China keeps its purseopen for Africa Nov 11, 2009
Zhao, who had visited Ethiopia and Guinea to explore possibilities for agricultural cooperation in cultivating hybrid rice on the continent, told delegates that Africa's vast land and underdeveloped agriculture could provide employment for up to 1 million Chinese laborers. "In the current economic climate, with so many of our people unemployed, China can benefit from finding jobs for them and Africa can benefit from our expertise in developing any type of land and crop," Zhao told the... (Asia Times Online)
The Chicago Way Nov 10, 2009
We all recall how, in last year s election, Barack Obama ran as a sort of hybrid between St. Francis of Assisi and Albert Schweitzer. The gentle apostle of hope and change was going to gather the nation under his sheltering wing and set us on the path to comity and enlightenment. (Holbrook Sun, MA)
SPECIAL REPORT Nov 10, 2009
Through massive state investment in hybrid rice, China, the world's most populous country, raised its yields from two tonnes per hectare in the 1960s to more than 10 tonnes per hectare by 2004 ... Economists and scientists in India are demanding a raft of policy initiatives, including allowing genetic engineering, which its proponents argue does the same job as traditional plant hybridization, only quicker and more efficiently. (AlertNet)
Transforming a small garden with a big problem Nov 9, 2009
A few of the garden's highlights include a chartreuse gooseberry hybrid, Senecio mandraliscae with its distinctive curved finger-like leaves, a Melianthus major with its spiked reddish-brown blooms and lime-hued foliage, several types of Leucadendrons, some saw-tooth-edged Banksias, Eryngium giganteum, or sea holly, from the thistle family and a fleshy Kalanchoe whose home is a striking Cor-Ten steel planter. Lopez showed the same appreciation for the architecture of plants in the way he pruned... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Inconspicuous Leaf Beetles Reveal Environment's Role In Formation Of New Species Nov 7, 2009
The new study goes beyond past investigations by showing that the hybrid offspring produced by mating these beetle types with each other in the lab grow faster than their willow parent but slower than their maple parent when raised on maple leaves, and faster than their maple parent but slower than their willow parent when raised on willow leaves ... So the hybrids' lower fitness reduces opportunities for genetic exchange between beetle types by way of matings between surviving hybrids and the... (Science Daily)
Couple grows giant cornstalk with imported seeds Nov 7, 2009
Lois said the seeds were imported from Mexico and Brazil by Pioneer Hybrid and Our Iowa editors challenged readers to plant them and see who could grow the tallest corn. The Irwins planted their seeds around Memorial Day and had 14-foot tall stalks by Sept. 1. (Muscatine Journal, IO)
Fall Festival of Roses to begin Friday Nov 6, 2009
At 3 p.m., Claude Graves will give a presentation titled Heirloom Hybrid Tea Research. SUNDAY. (Brenham Banner, TX)
Peak oil? Don't worry -- Obama's on the job Nov 6, 2009
"We think going forward that because of the emphasis on energy efficiency, ongoing improvements in vehicle miles standards and hybrid (cars), that motor vehicle gasoline demand is down, is headed down, and is going to continue to head down," said Tillerson ... But there's also the possibility that China and India might learn from the West's example, and push much more aggressively for higher fuel economy standards, energy efficiency, and the rollout of hybrid and electric cars than the United... (Salon)
Toyota posts surprise profit, upgrades outlook Nov 5, 2009
Toyota, the maker of the Corolla and the Prius hybrid, narrowed its annual net loss forecast to 200 billion yen from 450 billion and its operating loss projection to 350 billion yen from 750 billion. It lifted its global sales goal for the current financial year to 7. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Drive on Twitter Nov 5, 2009
au: Hybrid Camry will be faster - and drink less than a Yaris. from. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Woolies' organic midway target draws flak Nov 4, 2009
In a bid to cut chemical inputs, Woolworths' locally grown fresh produce would by 2012 be either fully organic or a hybrid of organic and conventional farming, the retailer announced yesterday. The combination farming technique, carrying the logo Farming for the Future, would cost "no more than conventional farming" and could instead reduce costs due to lower need for agricultural chemicals, Woolworths said. (Business Report, South Africa)
Maui Land to end all pineapple operations and lay off 285 Nov 4, 2009
Initiatives included significant investment in the plant and equipment, and focusing on higher-margin hybrid fruit and improved operational efficiencies. "Since 2002, MPC has lost $115 million in this agriculture business, while investing $20 million in capital expenditures for a new fresh packing facility, Haruki said. "Realizing that these losses could no longer continue, we spent the last year exploring options to keep pineapple operations going on Maui. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Hidden Solar Cells: 3-D System Based On Optical Fiber Could Provide New Options For Photovoltaics Nov 4, 2009
The result is a hybrid nanowire/optical fiber system that can be up to six times as efficient as planar zinc oxide cells with the same surface area. "In each reflection within the fiber, the light has the opportunity to interact with the nanostructures that are coated with the dye molecules," Wang explained. (Science Daily)
Basketball's Jimmy V, For Victory Nov 4, 2009
Prius-maker Toyota raced to first place in the hybrid car arena more than a decade ago, but staying No. 1 in alternative vehicles might take another gear. Honda (HMC) continues to battle fiercely, cutting its hybrid prices to the point where Toyota (TM) has been forced to respond. (Investors Business Daily)
Merritt Island man's 823 series only 2nd-best Nov 3, 2009
During his 823 series, he used a dark blue, reactive resin, hybrid ball called Hy-Road, made by Storm. It seems to be working well. (Florida Today)
Island History for Friday, October 30, 2009 Oct 31, 2009
Another of Frank s duties was breeding Jackson, the jackass, with mares in estrus to produce mules, which are valued as sure-footed pack animals, but being hybrid are sterile and cannot reproduce. Frank would back the mares into a special sloping pit, so that their hindquarters were just high enough for the smaller Jackson to perform his sole function on the ranch. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
The good and bad of technology Oct 31, 2009
When competition existed in the marketplace, technologies like hybrid seed, nitrogen fertilizers, confinement livestock, herbicides, computer records and no-till practices were affordable and added value above costs to a farmer;s bottom line. Fast forward to traited seed, variable-rate fertilizer, guidance systems, mega-machinery and the bottom line gets a bit fuzzy. (Princeton Bureau County Republican, IL)
President announces investment to spur energy transition Oct 30, 2009
The Administration is funding a range of projects that will incorporate these various components into one system or cut across various project areas - including smart meters, smart thermostats and appliances, syncrophasors, automated substations, plug in hybrid electric vehicles, renewable energy sources, etc. Building a Smart Grid Manufacturing Industry -- 25 million. (Chatham Star Tribune, VA)
Hats off to the fascinator - it's leading the pack in race fashion Oct 30, 2009
AFTER surviving years of sneering from milliners, the fascinator and its half-hat hybrid cousin, the hatinator, are expected to reign at Flemington next week. The fascinator has evolved from its humble beginnings as a glorified hairclip with feathers to towering, structured creations and tiny hats on headbands also known as hatinators. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Insight Hybrid Vehicle Wins Japan Automotive Hall of Fame Car of the Year 2009-2010 Oct 29, 2009
Tokyo, Oct 29, 2009 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced that the Committee of Japan Automotive Hall of Fame had awarded its Car of the Year 2009-2010 to the Insight hybrid vehicle ... The strategy of affordable pricing Honda used in marketing the hybrid Insight 2 ... The balance of performance and fuel economy at cruising and higher speeds offered by Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), Honda's original hybrid system. (JCN Network, Japan)
NASCAR, rooted in fossil fuels, turning over new, green leaf Oct 29, 2009
Sponsors are ramping up recycling programs and marketing hybrids and high-efficiency products through racing ... General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Dodge all are producing hybrid vehicles ... "Every company in the world is looking at hybrids, diesels and plug-in vehicles," says Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development. (USA Today -- Sports)
Carving out pumpkin garden tough in Florida Oct 28, 2009
Harvest Princess -- Another good jack-o'-lantern pumpkin that reaches 20 to 25 pounds and maturs in 105 days, this hybrid has a good dark green handle and is very dark gold with distinctive ribs with a uniform shape that is deep round to slightly tall. Prize Winner -- This vining plant produces pumpkins that weigh 100 to 300 pounds. (Daytona Beach News Journal -- Local)
Idled Former G.M. Plant to Produce Hybrids Oct 28, 2009
A Fisker plug-in hybrid-electric car is seen at the Frankfurt Auto Show in Frankfurt, Germany, Sept. 15, 2009 ... (CBS/AP) California luxury automaker Fisker Automotive is buying an idled General Motors assembly plant in Delaware to produce plug-in hybrid electric cars ... 7 million conditional loan for Fisker to develop lines of plug-in hybrids, of which $359 million will be spent putting the Boxwood Plant back on line supporting the production of Fisker's hybrid sedan. (CBS News)
Westerville lands funding for smart meters Oct 28, 2009
GridSmart, which also will fund the testing of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances, is expected to lead to the creation of more than 500 jobs over three years, the company said. Jen Stutsman, a spokeswoman for the Energy Department, said the government plans to announce winners in that category next month. (Columbus Business First, OH)
Hidden Costs Of Energy Production And Use Oct 28, 2009
Electric vehicles and grid-dependent (plug-in) hybrid vehicles showed somewhat higher nonclimate damages than many other technologies for both 2005 and 2030 ... 14, 2006) A new study finds that "off-peak" electricity production and transmission capacity could fuel 84 percent of the country's 220 million vehicles if they were plug-in hybrid electrics. (Science Daily)
* Back to the polluting world Oct 27, 2009
The day after the project ended, Conlin got into a hybrid livery cab with Isabella and set off for the airport for a Thanksgiving trip to see her parents in California. As they pulled up to the airport curb, she was overcome by a weird feeling of grief. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Fuel-efficient human beings? Oct 27, 2009
Car salesmen discuss hybrids ... Hybrids are available today, said Steve Shioi, King Auto Center salesperson ... Hybrids are gasoline vehicles with electronic assistance, he said. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Fords KC union workers reject concessions Oct 27, 2009
The Claycomo plant makes the Escape and Mariner as well as hybrid versions of each and the F-150. The plant ranks No. 1 on the Kansas City Business Journal s list of area manufacturers, ranked by local employment. (Louisville Business First, KY)
Association marks 20 years of greening Hollywood Oct 26, 2009
One of those ambassadors, actress Amy Smart, said she drives a hybrid car, recycles and eats organic. Actress Olivia Wilde, who also drives a hybrid, said Hollywood sets tend to be "very wasteful places," but things are changing. (Anchorage Daily News)
Valley-area parks may poison trout to save yellow-legged frogs Oct 26, 2009
But by then, rainbow, brook and rainbow-golden hybrid trout were well-established and coveted by fishing enthusiasts. For the proposed trout removals in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, officials will try to avoid popular fishing lakes, such as Wallace Lake in the Kern River watershed, said Boiano. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Hybrids Of Invasive Australian Plant Species Casuarina Found Growing Widely In Florida Oct 24, 2009
23, 2009) Hybrids of the invasive Australian plant species Casuarina exist in Florida, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and university cooperators have found ... Based on physical characteristics, scientists have long suspected hybridization among the three Casuarina species in Florida C. glauca, C. cunninghamiana and C. equisetifolia but it is difficult to verify hybridization by these characteristics alone ... confirm the existence of hybrids. (Science Daily)
Kia Motors quarterly profit swells to $339 million Oct 23, 2009
Besides the top-selling Camry sedan and hybrid Prius, Toyota Motor Corp. Tuesday announced South Korean sales of its Camry hybrid and the RAV4, a compact SUV. Japanese automakers Honda Motor co. and Nissan Motor Co. have also entered the South Korean market in recent years. Toyota has been active in South Korea since 00001446 2000 when it established a local arm and began selling the luxury Lexus the following year. (Fresno Bee -- Business)
Kenyan Farmers in a Dilemma After Retailers Run Out of Maize Seed Oct 22, 2009
Meya Agri Traders Ltd, one of the shops, was a beehive of activity, with most farmers looking for short season hybrid seeds. A number of growers who were looking for seed were, however, disappointed on learning that there was a shortage. (allAfrica.com)
Conditions putting corn crop at risk for lodging Oct 22, 2009
It can be easy to forget the importance of sound management as the season progresses, but hybrid selection for stalk strength and disease resistance, as well as cultural practices such as rotation and a proper nutrition program play important roles literally until the crop is in the bin, says Froehlich ... Be sure to choose your sampling areas to adequately reflect soil types, soil drainage patterns, hybrids, rainfall differences, and soil fertility levels ... Were the best choices made in... (Great Falls Prairie Star, MT)
New Method To Help Keep Fruit, Vegetables And Flowers Fresh Oct 21, 2009
A horticulturist created a hybrid lily lookalike that expresses a lavender-lilac color, strong and upright stems, and winter hardiness. In gardens it. (Science Daily)
Maker of Electric Cars to Announce Plant Location Oct 21, 2009
The next-generation plug-in, called Project Nina, will sell for nearly $48,000 before a federal tax credit of $7,500 for plug-in hybrid vehicles and will be built at the U.S. facility with an annual production of about 100,000 vehicles. Project Nina is expected to reach showrooms by 2012 and Fisker said a lower-cost, high-volume plug-in could follow. (ABC News -- Wire)
Ripe for a revolution Oct 21, 2009
"The main problem is they have no built-in resi 00004000 stance to disease like the hybrids do," he says. "And they have a short lifespan, too. The hybrids might produce for a year; I'm picking for only six to seven weeks. That means we plant five or six times a year. ''And the heirlooms are used to growing in backyards; they don't really like the space constrictions of a glasshouse and they don't like being force-fed." ... The more likely contender is grosse lisse, a hybrid with a big yield and... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Electric cars don't deserve halo yet: study Oct 20, 2009
Hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles with batteries that are charged by the driver hitting the brakes scored slightly better than both gasoline-powered cars and plug-in hybrid cars, which have batteries that are charged by the power grid. (Editing by Christian Wiessner). (Scientific American)
Fake security software 'in millions of computers' Oct 20, 2009
Multi-touch support, Hybrid. Latest news. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Technology)
Look for high-yielding spring canola varieties from Cargill (2) Oct 18, 2009
Since 2003, Cargill has sold canola hybrids under the Victory brand and partnered with Bayer CropScience on their InVigor Health varieties. The alliance with Bayer Cropscience allows the companies to offer specialty canola with two biotech herbicide-resistant traits widely used in canola production - Roundup Ready (glyphosate) herbicide-tolerant hybrids are available through the Cargill Victory line ... Liberty (glufosinate) tolerant hybrids are offered through Bayer's InVigor Health varieties. (Sioux Falls Tri-State Neighbor, SD)
LPTs face currency hit Oct 16, 2009
8 billion recapitalisation plan and its effect on the shareholders and EPS hybrid holders, who will have to take various haircuts as a consequence. There is no doubt that, in hindsight, the corporate structure of BBI - including plenty of short-term debt on long-term assets as the credit crunch hit - was far from ideal. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Africa: The Food Benefits of a Command Economy Oct 16, 2009
Huang commented, "Until 1984 the farmers did not receive any subsidies from us; from then on they were given hybrid seeds, we started building infrastructure, and investing in research and development, which was provided to them." The mandatory quantity of produce that each household had to contribute to the collective was also reduced ... "We have had many African governments approach us for assistance on technology; they ask us for rice hybrids. We ask them, 'Do you have the environment to... (allAfrica.com)
Hungry? One-sixth of humanity feels the same. Oct 15, 2009
The Green Revolution that began in the 1960s with new hybrid seeds in rice and wheat helped push more money into farming. The result was progress in reducing hunger until the early 1990s, when a world food summit declared the goal of slashing the number of hungry people in half by 2015. (Christian Science Monitor)
The car that uses urine to save the planet... Oct 15, 2009
This hybrid stuff and the additive technology spouted here is still just tinkering at the edges and trying to make old technology seem acceptable. Why would anyone pay an extra $140 per service to add stuff to their fuel as a mickey mouse way of cuttign emissions is beyond me and i would imagine not a real incentive for punters to purchase these kind of vehicles. (The Drudge Report)
Ford E-News - Oct. 14, 2009 Oct 15, 2009
America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan - the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - is on a new adventure, accompanying comedian Mark Malkoff on a 28-day quest to see how many mayors east of the Mississippi Malkoff can convince to give him keys to their cities ... Ford driving hybrid sales ... Despite a 14 percent industry drop in hybrid sales, the picture at Ford is oh so different: Hybrid sales are up 73 percent over 2008, spurred by the new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids, the most... (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Obama Pressured to Push for Climate Bill Oct 13, 2009
Back Hybrid cars with tax rebates. High speed rail. (CBS News -- US)
Fine-tune corn hybrid seed selection for 2010 crop (16) Oct 12, 2009
Fine-tune corn hybrid seed selection for 2010 crop ... Hybrid selection is a key step for profitable corn production ... This has been due to a combination of improved hybrids and agronomic practices, emphasizing the importance of decisions regarding hybrid selection. (Sioux Falls Tri-State Neighbor, SD)
Native plants can gild fall garden with color Oct 12, 2009
Roger's Red' turns a gorgeous red, bears small tart grapes for us and wildlife, and is, as it turns out, a hybrid between Californian and European grapes. Roger Raiche, for whom it's named, pursued the matter for years after he'd introduced it to the trade, and reported the geneticists' results this year. (San Francisco Chronicle)
King of Algae Oct 11, 2009
Research going on today in St. Louis is looking at whether blue-green algae, also called cyanobacteria, can be produced in mass quantities for fuel for airplanes and hybrid automobiles to help reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions and provide a lower-cost alternative to petroleum. Biofuels scientist Sayre is leading the algae research at the in Creve Coeur. (St. Louis Business Journal, MO)
See who's getting federal dollars Oct 10, 2009
Stimulus Tracker: Where's the Money. A Palm Beach Post Project. (The Palm Beach Post)
Gardening Q&A: How to prepare your lawn for winter Oct 10, 2009
Most hybridized tulips are not reliably perennial, but some produce offset bulbs from the original bulb ... So, buy some Species Tulips for many years of repeat performance and some Darwin Hybrid Tulip bulbs that should last at least five years. (Somerville Journal, MA)
Climactic time Oct 9, 2009
Of course it's not perfect, but the Senate bill does represent a hybrid goal of enhancing the economy while protecting the environment. It calls for an unequivocal 20 percent reduction in smokestack emissions by 2020 -- strengthening the 17 percent cut set in a bill passed by the House -- by putting a cap on what power and industrial plants can discharge. (NJ.com -- Times)
Machine Orders Rise From Record Low; Economists Say Spending to Stay Weak Oct 9, 2009
Toyota, which has benefited from government programs to encourage spending on energy-efficient cars, last month announced it will hire 1,600 temporary workers in Japan to meet increased demand for its Prius hybrid. Even after raising its production targets, Toyota estimates a third of its factory capacity will go unused this year. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
Home, yard and garden, 10-07: New floral All-Americans destined for garden glory Oct 8, 2009
Gaillardia Mesa Yellow is the first hybrid blanket flower bred for compact growth habit and prolific flowering. The early, 3-inch daisy-like flowers are excellent for cutting but will attract butterflies if left on the plants. (Vincennes Sun Commercial, IN)
Upgrades blend seamlessly into Eichler Oct 6, 2009
A number of hybrid rosebushes line one perimeter of the space, and there are also several mature fruit trees. Bender, who is moving because of changing family circumstances, says he will miss the serenity of the area - as well as the occasional sound of the cows being taken to milking and the soft moan of coyotes in the far-off hills. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Business)
Roses that Bloom in Multicolor Oct 6, 2009
Mrs. Dudley Cross is also an heirloom rose, a hybrid Tea that has been around (in commerce) since 1907. Blooms emerge golden yellow and then go through several changes until its finish in pink and white. (Suite101.com)
African experts meet on seed systems Oct 6, 2009
He said the public research system in Mali had released three new hybrid sorghum varieties and planned to release five more hybrid maize varieties before the end of the year. "Next year, we hope to release a new generation of upland rice varieties bred locally." He said Mali was producing five million tons of cereals and hoped to increase it to 10 million tons by 2012, as envisaged in the vision of the Malian President. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Local Industry News & Notes for Sunday, October 4, 2009 Oct 5, 2009
The project will include a complete renovation of all greens, replacing the original Tifdwarf Bermuda grass with a Sea Shore Paspalum hybrid (Supreme). Po ipu Bay is an 18-hole championship course situated on 210 oceanfront acres on Kaua i s southern coast, adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Kaua i Resort & Spa. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Departures: Learning to love being lost Oct 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009. Typically, I'm pretty book-friendly. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Travel)
Seed Industry flourishing Oct 5, 2009
But advances in breeding work to give hybrid plants desirable traits helped grow the industry from $1 million in annual spending in the early 1970s to $10 million in the early 1990s ... "Like the technology for computers, cell phones and hybrid vehicles, everyone wants the latest and greatest widget," he said. (Honolulu Advertiser)
‘Sleep No More’ allows audience members to pick their own show Oct 4, 2009
We work with dancers who are actors and actors who can really move, and have come up with this hybrid of performers who are very dynamic. The space is so epic it will eat you up and you ll be ignored if you re not really charismatic and alive. (Boston Globe)
"Ardi": New Missing Link Oct 2, 2009
4-million-year-old human/ape hybrid that is the oldest recorded link between humans and primates. The specimen, which scientists believe , has been described as "rife with anatomical surprises" and is poised to revolutionize much of the current thinking about human development. (Slate)
Google for plug-in hybrid charging Oct 2, 2009
Google working on 'smart' plug-in hybrid charging- Internet -Infotech-The Economic Times ... Google working on 'smart' plug-in hybrid charging1 Oct 2009, 2119 hrs IST, REUTERS ... SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc is in the early stages of looking at ways to write software that would fully integrate plug-in hybrid vehicles to the power grid, minimize strain on the grid and help utilities manage vehicle charging load. (India Times)
As Biden lays out stimulus goals, GOP demands specifics on new jobs Oct 2, 2009
The new goals include funding for battery manufacturing plants that can power 400,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; starting 34 more construction and modernization projects at veterans hospitals and medical centers; beginning improvements in 105 more national parks; lending and leveraging $5 billion to more than 12,000 small businesses; and providing loans and funding to finance, build, or renovate more than 100,000 housing units. Republicans quickly pointed out, however, that the goals don... (Boston Globe)
A Long Bet on Electric Cars Oct 1, 2009
On Sept. 22, the Energy Dept. announced the latest such loan: $528 million for a Silicon Valley startup called Fisker Automotive that vows to produce 130,000 plug-in hybrids by 2013 ... By contrast, Nissan (), Toyota (), Ford (), and have thousands of dealers in multiple markets that will be able to sell and service electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles ... Should Toyota decide to build any of its future hybrid cars in the U.S., it too could be eligible. (BusinessWeek)
