14 Mar 2005
Biodiesel Boosters Plan Co-Ops

Welcome to the wonderful world of government regulation... this is the same reason that I can't sell canned jalapenos or grape jelly. I can only sell the raw fruits and vegetables without the requisite permits. And those are very tough for a producer to get. Unless, of course, you have a million dollar corporate legal department and your company name is Con-Agra.

Therefore I make the following prediction: biodiesel will be freely availably only when marketed by Exxon and it's ilk.

Producers of a diesel alternative made from old vegetable oil want to build a network of stations to sell the fuel to motorists. But many find it tough to convince local regulators to approve their efforts. By Mark Baard.

(link) [Wired News]

00:00 /Agriculture | 0 comments | permanent link

Chemicals in tattoo inks need closer scrutiny

The Illustrated Man had best beware: here come the Safety Nazis!

As tattoos have grown in popularity, so have complaints of adverse side effects associated with both their application and removal. A new study, done by chemistry students at Northern Arizona University, looked at the chemical composition of a variety of tattoo inks to better understand their potential health risks. The findings, presented today at the 229th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, suggest that closer regulation of the tattoo industry may be warranted, according to the researchers.

(link) [Science Blog]

00:00 /Politics | 1 comment | permanent link