Malek

On peut légaliser la prostitution, le crack et la pédophilie, et on va attirer pleins de touristes aussi. Le bon sens et le bon goût n'existent plus?

malade

Scientists find bugs that eat waste and excrete petrol

From The Times

June 14, 2008

Scientists find bugs that eat waste and excrete petrol

Silicon Valley is experimenting with bacteria that have been genetically altered to provide 'renewable petroleum'

Some diesel fuel produced by genetically modified bugs

Image :1 of 3

Chris Ayres

“Ten years ago I could never have imagined I’d be doing this,” says Greg Pal, 33, a former software executive, as he squints into the late afternoon Californian sun. “I mean, this is essentially agriculture, right? But the people I talk to – especially the ones coming out of business school – this is the one hot area everyone wants to get into.”

He means bugs. To be more precise: the genetic alteration of bugs – very, very small ones – so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as woodchips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil.

Unbelievably, this is not science fiction. Mr Pal holds up a small beaker of bug excretion that could, theoretically, be poured into the tank of the giant Lexus SUV next to us. Not that Mr Pal is willing to risk it just yet. He gives it a month before the first vehicle is filled up on what he calls “renewable petroleum”. After that, he grins, “it’s a brave new world”.

Mr Pal is a senior director of LS9, one of several companies in or near Silicon Valley that have spurned traditional high-tech activities such as software and networking and embarked instead on an extraordinary race to make $140-a-barrel oil (£70) from Saudi Arabia obsolete. “All of us here – everyone in this company and in this industry, are aware of the urgency,” Mr Pal says.

Related Links

Biofuel: a tankful of weed juice

The arithmetic of crude oil

What is most remarkable about what they are doing is that instead of trying to reengineer the global economy – as is required, for example, for the use of hydrogen fuel – they are trying to make a product that is interchangeable with oil. The company claims that this “Oil 2.0” will not only be renewable but also carbon negative – meaning that the carbon it emits will be less than that sucked from the atmosphere by the raw materials from which it is made.

LS9 has already convinced one oil industry veteran of its plan: Bob Walsh, 50, who now serves as the firm’s president after a 26-year career at Shell, most recently running European supply operations in London. “How many times in your life do you get the opportunity to grow a multi-billion-dollar company?” he asks. It is a bold statement from a man who works in a glorified cubicle in a San Francisco industrial estate for a company that describes itself as being “prerevenue”.

Inside LS9’s cluttered laboratory – funded by $20 million of start-up capital from investors including Vinod Khosla, the Indian-American entrepreneur who co-founded Sun Micro-systems – Mr Pal explains that LS9’s bugs are single-cell organisms, each a fraction of a billionth the size of an ant. They start out as industrial yeast or nonpathogenic strains of E. coli, but LS9 modifies them by custom-de-signing their DNA. “Five to seven years ago, that process would have taken months and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he says. “Now it can take weeks and cost maybe $20,000.”

Because crude oil (which can be refined into other products, such as petroleum or jet fuel) is only a few molecular stages removed from the fatty acids normally excreted by yeast or E. coli during fermentation, it does not take much fiddling to get the desired result.

For fermentation to take place you need raw material, or feedstock, as it is known in the biofuels industry. Anything will do as long as it can be broken down into sugars, with the byproduct ideally burnt to produce electricity to run the plant.

The company is not interested in using corn as feedstock, given the much-publicised problems created by using food crops for fuel, such as the tortilla inflation that recently caused food riots in Mexico City. Instead, different types of agricultural waste will be used according to whatever makes sense for the local climate and economy: wheat straw in California, for example, or woodchips in the South.

Using genetically modified bugs for fermentation is essentially the same as using natural bacteria to produce ethanol, although the energy-intensive final process of distillation is virtually eliminated because the bugs excrete a substance that is almost pump-ready.

The closest that LS9 has come to mass production is a 1,000-litre fermenting machine, which looks like a large stainless-steel jar, next to a wardrobe-sized computer connected by a tangle of cables and tubes. It has not yet been plugged in. The machine produces the equivalent of one barrel a week and takes up 40 sq ft of floor space.

However, to substitute America’s weekly oil consumption of 143 million barrels, you would need a facility that covered about 205 square miles, an area roughly the size of Chicago.

That is the main problem: although LS9 can produce its bug fuel in laboratory beakers, it has no idea whether it will be able produce the same results on a nationwide or even global scale.

“Our plan is to have a demonstration-scale plant operational by 2010 and, in parallel, we’ll be working on the design and construction of a commercial-scale facility to open in 2011,” says Mr Pal, adding that if LS9 used Brazilian sugar cane as its feedstock, its fuel would probably cost about $50 a barrel.

Are Americans ready to be putting genetically modified bug excretion in their cars? “It’s not the same as with food,” Mr Pal says. “We’re putting these bacteria in a very isolated container: their entire universe is in that tank. When we’re done with them, they’re destroyed.”

Besides, he says, there is greater good being served. “I have two children, and climate change is something that they are going to face. The energy crisis is something that they are going to face. We have a collective responsibility to do this.”

Power points

— Google has set up an initiative to develop electricity from cheap renewable energy sources

— Craig Venter, who mapped the human genome, has created a company to create hydrogen and ethanol from genetically engineered bugs

— The US Energy and Agriculture Departments said in 2005 that there was land available to produce enough biomass (nonedible plant parts) to replace 30 per cent of current liquid transport fuels

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4133668.ece

not this year cataclaw.

hopefully there won't be any faggotery from Portugal's side...

vous avez aucuns bon argument a soulever, vous allez d'attaques personnels, comme si j'étais un tyran, pourtant j'émet mon opinion et ne prétend pas vouloir travailler sur ces comités là...

Vous auriez pu soulever l'intégrité artisitique comme point pour débattre, mais vous saviez bien dans votre fort intérieur que ce n'est pas de l'art.

hahahaha

c'est un forum de discussions, discutons.

cprail, on a l'air au moins de s'entendre que borderline ça aurait été refusé.

C'est pas SI j'aime ou si un board aime les films, c'est une question de trash ou pas.

Imagine si un film comme Jackass était produit au canada!!! Moi j'aime leur type d'humour, mais c'est de la pure merde et ne mérite pas de crédits d'impots... voyons donc, me semble que c'est clair.

bon... regardez toronto, leur ROW pour le street est dans l'eau chaude...

Je vois pas comment à Montréal on serait mieux avec nos petites rues étroites.

-================================

St. Clair Streetcar Right Of Way In Jeopardy

Wednesday June 18, 2008

CityNews.ca Staff

The debates raged before it was even installed. Businesses complained it would cut foot traffic and construction would tie up their storefronts; while commuters wanted a faster way downtown.

Now that it's up and running, the St Clair Streetcar is facing another problem: is it safe?

Toronto Fire Services raised the alarm on the dedicated right of way that stretches from Yonge to Bathurst, and will eventually extend to Gunns Road. In a letter to Councillor Cesar Palacio, they said the route hampered their work.

"Concerns of public safety, where thousands and thousands of people along St. Clair, inside their community, could be at risk," Palacio described.

Fire officials claim the road is unsafe and could cause critical delays in response times and even problems fighting fires.

"You think the city would have considered that before they did all this. And they didn't," joked one area resident.

The fire chief claims he did share his concerns with the TTC before construction began.

In a detailed letter, officials say part of the problem is that this road would be too narrow. They also say that there's a chance pedestrians waiting for streetcars here could be hit by an emergency vehicle.

Toronto Fire Chief William Stewart claims that the raised streetcar lines add crucial minutes to his department's response time.

"The issue for us is, if we have to use the right-of-way...for emergency response...if we have to get up on that raised right-of-way, we have to maneuver. We have very little minimal space to operate that truck on. And protect you coming off the truck," explains Stewart.

Another concern is at the curb, which is nine inches high in spots. Instead of quickly zipping in and out of traffic, as it would on a regular road, the fire truck has to climb over it.

"There were all sorts of issues around sidewalk width, road width," agrees TTC spokesperson Brad Ross.

"The safety concerns of Toronto Fire were absolutely considered, and my understanding with Toronto Fire is that they understand that they can use the right-of-way for short periods. It's not designed to be driven on permanently. It's not a fire route as I say. It's designed to be used in emergency situations," Ross argues.

"Well that would be a fair statement - if you had a street that wasn't totally blocked," countered Stewart.

It's the poles that distinguish this route from similar right of way lines on Queen's Quay and Spadina. Emergency vehicles don't have the same problems on those streets.

According to Palacio, the right of way will not be complete until 2011. Plenty of time, he says, to redraw the plans.

"It's our responsibility to create a safe environment for residents, especially when their safety is going to be compromised because of this project," he vowed.

On CityOnline, Palacio pointed to the existence of dedicated lanes on Spadina and Queen's Quay, but said the TTC has not been forthcoming with its reports from the area.

"We've asked for that information for over four years from...the TTC. We've said, okay, you have this experience on Queen's Quay and Spadina with the right-of-way. So what's happened? Has response time been affected? And you know they can't find that data to give it to us."

Il y a des musées qui m'intéressent et d'autres qui ne m'intéressent pas mais ils sont à peu près tous subventionnés. Je ne vais pas exiger du gouvernement qu'il ne subventionne que les musées qui m'intéressent, ou qu'il n'y ait plus de subventions du tout condamnant ainsi tous les musées . C'est la même chose pour les films. Je ne suis pas obligé d'aller voir les films qui ne m'intéressent pas ou que je trouve mauvais. Ça ne veut pas dire que ces films ne devraient pas être faits et que personne d'autre ne voudra les voirs.

s'il y a avait un musée sur britney spears (trash), est ce que t'accepterais que ça soit subventionné? C'est ça la vraie question, est-ce que le gouvernement est obligé de donner de l'argent à de la merde qui se fait passer pour de l'art?

un autre film qui aurait pas mérité une cent, borderline... akh affreux et une heure de trop pour raconter pas grand chose.

Ridicule de payer tout cet argent sans ajouter du volume.

Quitte à ce que cette voie ajoutée soit fermée en attendant un jour l'élargissement de cette autoroute.

En passant l'échangeur st-pierre sera refait, ça fait part du projet de l'échangeur turcot.

cjb, cette mère monoparentale aura un remboursement pour ses frais imprévues de déménagement. Une mère monoparentale sur le BS n'est pas si pauvre que ça, elle reçoit pleins d'allocation familiales.

3 mois de loyer ça peut facilement chercher les 1500-2500$, un baume pour les troubles. (anyways, le monde arrêtera pas pour une 'tite mère).

Il faut que ça creuse bientôt pour arriver a 2011?

ouchhhhhhhhhh, il faut que je relise ça pour m'assurer de bien avoir compris

ah finalement ce repère de bums va être gentrifié...

ps: maudits hippies

Piétonnisation de la rue Sainte-Catherine Est - Une expérience unique en ville

 

Rappelons que les rues Saint-Antoine, Notre-Dame et Sherbrooke

offriront des alternatives aux automobilistes sans que des engorgements

sérieux soient à craindre.

wishful thinking ah ou est la baguette magique??

tiens je l'ai trouvée:

Saint Antoine et notre dame des vraies alternatives?? c'est une blague?

oh yeah definitly, i'm just wonderin who this type of tramway will fare in René lévesque and Parc.

GROUP C PERMUTATIONS

The Netherlands have won Group C and will play the Group D runners-up in the quarter-finals.

Romania will qualify for the quarter-finals if they beat the Netherlands, eliminating France and Italy.

If Romania fail to beat the Netherlands, the winner of France v Italy will go through.

If France and Italy draw, a point against the Netherlands would be enough to send Romania through. France must win to have any chance of qualifying.

If France and Italy share a score draw (1-1, 2-2, 3-3 etc), Italy will go through if Romania lose (by any score). In this scenario, Italy, Romania and France will be level on two points each but Italy would have scored more goals in games between the 3 teams.

Romania will finish bottom of the group if they lose and France and Italy draw 2-2, 3-3 or 4-4. France will finish bottom if they draw 1-1 unless Romania lose 3-0 or by a four-goal margin.

If France and Italy draw 0-0, Romania can lose by one goal, two goals or by a three-goal margin other than 3-0 but still qualify. In this scenario, Italy and Romania would have identical head-to-head records, but Romania would have better goal difference in ALL group matches or, in the case of the three-goal defeats, goals scored. France would finish bottom, having scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.

If Romania lose 3-0 to the Dutch, Italy would qualify with a 0-0 draw against France because of their superior coefficient points. France would finish bottom as they would have scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.

If Romania lose by four goals or more and the other game ends 0-0, Italy would proceed with a better overall goal difference than Romania. France would finish bottom as they would have scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.

If France and Italy draw AND Romania avoid defeat, then Romania go through.

Radio Galganov?

ah cette sclérose que je redoute, à force de mettre toutes sortes de taxes, de tarifs, de réglements, et d'en ajouter à chaque occasion, on se dirige tout droit à une sclérose à l'européene... ugh.

Mes hypothèses:

1-vitesse maximale à 50kmh, je verais mal que les tramways aurait le droit d'aller plus vite que la circulation locale et la vitesse légale. En réalité, ça sera beaucoup plus lent vu le raprochement des arrêts d'autobus si c'est oui en 2.

2-J'espère que non, sinon ou est l'utilité du tramway d'emmener rapidement les gens à leur destinations.

3-Tramways = 2 bus normalement, comme les bus en accordéons qu'on a. Par contre certains pourraient être l'équivalent de 3 bus... reste a voir comment ça va être à montréal.

Can someone answer these questions:

1- What is the speed of a tramway?

2- Will it stop at every stop like a bus does?

3- What is the capacity of a typical tramway?

Bang on.

Always said it, tramways are useless and just a pet project for M. Tremblay la Girouette.

Oui je crois qu'on a tout sauf du bauxite et du pétrole (pas en quantité commerciales...)

Pétrole: des airs de bulle techno

16 juin 2008 - 06h00

Bloomberg

La poussée à la hausse qui a propulsé le prix du pétrole à 139,12 $ US le baril (un record) il y a quelques jours est plus importante que la ruée vers les titres des technos qui a précédé l'éclatement de la bulle du marché point-com en l'an 2000.

Le prix du pétrole brut a explosé de 697% depuis que l'or noir se négociait à 17,45 $ US le baril à New York en novembre 2001 et il a atteint 28 records cette année.

La dernière fois qu'un phénomène semblable a été observé, c'était il y a huit ans lorsque les actions des cybercompagnies ont propulsé l'indice composite NASDAQ à un sommet de tous les temps, le faisant bondir de 640%, selon des données compilées par Bloomberg et Bespoke Investment Group.

Le NASDAQ a retraité de 78% depuis son sommet de mars 2000, faisant disparaître en fumée environ six mille milliards de dollars américains de capitalisation boursière, les investisseurs en étant venus à la conclusion que les prix n'étaient pas justifiés par les profits de compagnies telles que Broadcom Corp. et Amazon.com.

Vers une dégringolade

George Soros, un investisseur milliardaire, et Stephen Schork, président de Schork Group Inc., soutiennent que le pétrole est mûr pour une dégringolade parce que les prix ne sont pas justifiés par l'offre et la demande.

«Il n'y a rien de différent entre cet engouement et celui pour les actions des compagnies point-com, le marché immobilier, le Dow Jones des années 1920, la bulle South Sea et l'emballement pour les tulipes hollandaises», soutient M. Schork, dont la firme de Villanova, en Pennsylvanie, fournit des conseils à l'Organisation des pays exportateurs de pétrole (OPEP), à des firmes de Wall Street et à des sociétés pétrolières en ce qui concerne les perspectives touchant les prix énergétiques.

«L'histoire se répète sans cesse», dit-il.

Le prix du pétrole a grimpé en raison notamment de la demande croissante de la Chine et de l'Inde, dont les économies ont présenté un essor, au cours des sept dernières années, d'un taux moyen de 10,2% et de 7,3% respectivement.

Des perturbations de l'approvisionnement au Nigeria et en Irak de même qu'une baisse de la production en Russie ont également fait gonfler les prix. Les investisseurs ont ajouté environ 250 milliards US aux transactions sur les matières premières depuis 2003, d'après Mike Masters, président et fondateur de Masters Capital Management, un fonds spéculatif de St. Croix.

Le pétrole attire l'argent tandis que l'économie mondiale ralentit. La pire déprime sur le marché de l'habitation aux États-Unis depuis les années 1930 et plus de 390 milliards US en dépréciations et pertes de crédit subies par des banques ralentiront la croissance économique mondiale à 2,7% cette année comparativement à 3,7% en 2007, selon la Banque mondiale.

La flambée des prix pétroliers est le résultat d'une «bulle» causée par la spéculation de fonds indiciels et un équilibre précaire entre l'offre et la demande, indiquait récemment M. Soros lors d'un témoignage devant le Comité du Sénat américain sur le commerce, la science et le transport. «Cette bulle s'ajoute à une tendance à la hausse des prix pétroliers qui a de fortes assises dans la réalité», avait-il ajouté.

«Je ne saurais dire si on doit parler d'une bulle ou non», avait pour sa part déclaré M. Masters lors d'un témoignage devant le Sénat américain au cours d'une audience sur le rôle des spéculateurs sur le marché des matières premières. «Pas de doute que la demande des investisseurs a un effet sur les prix. La chose a très peu à voir avec l'offre et la demande physiques du pétrole brut», avait dit M. Masters.

Je voudrais savoir ou t'as pêcher le manque de lithium... il se peut que l'industrie pendant quelques années a de la difficulté à suivre la demande de lithium mais s'ajustera.

Il n'y pas pas de manque, regarde ici: http://lithiumabundance.blogspot.com/ de nouvelles sources sont découvertes et augmentent les réserves connues. (Un prix plus élevés rendra d'autres réserves plus attrayantes).

Aussi, il y a d'autres formes de piles qui sont présentements testés en laboratoires un peu partout dans le monde et n'utilisent pas du lithium mais des métaux beaucoup plus communs comme le zinc.