The Obama Administration, who are literally throwing money at everything, are going to stop throwing their money at hydrogen fuel cell cars and the infrastructure (AKA gas stations) to support them.  Steven Chu, the Energy Secretary, explained that they were, “moving away from vehicular hydrogen fuel-cells to technologies with more immediate promise.”  Because since former President Bush started funding hydrogen fuel cell vehicles back in 2003 (strangely, alternative-fuel and fuel-efficient vehicles were about the only thing he did for the green world) all that we’ve gotten since then are the Honda FCX Clarity and a supposed Chevrolet Equinox SUV, all in numbers too small not to ignore, with a handful of fueling stations … in California.  Hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure have completely failed to make a presence in the six years they’ve been government funded.

So, according to the Obama Administration, it’s time for a change.

Next year’s budget will see only $68.2m spent on hydrogen fuel cell technologies, and of those, only the actual battery-replacement kind for laptops and whatnot, not for vehicles.

Likely the budget will shift to green vehicles that show actual promise.  This would be the plug-in hybrid where in a larger battery back than a normal hybrid allows one to charge their car overnight and drive with much better fuel economy, at least until the battery goes dry.  The Toyota Prius has had such modifications done in private garages for years now, and easily gets over 100 MPG while the main battery is charged.  And then there’s the plug-in serial hybrids (otherwise known as Range-Extended Electric Vehicles) which only use electricity to drive the wheels, and use generators attached to gas engines to extended their driving range once the batteries go dry.  These plug-in hybrids tend to go at least 40 miles without ever using a single drop of gasoline.  One can only hope that Toyota switches the Prius to this type of technology soon, as it make so much more sense.

But either way, whatever the Obama Administration throws money at next year, it won’t be hydrogen cars, because they’re getting American nowhere.  In the end, hydrogen fuel cells are just batteries.  And (hopefully) the hydrogen is produced by electrolasis, AKA water and electricity.  Plug-in hybrid vehicles offer the exact same green advantages, but anyone can plug one in anywhere.  You don’t have to live in California to use them.

Yes, that’s right.  It’s that time again.  It’s the Vernal Equinox!

What is the Vernal Equinox?  Well on any equinox (vernal is spring, autumnal is fall) the sun spends roughly the same amount of time above and below the horizon.  It is exactly the mid point between the solstices (the longest and shortest days of the year) where the struggle between day and night is most evenly balanced.

The Vernal Equinox is also officially the first day of spring, meaning that winter is now over.

And, supposedly, the equinox is also a day when you can balance an uncooked egg to stand upright.

So have fun outside!  Go out and say hello to the growing plants and flowers!  It’s the first day of spring!

It’s that time again.  It’s the Autumnal Equinox.  It’s the first day of fall.

Soon the leaves will change colors.  We’ll carve pumpkins.  It’s a glorious time.

It’s the Vernal Equinox. Yay! Winter is officially over! (In theory. Looking out your window may reveal different results.) Personally, I’m already seeing flowers bloom and rain fall like mad. There’s not a speck of snow on the ground. Spring has sprung!

But while Mother Nature is doing her best in spite of our efforts to poison the Earth and bring about “Global Warming”, technology has taken a few serious blows. Oh my! Is it some nefarious plot by nature to reclaim her power over us? I’ll let you decide.

Pennsylvania, the state you may remember as being previously bone-headed when their roads iced up, causing major highways and even their famous state turnpike to be down all night long with many stranded motorists, and heard PA state officials say things to the tune of, “the roads aren’t being salted because ice gives more traction,” has done it again. Any and all voter registration forms completed online in PA were made quite available for anyone to view all of the included information such as name, date of birth, driver’s license number, and political party. All by simply changing the unique number request parameter included in the URL of the voter registration site to a different number. Since each online registration is given a unique number, all you had to do to view someone else’s was change that number to a different one. Go through all of the numbers possible, and you’ll have gone through all of the online registrations. Can we say, “Oooops!” Once again PA proves their genius to the world and renders online voting unsafe for everyone in the state.

Meanwhile the US military has run into yet another nasty snag in their efforts to crossbreed a helicopter and an airplane. The V-22 Osprey is having problems with their AE1107C “Liberty” turboshaft engines made by Rolls Royce. The engines simply wear out too fast, making it costly and difficult to keep the Osprey in the skies. While not exactly new to problems in its development, this is certainly no boon for the V-22.