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United States

GM, NHTSA Delayed Volt Warnings To Prop Up Sales 344

Posted by timothy from the regulatory-capture-and-cronyism dept.
Lauren Weinstein excerpts the most interesting part of a BBC story about the safety hazards associated with the Chevy Volt — specifically, the risk that its battery pack could catch fire after even a minor impact. While it might be unsurprising that GM was reluctant to shout out safety warnings that would dampen early sales of its much touted hybrid, according to the linked story the NHTSA was as well, and for the same reason: "Part of the reason for delaying the disclosure was the 'fragility of Volt sales' up until that point, according to Joan Claybrook, a former administrator at NHTSA."
Science

One-Way Sound Walls Proven Possible 177

Posted by Soulskill from the good-sound-walls-make-good-neighbors dept.
disco_tracy writes "Imagine a room where a band is playing. Neighbors can't hear the music, but if someone outside the room is talking, the musicians can hear it. The concept — a kind of one-way mirror for sound — seems imaginary, but two Italian scientists recently pushed this kind of sound manipulating technology closer to reality (abstract)."
Earth

Scientists Cleared of Misusing Global Warming Data 541

Posted by Soulskill from the not-that-skeptics-care dept.
Hugh Pickens writes writes "The NY Times reports that an inquiry by the Commerce Department's inspector general has found no evidence that NOAA scientists manipulated climate data (reg. may be required) to buttress evidence in support of global warming after climate change skeptics contended that e-mail messages between climate scientists that were stolen and circulated on the Internet in late 2009 showed that scientists were manipulating or withholding information to advance the theory that the earth is warming as a result of human activity. 'None of the investigations have found any evidence to question the ethics of our scientists or raise doubts about NOAA's understanding of climate change science,' says Mary Glackin, the agency's deputy undersecretary for operations. The inquiry, requested last May by Senator James M. Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma, who has challenged the science underlying human-induced climate change, comes at a critical moment for NOAA, as some newly empowered Republican House members seek to rein in the EPA's plans to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, often contending that the science underpinning global warming is flawed. Inhofe says the report (PDF) was far from a clean bill of health for the agency, and that contrary to its executive summary, showed that the scientists 'engaged in data manipulation.'"
Apple

iPad 2 Rumored to be in Production 192

Posted by CmdrTaco from the milling-away dept.
Stoobalou writes "The normally sober and sometimes accurate Wall Street Journal is claiming that Apple's iPad 2 is currently in production. Foxconn might be producing a limited number of prototype samples of the Second Coming of the iPad but we're pretty sure full production won't start until Steve Jobs (or whoever will be donning the black turtleneck in his sickly stead) strides onto the stage at the official launch keynote."

Comment Re:It's part of the package (Score 1) 14

by lancelotlink (#34486802) Attached to: Extreme Criminal Court Makeover
Checking back on this thread has made me think a little about being a bit more fair about viewing this topic, but you are now the second person that has remarked on the tattoo by his eye as a tear drop. Let's be clear that it is the start of a SCAR tattoo that wasn't covered up by the makeup. Now, if it was left visible because it was too close to the eye for makeup to cover then that's one thing, but if it was done intentionally so members of the jury would mistake it as a tear to evoke some sympathy, then I'm back to feeling how I was in the beginning. Cover it up or don't.

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