Electric vehicles are even more environmentally friendly than you thought – update

You’re probably aware of many of the environmental advantages of electric vehicles (EVs) – reduced carbon footprint, reduced air pollution etc.

But you may not have heard of their reduced heat island effect.

Heat island effect? – human activities are concentrated in urban areas. Almost all human activities produce heat – some obviously – such as household heating, some less obviously – such as household cooling. (Have you ever walked past the outside outlet of an air conditioner?) Heat released by human activity in an urban area raises the local temperature – creating a heat island.

NASA explains the heat island effect


Heat island effect leads to more air-conditioner use in hot weather – which further contributes to the heat island effect.

What internal combustion engines do best, is make heat. In practice, only about 20% of the energy in fossil fuel powers the vehicle. The remaining 80% escapes directly as heat – in urban areas, contributing to the heat island effect.

Electric motors are many times more efficient than internal combustion engines, releasing only 20% of the heat energy.

Canbing Li et. al. have shown that in Beijing, “The replacement of CVs [conventional vehicles] by EVs in 2012 could have mitigated the summer heat island intensity (HII) by about 0.94°C, reduced the amount of electricity consumed daily by air conditioners in buildings by 14.44 million kilowatt-hours (kWh), & reduced daily CO2 emissions by 10,686 tonnes.”¹

Obviously, the same principle applies to other cities too.

https://research.msu.edu/electric-vehicles-emit-significantly-less-heat/
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¹ Canbing Li et. al: “Hidden Benefits of Electric Vehicles for Addressing Climate Change”, published in Nature, https://www.nature.com/articles/srep09213

/ electric cars electric vehicle EV environmentally friendly benefits electric vehicle EV diminished carbon footprint less air pollution more subtle benefits as well new research Michigan State University research EVs emit less heat urban heat island effect reduced large-scale adoption of EVs phasing out heat-spewing gas-powered vehicles hot cities summer hotter global warming reduced improving livability reducing cooling bills energy use petrol gas powered vehicles switch to electrics big picture electric cars global warming study Jianguo Liu Rachel Carson Chair Sustainability Michigan State University director Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability heat waves kill climate change one degree research Professor Canbing Li Hunan University Changsha China visiting scholar conventional vehicles air conditioners biggest contributors heat island effect intensity difference between urban temperatures cooler temperatures rural areas electric vehicles are cooler 20% of the heat a gas vehicle emits researchers Beijing summer of 2012 calculate switching vehicles gas electricity reduce heat island intensity 1 degree Celsius saved Beijing 14.4 million kilowatt hours slashed carbon dioxide emissions 11,779 tons per day paper Hidden Benefits of Electric Vehicles for Addressing Climate Change effects aerosol pollution heat island intensity potential factor research new findings recently published journal Scientific Reports /

Dyson is developing an electric car

Dyson, the vacuum cleaner manufacturer, is developing an electric car – very few details are available, except:

● a single paragraph (since withdrawn) in a UK government document, saying that the government will provide some funding

● Dyson bought Sakti3, a company which has developed battery technology James Dyson described as, “breakthrough” – new battery technologies are announced every week,¹ but almost none of them are bought up by an established, engineering driven, international company

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/24/11299802/dyson-electric-car-vacuum-UK-government

http://jalopnik.com/expensive-vacuum-maker-dyson-is-developing-an-electric-1766856309?utm_medium=sharefromsite&utm_source=Jalopnik_twitter

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/23/dyson-developing-electric-car-government-documents
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¹ “Elon Musk is sick of inventors pitching him the next big thing in batteries”, http://qz.com/400314/elon-musk-is-sick-of-inventors-pitching-him-the-next-big-thing-in-batteries/ / expensive vacuum cleaner maker manufacturer Dyson developing electric car electric vehicle EV battery electric vehicle BEV National Infrastructure and Delivery Plan UK United Kingdom Great Britain Infrastructure and Project’s Authority vacuum maker Dyson building car government funding Dyson develop new battery electric vehicle headquarters Malmesbury, Wiltshire secure £174m investment creating over 500 jobs engineering Dyson developing new battery electric vehicle help from public money Dyson all British developed electric vehicle Dyson developing electric car great history designing products innovative take risks decades experience designing building advanced efficient electric motors bought Sakti3 battery maker radical technology James Dyson breakthrough development /

FBI finds another organisation to unlock San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone – postpones court hearing

So the FBI postponed a court hearing in its ongoing case to force Apple to unlock an iPhone. Story is that the FBI found another organisation to unlock the phone.

A few things remain unexplained:
• the purpose of this case was widely believed to be the FBI selecting the best case to establish a precedent for forcing a tech company to decrypt a phone
• Cellebrite, the company believed to have been engaged to decrypt the iPhone, has a long standing association with the FBI – why did it take them so long to think of using Cellebrite again?

Unexplained, unless the FBI expected to lose in court.

Plus, the subtext of this case has been, “Nobody but Apple can decrypt an iPhone & they won’t do it.” And now the FBI claims it’s found someone who can & will.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/03/the-company-helping-unlock-the-san-bernardino-iphone-has-a-long-history-of-selling-gear-to-us-police/

http://fortune.com/2016/03/26/apple-fbi-tim-cook/ / company helping unlock San Bernardino iPhone long history selling gear US Police company helping FBI access San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone data USA data-extraction tools Cellebrite has been helping US law enforcement arsenal surveillance gear FBI postponed hearing yesterday force Apple write software decrypt unlock weaken security San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone unidentified outside third party solution Apple’s help Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth outside party Cellebrite forensics firm specialises getting data off mobile devices unconfirmed report not able to comment identity outside party FBI spokesperson Cellebrite cosy relationship US law enforcement Intercept catalogue government surveillance gear ACLU staff attorney Nathan Wessler Cellebrite device favourite of police departments everywhere Cellebrite making millions FBI contracts Motherboard reports
public records Cellebrite’s US subsidiary $2 million worth of purchase orders FBI purchase order agency software renewals Apple hearing was order Chicago San Bernardino FBI Cellebrite US federal contracts Drug Enforcement Agency Patent and Trademark Office US Immigrations Custom Enforcement Transportation Security Administration State Department Cellebrite’s gear high-profile terrorism cases federal agencies state local law enforcement equipment get data off mobile devices Universal Forensics Extraction Device investigative tool sophisticated surveillance technology Cellebrite gear potential abused abuse Michigan State Police Cellebrite technology access smartphone data getting a warrant ACLU records Cellebrite device usage Freedom of Information Act retrieving records cost hundreds thousands of dollars ACLU has not received records prohibitive cost Cellebrite salvage data San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone law enforcement let Apple off the hook Cellebrite a ton of positive publicity FBI avoid embarrassing precedent-setting loss in court FBI set a precedent forcing tech companies assist in investigations Pyrrhic victory for the Bureau Cellebrite company’s technology Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI frequent customer /

Encryption is a basic prerequisite for privacy & free speech – Amnesty International

Credit: http://sputniknews.com/

Apple has always pushed the view that it shouldn’t decrypt a user’s iPhone. Now Amnesty International has weighed in on Apple’s side:

“Encryption is a basic prerequisite for privacy and free speech in the digital age. Banning encryption is like banning envelopes and curtains.” – Amnesty International

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/03/amnesty-international-weighs-in-on-apple-v-fbi/

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/apple/encryption-enabler-human-rights-amnesty-international-says-n542906

https://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/encryption-a-matter-of-human-rights / government attacks encryption of online communication threaten human rights around the world Amnesty International briefing tech giant Apple challenges US Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI court order provide software bypass iPhone encryption briefing encryption human rights Amnesty International’s first official stance encryption human rights people everywhere should be able encrypt their communications personal data essential protection rights privacy free speech at stake Apple case whether future administration exploit next national moment crisis access our phones target journalists persecute activists minorities Naureen Shah director of security and human rights Amnesty International USA Encryption basic prerequisite privacy free speech digital age banning encryption like banning envelopes curtains takes away basic tool keeping private life private Sherif Elsayed-Ali Amnesty International’s Deputy Director Global Issues governments undermine encryption think twice before open this Pandora’s Box weakening privacy online disastrous consequences free societies human rights activists and journalists hold our leaders to account demanding backdoors violate human rights briefing warns attempts make companies create backdoor in encryption software these measures violate international human rights law indiscriminately undermine security communications private data anyone using the software Apple v FBI case seeking access data phone may be legitimate method of accessing it require company customize software defeat its security features risks US government other governments compel technology companies modify their products weaken circumvent encryption backdoors threaten online privacy chilling effect on exercise free expression expose online communications individuals' data security threats criminals stealing credit card data Apple versus FBI case what is at stake encryption debate phone whether governments should be able dictate security of software protects privacy of millions people Sherif Elsayed-Ali Opening a backdoor security governments risks opening door cyber criminals hack phone governments world spy on repress critics US authorities force world’s biggest tech companies make products less secure danger governments around the world follow suit demand similarly intrusive powers hundreds smaller companies developing privacy technology encryption under threat online censorship surveillance growing threat human rights undermining encryption threaten freely communicate use Internet human rights activists challenge authorities journalists uncover corruption lawyers holding powerful governments to account Amnesty International countries limit encrypt communication strength of encryption allowed Cuba Pakistan India Russia Morocco Kazakhstan Pakistan Colombia banning altogether Amnesty International’s briefing limited circumstances encryption can be restricted restrictions necessary achieve legitimate end proportionate imposed blocking encryption Amnesty International calling on governments actively promote protect online communications facilitating use encryption tools services everyone means to defend themselves unauthorized access theft monitoring personal information foreign states international organisations corporations private individuals Amnesty International calling on companies provide adequate level of encryption protect personal data banning undermining encryption one clear result making us less secure undermining our privacy governments limit encryption ostensibly security reasons fails take into account serious ramifications weakening encryption online security short-sighted misguided Sherif Elsayed-Ali /

Tesla Model S P90D Ludicrous top speed & acceleration test on the Autobahn (video)

Tesla’s Model S P90D is software-limited to 250 kph (155 mph). In Ludicrous mode, it gets there in around 29 seconds, so the movie below is quite short.



http://electrek.co/2016/03/23/tesla-model-s-p90d-ludicrous-top-speed-acceleration/ / Tesla Model S 0 to 60 mph acceleration tests car top speed 155 mph 250 km/h speedometer turns red approaching top speed logistics testing vehicle speed roads tracks fun quick test legal legality AutoTopNL Autobahn 2016 Tesla Model S P90D Ludicrous mode about 29 seconds Tesla 20% faster standard Model S Performance Model S top speed software-limited 155 mph battery lithium ion LiIon charge supercharger fast charge /

Rockefeller Family Fund divesting from fossil fuels

“While the global community works to eliminate the use of fossil fuels, it makes little sense—financially or ethically—to continue holding investments in these companies. There is no sane rationale for companies to continue to explore for new sources of hydrocarbons. The science and intent enunciated by the Paris agreement cannot be more clear: far from finding additional sources of fossil fuels, we must keep most of the already discovered reserves in the ground if there is any hope for human and natural ecosystems to survive and thrive in the decades ahead.”

“We would be remiss if we failed to focus on what we believe to be the morally reprehensible conduct on the part of ExxonMobil. Evidence appears to suggest that the company worked since the 1980s to confuse the public about climate change’s march ...” – Rockefeller Family Fund

http://www.rffund.org/divestment / decision to divest The Rockefeller Family Fund proud announce intent divest from fossil fuels as quickly as possible complications of modern finance increasingly dominated alternative investments hedge funds global community eliminate the use of fossil fuels makes little sense financially ethically continue holding investments companies no sane rationale continue explore new sources hydrocarbons science intent enunciated Paris agreement finding additional sources of fossil fuels must keep most of the already discovered reserves in the ground human and natural ecosystems survive thrive remiss morally reprehensible conduct ExxonMobil evidence company worked since the 1980s confuse public climate change’s march spending millions fortify infrastructure climate change’s destructive consequences track new exploration opportunities Arctic’s ice receded appropriate authorities company violated any laws as a matter of good governance cannot be associated company exhibiting apparent contempt for the public interest Board instructed its advisors eliminate holdings of ExxonMobil all coal tar sands companies portfolio exposures investment entire portfolio Family Fund’s Finance Committee divestment work suitable alternatives Socially Responsible Investing options oil industry ExxonMobil past time for all people of good will goodwill deep interdependence between humanity’s future and the health of our natural systems /

Chain Monkey delivers consistent chain tension for motorcycles & karts (video)

Chain Monkey for karts
Credit: Tru-Tension

How-to for motorcycles



How-to for karts



More

http://www.gizmag.com/chain-monkey-review/42441/

https://biker47.com/chain-monkey-review/ / Chain Monkey takes the guesswork out of motorcycle chain adjustment dirty work adjusting motorcycle chains kart go kart gokart go-kart bike clean cleaned trial and error back and forth right amount of chain slack this jigger helps Chain Monkey clamps onto chain gives correct chain tension first time every time simple effective good idea adjusting your motorcycle chain a bit of stuffing around play with the adjusters check the slack repeat until fingers thoroughly blackened chain lube sprocket grime Triumph Speed Triple single-sided swingarm adjusting collar behind the sprocket carrier adjusted by tiny degrees takes quite a bit of effort to move easy to overshoot the mark adjust the chain a lot Speed Triple this device garage Chain Monkey very simple idea ensures consistent correct chain tension every time work out what setting you need chain amount of slack needed settings designed deliver precision set the Chain Monkey setting wind up little rubber ring to act as a stop clamp it onto chain wind it up stop puts a little bend in the chain adjust the chain until you can't tighten it any more take the chain monkey off perfect amount of chain slack simple consistent effective rubber ring stop isn't the best solution slip replace rubber ring nylock threaded nut Tru-Tension go-kart version Chain Monkey simple jigger good idea very handy chain adjusting /