Posts by christopher hinton

Review: Renault Zoe electric car

Why this is important

Notwithstanding the usual shrill comments about " the power has to come from somewhere". There is also

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21307075

As a city dweller I'm afraid the commuter lobby will have to suck one, I don't want your crap in my city.

Disappearing bees mystery: Boffins finger regicide pesticides

I hate to harp on but....the chemical designed to kill bee-like creatures has a detrimental effect on bees? No way. A story from 5 years ago about some wacky types who claimed neonicotinoids might be on be one of the reasons for the decline in bee numbers:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6438373.stm

Whilst I agree that this might not be the only factor at work here, it seems reckless to do anything other than place a ban on the use of the these agents in farms and gardens while their affects are more closely studied.

UltraViolet: Hollywood's giant digital gamble is here

Digital Copy

I just hope that the streamed/digital copies aren't just Itunes and plays for sure compatible. I have bought several movies which include an unplayable copy of the movie unless you have fruit themed mobile device. This is not an anti-Apple stance,it just seems silly to make the digital copies included Apple only when movies are already available on Itunes n formats to suit those devices. As a Blackberry Playbook owner(no laughing at the back) I just want a digital copy of the movie I own on disc without having to spend 2 hours ripping it.

Assange: 'iPhone, BlackBerry, Gmail users - you're all screwed'

From a slightly more reputable source

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2011/11/30/phone-rootkit-carrier-iq-may-have-violated-wiretap-law-in-millions-of-cases/

Maybe Jules isn't that nuts.

Brit hover barges, airships offered to Canadian oilfields

Really?

So now we are digging huge chunks out of the Canadian wilderness up to get at deposits of Oil/Sand mix that is difficult to refine and a nightmare to haul back to civilization? This is the best means we can find to supply energy? pffff

Renault intros e-MPV

renault unpopular

Whenever EVs like this are mentioned on this site someone always mentions the "daily commute" or the "shopping runs out of town",both of these activities can be carried out sans car if one really wishes so what is really stopping us is the convenience factor. Can't wait to explain that to future generations..."sorry it took us 20 years to take up EVs but we had a good reason to continue shipping oil around the world and driving 100 year old technology....Evs were a bit inconvenient". As to the 100 mile range problem,the majority of the British population have lived in urban areas since about 1850 and as a result very rarely make journeys of more than 20 miles each way. So lets be realistic shall we?Get an EV and use ther train for long hauls unless you like thelovely Saudis that much.