Monthly Archives: January 2002

Fats: For Your Health

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By Monique N. Gilbert

The body needs a certain amount of fat in the diet.  It stores fat to serve as a quick energy source and to protect important organs.  However, all fats and oils are high in calories.  Fats provide 9 calories for each gram contained in food, while protein and carbohydrates each provide only 4 calories.  While fat is necessary and essential for proper health, some types of fats are damaging to the cardiovascular system.

Artery-clogging fats that increase blood cholesterol include saturated fat and trans fat.  Saturated fat mainly comes from animal sources like meat and dairy products, but it can also be found in coconut and palm oils.  Trans fat comes from hydrogenated vegetable oils, like margarine and vegetable shortening.  Both saturated fats and trans fats stay solid at room temperature.

A more heart healthy fat is unsaturated fat, generally found in vegetables.  This type of fat includes both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  Monounsaturated fat is found in olive, canola and peanut oils.  These oils are liquid at room temperature but start to thicken when refrigerated.  This type of fat is considered the healthiest for your heart and body.  Avocados and nuts also contain monounsaturated fat.  Polyunsaturated fat is found in soybean, corn, safflower and sunflower oils.  These oils are liquid at room temperature and in the refrigerator.  This type of fat is considered the next healthiest fat that does not clog arteries.

However, when unsaturated vegetable oils are manufactured into solid form, they turn into trans fats.  This type of fat is commonly called fully or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in a food’s list of ingredients.  Trans fats are found in hundreds of processed foods, usually to protect against spoiling and to enhance flavor.  Restaurants tend to use a lot of trans fat (hydrogenated vegetable oil), especially for frying.

Trans fats are even worse for the cardiovascular system than saturated fats.  Researchers have conservatively calculated that trans fats alone account for at least 30,000 premature deaths from heart disease every year in the United States.  Recent studies indicate that trans fats drive up the body’s LDL, the bad cholesterol, even faster than saturated fats.  High levels of cholesterol have been linked to heart disease and stroke.

Diets high in fat, particularly saturated fat, also promotes breast, colon, endometrial, lung, prostate and rectal cancers.  Therefore, saturated fats and trans fats are the only fats that we should strive to eliminate from our diet.  Replace these fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  The American Heart Association recommends that daily fat intake should be less than 30 percent of total calories; saturated fat intake less than 8-10 percent of total calories, and cholesterol less than 300 milligrams per day.  Always read the Nutrition Facts label and list of ingredients to find out the amount of, and the type of, fat contained in any particular food.

This article is an excerpt from the book “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” by Monique N. Gilbert (Universal Publishers, $19.95, available at most Internet booksellers).

Copyright (c) Monique N. Gilbert – All Rights Reserved.

About this writer: Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc., is a Health Advocate, Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor, Recipe Developer, Freelance Writer and Author. Visit her site at http://www.geocities.com/virtuesofsoy/

Monique N. Gilbert,  Soy Food  Connoisseur, Recipe Developer and Author of… “Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook” (Universal Publishers, 2001).

Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc., has received international recognition for helping people get healthier, feel better, look younger and live longer. Through her coaching program and writings, Monique motivates, inspires and teaches how to naturally enhancing your health, happiness, energy and longevity with balanced nutrition, physical activity and tranquil living environments. Monique believes it is her mission to educate and enlighten everyone about the benefits of healthy eating and a vibrant stress-free lifestyle. For more information, visit her website – http://www.MoniqueNGilbert.com

Natural Wood

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By Leonardo Calcagno


Impotence, a man’s most terrible fear and secret. From ancient times, sexual performance has been extremely important for men, ’cause we think with our DICK! This is no secret, and we should for once and for all accepted it. We live in a macho world, is sad but is true. Impotence isn’t only a boner problem, it’s also all the emotional baggage that comes with it: depression, low self steam, fear of loosing your partner, adultery paranoia, anxiety, and frustration that can lead in some cases to suicide!

As men from every generation and walk of life have been trying to keep it up, Viagra came to the rescue. Seen as a wonder pill (like Prozac, ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!) men are consuming it like candy. More than one million prescriptions for it are written each month. It’s estimated that 35 million North-American men will consume Viagra before 2005, and as the baby boomers grow older, that number could reach up to 50 million.

As this wonder drug changes a man’s sexual life, he doesn’t mind some of the side effects (headache, upset stomach, nasal congestion, blurred vision, diarrhea, dizziness, rash and possibly death). This is seen as a normal price to pay when taking pharmaceutical drugs. But are there other alternatives to getting a boner beside Viagra (while boycotting the fascist capitalist inhuman faceless pharmaceutical companies)? Of course. There are many herbal and food alternatives to get the little guy to salute…so do try them, talk to your doctor before anything and enjoy!

Note: remember Viagra is not a sexual stimulant nor an aphrodisiac. It’s just a pill to help you maintain an erection.

Black Cumin Seed

Used in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia this is a common plant for menstruation problems, inflammation and allergies. It boosts morale and calms depression. In impotence cases, it’s well-known for its body cleaning properties for smokers, alcohol and other drug users — which helps impotence. Two capsules or one teaspoon of oil three times a day is recommended.

Bois Bande

In French it means “Boner Wood,” widely used in the West Indies. The bark of the tree is soaked in rum, then is drunk for sexual stimulation.

Broom Rape

A flowering plant found in China, Mongolia and Siberia. Stimulates sexual desire by lowering the blood pressure, which may occur for a nervous person. A daily dosage is 10 to 15 g.

Cyperus

A Chinese aphrodisiac, its roots are boiled and drank for stimulation.

Damiana

An aphrodisiac used by the native people of Mexico, Central and South America and in the West Indies since the dawn of time. Its leaves are used in native medicine for many diseases. Wrapped in chocolate, it’s given to young grooms by mother-in-law anxious to become grandmothers in Mexico. It helps involuntary sperm emissions and strengthens the male sexual system [due to is alkaloids property]. It’s also widely used in Holland for enchanting sexuality and positive effect on the reproductive organs.

Ginkgo Bilboa

It aids circulation and gets the blood flowing to the penis. This herb is an antidepressant to calm people who are nervous to perform. It’s a safe natural drug when taken in small doses of 50 mg three times a day.

Ginseng

An Asian herb that grows in the mountains of eastern Asia and in Korea and Japan. In Asia men believes that ginseng enhances sex and an ancient Indian medical manuscript [The Atherva Veda] says that ginseng “bestows on men both young and old the power of a bull.” It helps regulate blood stream and stress.

Kava

It’s called the “pacific elixir” in the South Pacific where it has been use by the people of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia …. the Kava was not used for sexual dysfunction but the roots may be used to resolve sexual difficulties and low libido caused by overwork, anxiousness and tension.

Kola Nut

It contains caffeine and other stimulating properties. Brazilians drink it and Jamaican use it as an aphrodisiac.

Maca

A Peruvian herb use to treat a variety of hormone imbalances. It increases fertility and sexual vigor. Rats fed with maca had higher sperm production, meaning that people who shoot “blanks” may want to try it.

Mint

Called by the Greeks as the “Love brew”, they forbade soldiers to consume it during wars ’cause it diminished their aggressiveness.

Muira Puama

It has been traditionally used by Brazilian natives from the Amazon to treat impotence. This tree is nicknamed “potency wood” and “tree of virility.” It showed its effectiveness for treating nervous system disorders and sexual impotence, it’s ability to help impotence by delivering blood to genitals.

Rosemary

Rosemary activates the adrenal glands, which produce sex hormones.

Saffron

A very expensive spice when added to food, it’s considered erotic in taste and in color. Phoenicians made flavor moon-shaped cakes eaten in honor of Ashtoreth, the goddess of fertility. Its still used as a bridal spice.

Savory

Used by Greeks and Romans for fertility rites. Savory taken as a tea aids men who have difficulty performing sexual acts.

Verbena

The Greeks worshipped this herb to Aphrodite, goddess of love; and the Romans believed that it had peacemaking properties. Taken as tea, it stimulates and augments the reactions of the body and facilitatescirculation of blood to the genitals.

Fennel

The Kama Sutra uses fresh fennel juice with milk as a aphrodisiac. Hindus use fresh fennel juice, milk. honey, ghee, licorice and sugar to stimulate sex. In Mediterranean regions this soup is also used as a sexual stimulant.

Ginger

A powerful aphrodisiac when rubbed on the abdomen, scrotum and anus. A impotence recipe by an Indian herbalist: ginger juice, honey and half-boiled eggs, taken every night for a month.

Nutmeg

Increases sexual endurance, when mixed with honey and a half boiled egg to be taken an hour before intercourse.

Oysters

Casanova was a big consumer, fifty raw oysters every morning. A healthy consumption of oysters helps to keep a balanced reproductive system. Only be sure that they’re fresh or you may get poisoned.

Spanish Fly

This is an urban legend for horny teenagers. The legendary Spanish fly is a golden green beetle from which they extracted a chemical called cantharidin. It’s not very well known how it works but it has been used widely by everybody, the only problem is if it gives a great sexual high it also very toxic, and a big amount may even kill you.

Disclaimer

This information has been provided for informational purposes only. Neither the author, nor the-vu and its affiliates, recommend taking any herbal remedies prior to consultation with your personal health care professional. This information should not be construed as a replacement for medical advice or treatment.

Leonardo Calcagno, well know writer in Montreal Canada. He’s been writing for local Canadian, Americano and European e-zines and zines in French, Spanish and English for almost 5 years. More known to get hate letters from right-wing housewives and to get into fights with promoters who don’t let him interview bands! You will mostly see him eating tofu dogs and drinking Guinness with his laptop in Montreal writing another article about politics, music and sex. Graduated with a bachelor degree in International Politics with a minor on international law… his parents are still wondering why he took on a life of sex writer! Tattooed with Che, Husker Du and ARA! Played chino-Hispanic punk on Les Kalisses D’immigrant, Trash Blues on Les Tetes Reduites and now stoner rock on Your Sister ! He contributes on Freezerbox.com, Kerozen, Indymedia.org, Stooky.com, Eroticandy.com, Biotech Montreal Action, QuebecTel, Zona de Obra and other zines!

For more of Leonardo’s work, please visit www.montrealnightguide.com and www.montrealconfidential.com

What Is Tachyon Energy?

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By Robert Ziegler
Published January 2002

According to quantum physics, the material universe is nothing more than a very dense form of energy. Everything that exists in this universe, from the most subtle, refined realms of energetic structures, to the grossest, densest realms of matter, is aligned in an energy continuum. Energy flows constantly from these highly refined subtle realms-starting from the causal or super causal world as it is referred to in Yoga teachings and moving down through the astral, etheric, electromagnetic levels and finally into the material realm of existence.

Everything that exists on Earth exists within is own Energetic Continuum, our bodies being a perfect example. In addition to the material, physical body that we perceive with our senses, we have several other layers of energetic bodies. Through all these layers of energy, an Energetic Continuum flows from the highest, most refined subtle bodies down to the material body. The energy flowing through the Energetic Continuum comes from one source. In India, it is called the Divine Mother. Christianity calls it the Holy Spirit, and in many modern, New Age spiritual teachings it is called Cosmic Energy. Modern physics calls it Zero-Point Energy or Free Energy.

At this point, it is important to understand that Zero-Point Energy should not be confused with a particular form of energy, such as etheric or astral energy. Zero-Point Energy is formless. It is the source of everything. All realms of the subtle energies are just parts of the Energetic Continuum.

In itself, Tachyon Energy has stored all the potential needed to create a perfect Energetic Continuum in every individualized form of life. Everything that transpires in the human body, for example, is already encoded within Tachyon Energy in perfect form. An excellent example of this is seen in the animal kingdom, where it has been observed that animals not influenced in any way by human beings live completely healthy lives.

For example, mammals have a life span that is up to seven times their growth period. For a human being, that would mean 140 years of perfectly healthy life. Of the 40,000 chronic and degenerative diseases known in human medicine, only a few are known to exist in wild animals! This is because wild animals do not have the ability to block the Energetic Continuum.

In Nature we find perfection and such is the character of Tachyon Energy. The information that Tachyon Energy contains is inherently perfect. The only thing we need for achieving health and balance in our lives is a freely flowing Energetic Continuum. In other words, we need to become superconductors for Tachyon Energy by allowing it to flow through all the layers of our subtle bodies. As this energy flows into our material cells, it completely organizes the entire metabolism in a perfectly balanced manner that is the way we are meant to function.

If any layer of the subtle body system is blocked, energy will not flow freely down into the next grosser level. From that level onward, there will be significant deficiencies of energy. Blockages in any of the subtle layers prevent Tachyon Energy from flowing freely into the material body. This is why so many diseases are co-influenced or co-created by blockages in subtle bodies. This also explains why our psychological state affects our physical body.

In fact, the emotional and mental bodies are so subtle they do not directly interfere with the physical body. Since the flow of life force information to organize our metabolism also has to flow through the mental and emotional bodies, there is an indirect influence when these bodies are blocked. Significant blockages eventually create physical disease.

This information is the basis for the creation of many different frequency oriented energy systems. We know of photon energy, crystal energy, magnets, orgone energy, light acupuncture, radionic devices, photon lights, electromagnetic and sound therapy, all of which are used as therapy. Of course, all of these energy systems work well when they all have the potential ability to remove some blockages, to remove stagnant pockets where energy cannot flow freely in a certain layer of the subtle body system. However, energetic frequency therapies, in general, have two limits. One is that all these energies are limited to a certain frequency, for example, between 16 and 32 mu-meters. This is a certain spectrum of the auric field of our subtle body layers, and provided we have blockages between 16 and 32 mu-meters, photon energy, if applied correctly, can help. But what if our problem is not rooted in that spectrum of frequencies? What if our problem is mainly an energy blockage in the realm of 35 to 50 mu-meters? Of course, there might be some small benefit from applying photon energy, by indirect influence, but the problem will not be cleared. Photon energy then, is something that might help a little bit, but it will not really take care of the problem at its root. So we know that, just like photon energy, all subtle energy systems that are used for therapies have this one big limit, they only work on their specific frequency. The other limit is that the effect of any particular frequency is determined by the nature of that frequency.

Photon energy, orgone energy, or electromagnetic energy, for example, can help because each has certain characteristics that forcefully affect the human body to move into another direction. However, if we don’t need this particular, specific frequency, such energies can also be harmful. Orgone energy can heal, but orgone energy can also make you really sick. It requires knowledge and experience to use these subtle energy devices safely and correctly. Tachyon energy is totally different from all of these. Tachyon energy is not a certain type of energy, but rather includes all energies in itself. Whatever goes wrong in our physical body or in the subtle bodies, can be corrected by applying specific information for that particular process. This is possible through Tachyon energy, for Tachyon energy is the gateway back to Zero Point energy. This is something that no frequency can do. All frequencies are just part of the whole, part of what is anchored in the Zero Point energy, but all frequencies are limited in their specific effects. Tachyon is totally non-specific. Tachyon really doesn’t have any effect in and of itself. What Tachyon does is give our organism, our body, our subtle bodies the chance to produce whatever effects they need. And since our bodies are incredibly intelligent, they always produce the effects that are good for them. The two limits that we find confining all other forms of energetic medicine just don’t apply to Tachyon because Tachyon energy is not limited to a certain frequency.

Another important difference between other subtle energy devices and the energy that they use and Tachyon energy is that Tachyon cannot be influenced in any way whatsoever by any other form of energy. All other forms of subtle energies that are used in energetic medicine can be influenced, for example, by one’s own thoughts and feelings. This is due to the fact that below the speed of light energies have something that is called the gravitational pull, that makes energies attract each other so that they stick to each other. This, of course, creates influence, changing and altering the energies in their specific effects. Tachyon moves beyond the speed of light so it has no gravitational pull so it cannot stick to anything or any energy, and no energy can stick to Tachyon. No matter how “bad” our thoughts are, how low our emotional content is, no matter what kind of negativity we produce in any form it can never alter Tachyon energy and its ability to give us access to the Zero Point energy. So potentially, all problems we have- mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical- can be positively affected by Tachyon energy!

Another wonderful aspect of using only the source energy is we do not have to deal with unwanted side effects. Even if we apply so much energy that parts of our organism want to have a very strong, very quick healing effect and other parts don’t quite catch up, this won’t be a problem. It sometimes causes detoxification and healing reactions, that for a very short time may feel overwhelming, but there will never be a negative outcome. Tachyon energy is also free of that second limit. It doesn’t require so much knowledge and experience to apply Tachyon correctly because the body is in charge of the process anyway. We do not forcefully apply it for a certain specific effect, but we rather let the body produce its own healing effects. Tachyon energy is simply the natural catalyst for this self-healing process.

Robert Ziegler, a Certified Tachyon Practitioner, and Member in good standing with the Tachyon Institute for Spirituality and Science, Santa Rosa, CA, is located in Central Florida. His practice is devoted to bringing balance to the mind, body and spirit complex through the utilization of Tachyon Energy. He may be contacted at rcziegler@planet-tachyon.com.

For a technical definition of Tachyon Energy, in case you have serious doubts that it exists, the author has recommended this link http://www1.shore.net/~ewall/ that ‘provides a summary derivation of the first and only theoretical tachyon model to agree with experiment.’ See also http://www.sciam.com/askexpert/physics/physics29.html for additional Tachyon Information.

The Electric Auto Show

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The Electric Auto Show – The Greater LA AutoShow 2002
By Jeffrey the Barak

Approaching the Greater LA Auto Show in January 2002 makes one’s motorhead pulse race. Here are acres and acres of new, concept and even vintage cars of every marque sold in the United States. It’s time for self control however because I know you can go to any newsstand or browse many equally glossy web sites and read about Ferraris and Porsches, or look at pictures of family minivans and sedans. In true the-vu tradition, my focus here is to be on the new alternative car culture, the formerly experimental world of electrics, hybrids and fuel-cell powered vehicles.

Definitions:

* Electric: Propelled by an electric motor, powered by rechargeable batteries.
* Hybrid: Propelled by an electric motor and also by a gasoline engine, with batteries that are charged by the vehicle’s own engine.
* Fuel-Cell: Propelled by an electric motor which derives its electricity from hydrogen gas and ordinary air combined in a fuel cell to create electricity.

Honda

The first car to hit us in the face is the Honda FCX-V4 fuel cell vehicle. In this ultra-modern looking vehicle, the hydrogen tanks are in front of the rear wheels, allowing the user to use the trunk as a trunk instead of the typical hydrogen tank display case. This idea also removes the chance of a Hindenburg style explosion when that cell phone wielding soccer mom slams her Ford Excursion into the back of your car. This really is an exciting new car and should be available in 2003. It should run for about 185 miles on a tank of hydrogen.

The official Honda line on fuel cell cars is: it will be at least ten or twenty years before the internal combustion engine loses it’s dominance. Honda expects to begin limited commercial distribution of fuel cell vehicles in 2003.

For now, Honda has higher hopes for the gasoline and electric hybrid cars such as the 1999 Insight and the brand new Civic IMA Hybrid. Unlike Toyota who left their top selling Corolla alone and introduced their hybrid with a fantastic new model called a Prius, Honda are putting out a hybrid version of America’s best selling small car, the Civic.

IMA stands for Integrated Motor Assist. The performance and practicality of this 2002 model is way ahead of the original hybrid, the 1999 Honda Insight. Apart from the slightly compromised trunk area, this Civic is as roomy as any other four door Civic, but it will deliver 50 mpg in the city or on the highway. This little hybrid should sell for around $20,000, and the fuel savings should make approximately 2,000 people per month decide to get one.

Daimler-Chrysler

Daimler-Chrysler’s GEM line of tiny trucks are really electric golf carts taken to the next level. Big enough and useful enough to be used as primary transportation in tiny old towns or large private residential communities, their motto seems to be “We don’t need no steenking doors.” Typical of today’s Daimler-Chrysler, the GEM e825’s are beautifully designed and they really are the Rolls-Royces of the indoor driving scene.

Ford

Ford’s competition to Daimler-Chrysler’s GEM line is the Think line. Not quite as pretty as the aforementioned GEMs, the Thinks are probably just as good and display nicely alongside the Think electronically assisted bicycles. Even though it wasn’t at the show, Ford is going to be introducing a research Ford Focus which runs on a mixture of diesel and a substance known as Urea. Urea is ammonia based, (just like urine is ammonia based) and its purpose here will be to remove that awful black diesel soot from the exhaust emissions. It’s difficult to resist the temptation to picture a future driver peeing into his gas tank to get Urea, but I’ll try.

General Motors

GM decided to bypass the Greater LA Auto Show and wait for Monday 7th January at the Detroit show to announce their own fuel cell project. The GM guys came out and publicly announced that we’ll all probably end up running hydrogen fueled, fuel cell powered electric cars eventually. When that day comes, GM will finally have to stop accurately reproducing the driving experience of the 1976 Chevette in cars such as the 2002 Sunbird and Cavalier. Oh well, that’s progress I suppose.

Nissan

If you want a tiny electric car with a 40 to 60 mile range and a top speed of 62MPH between 4 hour recharges, there’s nothing quite like the extremely cute Nissan Hypermini. Amongst all the American cars it looks dangerously small, but put one in say Japan or Europe and it’s not much sillier looking than the standard compact cars in those places. The first time I saw a Hypermini it was barreling past me at top speed on a freeway in Los Angeles, which was an impressive demonstration of its capabilities. Up close and inside, it really is very attractive and much more interesting than the BMW Mini that even on media day drew a large crowd at the Greater LA Auto Show.

EVAA

While the young lady upstairs at the main Nissan display stand stated with conviction that Nissan has been too busy to develop any alternative fuel technology or electric cars, the aforementioned Nissan Hypermini is on display at the stand of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas. This stand is not up with the big displays of the major manufacturers such as Nissan; it’s down in Kentia Hall with all the chrome rims, polishes and accessories.

Beside the gleaming paint of the Hypermini is a big car, which in comparison to the waxed perfection of everything else at this show looks decidedly grubby. There has been little effort to clean this one up after its 7,000 miles in the real world. Powered by Think, it’s the Ford P2000 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle. The platform for this car is a “Stretched Aluminum Ford Contour” which accounts for its monstrously boring appearance. What the car represents, however, is far from boring.

This four-door sedan will run for 100 miles on a tank of hydrogen and reach speeds of 80+MPH. Last October, this car ran for 24 hours on Ford’s high speed track in Dearborn. It maintained an average speed of 58MPH including stops for hydrogen and driver changes. The average speed on track was 65MPH. Crawling on the ground beneath the back end I am amused to see the soft white polyurethane exhaust tips. The exhaust emissions of a hydrogen fuel cell powered car are of course nothing but clean plain water!

So how does a fuel cell car work? Very basically, Oxygen from the air compressor and hydrogen from the fuel tank combine in the fuel cells to create electricity. This is the sequence:

* Hydrogen fuel flows into the fuel cells.
* An air compressor supplies air to the fuel cells.
* Oxygen from the air combines with the hydrogen in the fuel cell to generate electricity, which is sent to the “traction inverter module”.
* The traction converter module converts the electricity for use by the motor/transaxle, which converts the electric energy into the mechanical energy, which turns the wheels.
* Water vapor and droplets are the only byproduct of the process and the exhaust is even drinkable.

Kateri Callahan, executive director of the EVAA tells the-vu that in routine demonstrations, this exhaust is actually collected into a cup and drunk. In this particular Ford the hydrogen tank is situated in the trunk, but it’s really an experimental car for demonstration purposes, hence the internationally acquired road dust covering everything under the hood. This ugly Contour is simply just a “mule” for the fuel cell process.

How does it drive? Like an electric car! The electricity is coming from the fuel cell process as opposed to storage batteries, but it’s like driving any electric car, except that you can fill the hydrogen tank in a couple of minutes which is quicker than charging batteries for hours and hours.

Parked around the EVAA stand, we also see a Honda Insight, an all-electric Toyota RAV4, a beautiful, traditionally styled, 40 mile range Scooter by Rad-2-Go, A Prima electric bicycle, an enclosed 2001 model Ford Think, Zapworld’s Power Ski electric pull-along device for skaters, a sea scooter for scuba divers and even a plug-in hybrid electric Suburban and an electric US Post Office van. The post office has around 500 of these in use today, mostly in California. Mail carriers either have to keep their trucks idling or shut them off and re-start them repeatedly, so electric is ideal for their average 30 mile routes.

Kateri predicts that we will be using electric drive systems in the future and there will be room for all of the systems. She says it may be a decade before we see a viable commercial fuel cell vehicle, but even then there should be a market for lower speed battery powered vehicles also.

Whereas the Ford P2000 gets all of its energy from the hydrogen in the tank, Daimler-Chrysler are experimenting with the onboard production of hydrogen using methanol as a fuel source. Methanol can be a renewable fuel source if it is produced from grain, but currently it’s often made from coal, granddaddy of the fossil fuels.

So who are the EVAA? They are an industry association working to advance electric vehicle transportation technologies in the United States and they represent the US in the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA). They are quite a political force, defending the planet Earth from the forces of carelessly burned fossil fuel. For a more serious definition I recommend their website at http://www.evaa.org

Little Charge, Much Burn

Electric, hybrid and fuel cell powered vehicles are of course in the tiny minority at this vast international car show, and the proportion of giant trucks to normal cars is still alarmingly high, but it is at least reassuring to note that the popular full size SUV’s of today are clean. While they may use as much fuel per mile as your 1969 Olds 98, their annual emissions are about the same as those put out by a dash around the block in the old barge, so you’re not exactly choking the planet when you shine your headlights down through our rear windows and whack cyclists on the back of the head with your door mirrors.

The real challenge is two-fold. Not only to we need to develop alternative long-range propulsion, we also need to change our mindset so that tiny cars and scooters can be seriously considered for use on shorter trips.

After walking ten or fifteen miles across the carpet of the Los Angeles Convention Center, my legs were wishing I’d been mounted on one of Dean Kamen’s Segways!

Writer Jeffrey the Barak is also the publisher of the-vu