safety of small vehicles. (Score 1) 507

by iogan on Saturday July 05, 2008 @01:32PM (#24067489) Attached to: VW Concept Microcar Gets 235 MPG

Here's how a SmartCar will fare against a brick wall: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s The problem is not that of the car breaking or not, it's how it manages to decelerate without subjecting your body to forces that it cannot survive. Many SUVs suffer problems in this department, because they are simply too hard. If you hit a brick wall with them, they stop, which might well kill you. Same with the SmartCar, but unless you really hit it straight on it's likely to bounce off in some direction, and then decelerate as it hits stuff. An SUV will probably not. On the other hand, SUVs are going out of style in the US in a big way right now, and will probably not be around much longer. Just check the price of crude oil from 2001 to the present day.

Submission + - truthout blocked by AOL/Hotmail (truthout.org) 1

Submitted by dolo724 on Sunday September 16, 2007 @01:31AM

dolo724 writes: Subscribers to Truthout.org are finding their newsletters sent to the trash by some pretty popular ISPs. Who's in charge now? From the article: "Currently, AOL- and Microsoft-related email providers, including Hotmail, are preventing delivery of a range of Truthout communications to thousands of our subscribers. Such communications include Truthout's regular newsletters and notifications to our subscribers from individual workstations of Truthout administrators informing those subscribers that they are affected."

Submission + - allofmp3.com Owner Acquitted

Submitted by csw on Thursday August 16, 2007 @09:08AM

csw writes: CNN reports that the owner of allofmp3.com has been acquitted or copyright charges. http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/biztech/08/15/russia. site.reut/index.html

Submission + - Net Zero Fuel Infrastructure Solution

Submitted by

Sterling D. Allan

on Saturday February 03, 2007 @11:35AM

Sterling D. Allan writes: "By injecting a water-ethanol mixture called Aquahol that can be used on most any vehicle, and by producing ethanol from the prolific and multi-use sweet sorghum plant, Tectane's net result is no added emissions to the environment, at a cost savings. This past Wednesday they had a press conference in which they showed a 30-minute short version of a documentary film about their company, being produced by Nicholas Klein, best known for such Hollywood hits as The Million Dollar Hotel starring Mel Gibson and The Venice Project starring Dennis Hopper and Lauren Bacall. A vehicle running on this technology requires only a slight addition to the engine compartment to house the injection apparatus, which is said to increases mileage by between 20 and 40 percent, cutting emissions by 20 to 60 percent, while increasing horse power by 10 to 15 percent, and increasing the lifetime of the engine by 50 percent. It also removes the need for the catalytic converter, as well as environmentally destructive chemical additives to the fuel like MBTE. The modification enables almost all cars to run on any fuel, including low (75) octane gasoline, which is cheaper, requiring less refinement. The second part of the equation is in the ethanol production method that they promote, using sweet sorghum. The plant can grow without pesticides or expensive fertilizers, grows prolifically, with little water, producing two crops per season; and the entire plant can be used, not just a portion. The stalk fibers can be used as a substitute for wood composites, eliminating the need for deforestation for buildings. The grainy top can be used for animal feed. The pulp can be used for paper production, and has been by the paper company, Cascade, since 2003. The leftover biomass can be used in energy generation plants, being an ideal fuel since it is neither too dry nor too wet."

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