Short Takes  

The FT has an interesting article on the endless series of setbacks encountered by BP while trying to commission the Thunder Horse project in the Gulf of Mexico. "I think what we are seeing is the result of an industry that is stretched to its limits in terms of qualified personnel, expertise and resources".

The Times reports that rising oil prices are sparking a surge of investment into renewable energy technology - How China’s thirst for oil can save the planet.

OTEC News reports the Marshall islands have declared an economic state of emergency due to high energy prices - and that they OTEC as way out of the problem.

Jerome a Paris has a post on the build out of wind power in Texas called "Houston, we have a solution". He notes that wind is now cost competitive with coal and gas (even without carbon pricing) and that the price to buyers will remain constant for a decade - unlike the non-renewable alternatives.

CNet notes that energy storage is coming to a grid near you soon.

Technology Review reports that Ottawa will build the first gasification facility in North America to make energy (21 MW) from waste - Garbage In, Megawatts Out.

The New Matilda has a peak oil article from ASPO Australia's Ian Dunlop - Oils Ain't Spoils.

The Oil Drum has set another monthly traffic record of over 28,000 visitors per day (over 30,000 per day if you include the satellite sites).

CleanBeta has a post on a new record for light conversion efficiency in solvent-free dye-sensitized solar cells - China Makes Solar Cell Breakthrough.

Tesla Motors has announced a new electric sedan - the Model S, with a 225 mile range per charge.

A rather more unusual vehicle is this solar rickshaw, planned for use in central London (not the sunniest of places - Barcelona might be a better starting point).

frogblog has a look at global warming denial in the UK - They don’t have to win, they only have to confuse.

AP reports that the honey bee crisis in the US could lead to higher food prices.

Jamais at Open The Future has a look at a recent WorldChanging article on The Singularity in "Singularities Enough, and Time". Can't argue with the line "the Singularity is not a sustainability strategy".

The Carpetbagger Report has a huge list of John McCain flip flops.

Punkass Blog notes that Barack Obama is the first candidate to campaign on a native American reservation since Bobby Kennedy. Its an interesting post.

Alternet has an update on violence in Iraq, pointing out "One thing the United States doesn't get about guerrilla warfare: It's not over until the guerrillas win" - Bringing Ireland to Baghdad: How the Resistance Will Eventually Kick the Americans Out.

Ron Paul has declared that H. Res 362 is a virtual War resolution against Iran.

Seymour Hersh's latest New Yorker article is (once again) about US preparations to attack Iran - Preparing the Battlefield.

Cryptogon puts it this way - Hersh: Congress Approved Major Escalation of Covert Operations Against Iran; Funding Groups That May Be Described as Al Qaeda. We've almost gone full circle...

Bart at Energy Bulletin notes that there has been a surge of Iran war news lately, saying "It's hard to determine the origin and purpose of the stories. Is the purpose to intimidate Iran? Encourage US action? Discourage an attack?".

The propaganda war seems to be continuing, with The (London) Times making up some ludicrous fear mongering drivel - "‘Germ warfare’ fear over African monkeys taken to Iran". I wonder if they are the same type of monkeys the CIA used to introduce AIDS into Africa ? I'll let you work out if I'm kidding or not :-)

And as a blast from the past, here's Billmon from back in 2006 looking at an earlier round of Iran war rumours - Mutually Assured Dementia. Come back Billmon...

Consortium News is also having a flashback - to the Iran Contra affair and the genesis of the neoconservative propaganda machine.