Bush can bring out the Veto Pen to Strike 35 mpg

No, the fight for 35 mpg CAFE standards has not been won yet. The House of Representatives has pushed discussion back and that support for the higher mileage law is not clear now. US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman mentioned today that Bush likely would veto an energy bill because of the mpg requirement. He also criticized the passed-by-Senate bill for providing penalties for oil companies that commit price gouging.

That’s it.

Microsoft vs. Google!

It’s like a competition for the Mr. Good award. To win you not only need to be good, but also show that rivals are not.
Yahoo Inc. last month said it would donate 10 hybrid taxicabs to NY. Google have already shelled out $1 million to companies and people who can encourage the adoption of hybrid cars and is ready to grant another $10 million to improve hybrid car problem. Now isn’t that sweet! Plug-in hybrids have batteries that need to be recharged when the car's not in use, get about 74 miles per gallon in tests (compare this to an average hybrid car mileage of 41).
In the meantime Microsoft is going to create another big hole. To be precise – 4 stories deep and 4 football fields long – Microsoft Live Parking 1.0 will be able to hold 5,000 cars, making it the "second largest underground lot in the western hemisphere" according to one hyperbolic report. Rumour has it, Microsoft employees will be able to choose from six different types of parking spaces, depending on the size of their car's engine and how much they're willing to pay. Kind of nice, but Google has already filed a complaint with the American Automobile Association, claiming the lot is not compatible with its new hybrid cars that return energy to the grid. And the final blow: Google unveiled a new employee parking garage in which drivers can charge their plug-in cars, powering up their batteries using solar energy. Just too many bugs for Microsoft to deal with…

Hybrid Taxi Debut in Chicago

A new Ford Escape Hybrid makes environmental history being formally unveiled as Chicago's first fleet based taxi. The lucky cab driver chosen to drive the hybrid car, is expected to save $6,000 annually on fuel costs.