| Revolution in the power lines
A QUIET revolution in the way the nation plans for its future electricity needs took place in Holyoke earlier this month, when the operator of the region's power grid held an auction for the cheapest ways to meet demand until 2011. The big winner was conservation. The recent auction by the nonprofit Independent System Operator New England was the first in the country in which bidders could propose ways to cut demand and increase efficiency, instead of just increasing supply. The auction proved that it can be cheaper for a system to arrange, for instance, for big power users to ease off the air-conditioning on the hottest days than for the system to look to other options, such as the construction of new peak-power plants that burn costly natural gas. Looking ahead to 2010 and 2011, the ISO had decided it needed about 1,800 new megawatts of capacity - enough to power about 1.3 million homes.
Put Out the Light
I recall Aunt Caroline and Aunt MiMi, who was a home economics teacher, discussing how many watts the light bulbs should be. MiMi advised 60 watts to get the most lighting for the buck. We had two electrical outlets for the entire six rooms. At first all we needed juice for was lighting and a radio; no refrigerator, no electric mixer or other gadgetry. It was about the same on the farm. But there electricity also brought a new and smaller fridge so the big old wooden icebox could take a ride to the dump. Elated, Grandma cautioned me not to leave the new fridge’s door open to save the juice: "Don’t let the cold out." The electric bill was a few dollars a month. When at home we finally got a refrigerator, I got the same message. It was close the refrigerator door or put out the light.
Hip-Hop Rumors: The Late Edition! Diddy's New Girl! Give Saigon Free?
HE TRANSCEND'S BOTH AGE GROUP'S. HE'S BRIDGING THE GAP. LOOK ON HIS MYSPACE PAGE HE'S SETTING THE RAP WORLD ON FIRE. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE REST OF THE FAMILY THINK WHEN THEY SEE YOUR MYSPACE PAGE. IF ONLY HE WOULD TAKE THEM GUN'S IN THE PHOTO AND USE' EM ON HIMSELF.LMAO. YOU ARE A LOSER ALWAY'S WAS AND WILL BE. A 24 YEAR OLD MYSPACE GANGSTER RAPPER. THAT IN MATHEMATICAL TERM'S EQUAL'S OOOOOOOOOOOOOO. .
Orioles Notebook: With a Nod to the Past, Surhoff Returns to Camp
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Outlook roundup: NeuStar, Diebold
STERLING, Va. (AP) -- NeuStar Inc., a provider of clearinghouse services for communications companies, said Wednesday it expects to earn at least $1.29 per share during 2008, short of analyst expectations. NORTH CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Diebold Inc. will cut 5 percent of its work force as part of a plan to save $100 million, the maker of ATMs and voting machines said Wednesday. NEW YORK (AP) -- Apparel maker Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. on Wednesday raised fiscal 2008 earnings predictions due to a lower tax rate. DALLAS (AP) -- Lennox International Inc., a supplier of heating, ventilation and air conditioning products, maintained its 2008 adjusted earnings outlook Wednesday. HARTSVILLE, S.C. (AP) -- packaging products maker Sonoco Products Co. on Wednesday forecast first-quarter earnings below Wall Street expectations.
Electric cars face battery of hurdles
In the rush to deliver an electric car to the masses, General Motors Corp. is finding that the all-important battery might not be the only major hurdle. The heating and cooling systems, for example, are a challenge because they typically are built to run off a traditional fuel combustion engine. That means new types of air conditioning and heating systems must be built. GM, in a high-stakes race with Toyota Motor Corp. to turn out an affordable, effective battery-powered car, has found that while the lithium-ion batteries themselves are hitting all the marks on early road tests, a host of other issues are beginning to crop up. .
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