PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — The Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth has permanently shut down after 47 years of generating electricity, bring to a close the era of nuclear power in Massachusetts. The final shutdown occurred at 5:28 p.m. Friday. Entergy announced in 2015 it would retire Massachusetts’ only remaining reactor, citing competition from less expensive energy sources. Entergy had said the shutdown would take about five hours with technicians first reducing Pilgrim’s power output from the 40% to 26% to about 8%, before launching the final step of inserting control rods into the fuel assembly to seal off further nuclear reactions. Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant. (WBZ-TV) The focus now turns to the daunting task of cleaning up and dismantling the plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing Entergy’s proposal to sell Pilgrim to a private nuclear waste management firm that promises a speedier decommissioning. The closing leaves Seabrook in New … [Read more...] about Pilgrim Shutdown Ends Nuclear Power Era In Massachusetts
Bmw 335i engine reduced power message
Greece’s ancient power is in crisis on climate-cost collision
Outside a city that once vied with Sparta in ancient Greece, giant excavators are grinding away vast chunks of the rocky landscape to get at a form of energy that's now becoming a risk to the country's future. Legend has it that Megalopolis was where Zeus smote the Titans because the ground was known to smolder as if struck by the god's lightning bolts. The reality is that the area in the southern Peloponnese region, like parts of northern Greece, has an abundance of lignite -- a soggy form of coal that's a major energy source for the country's modern economy. But in the age of global warming, the cost of pollution permits for burning the dirtiest fossil fuel has turned these aging power plants into money pits. The indebted state-owned Public Power Corp. will spend as much as 300 million euros ($330 million) this year to operate lignite facilities, compared with 200 million euros in 2018. The dilemma is so bad that Greek officials say it would cost PPC less to pay workers to stay at … [Read more...] about Greece’s ancient power is in crisis on climate-cost collision
The 2020 Genesis G70 Gives BMW a Run for Its Money
Dec 7, 2019 by Matt Smith Leave a Comment It’s easier than ever for an automaker to stand out from the crowd. Before the proliferation of touchscreen infotainment systems and advanced safety features, luxury automakers relied on a car’s high-quality interior materials, high-end stereos, and exceptional performance characteristics to differentiate it from the competition. Those elements are what helped give legacy stalwarts like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class a stronghold on the luxury compact sedan market. For better or worse, those cars benefit from a long history of success, and to their credit, both BMW and Mercedes have built impressive safety and technology offerings to weather the competition from automakers like Lexus, Infiniti, Volvo, and Audi. But there’s an even more recent threat to the luxury-market leaders. Genesis, born from Hyundai’s flagship sedan lineup, arrived with the 2017 G90. Two years later, the company’s 3 Series … [Read more...] about The 2020 Genesis G70 Gives BMW a Run for Its Money
Jay Leno tries a Porsche Speedster replica with an unusual engine
It's powered - shock, horror - by a Subaru motor. Purists heads are surely exploding. The 1957 Porsche Speedster is one of the greatest icons in the German sports car maker’s history. Certainly of the 356 line that made Porsche’s reputation. In many ways, it was the forefunner of today’s 911 GT3 and Cayman GT4, a stripped-down, pared-back special capable of putting in giant-killing performances on track. With iconic status comes value. Massive value. Which means that genuine examples of the Speedster are well beyond the reach of the average enthusiast. But being iconic also means that the Speedster is one of the most replicated cars there has ever been.Jay Leno came across one such replica and thought it was so good he asked the owner, Tom Murtaugh, to bring by his garage. Tom’s Speedster replica was produced by California-based JPS Motorsports, and a notably good one it is, too - the quality of the myriad Speedster replicas available … [Read more...] about Jay Leno tries a Porsche Speedster replica with an unusual engine
Macron’s France to Force Social Media and Search Engines to Censor ‘Hate Speech’
PARIS (AP) – French lawmakers have approved a measure that is intended to force search engines and social networks to take hate speech off the internet.The measure adopted Thursday by the lower house of the French parliament would require social networks to remove hate speech within 24 hours of a confirmed violation. Search engines would have to stop referencing the content as well. The provision, part of a bill on internet regulation, targets videos or messages inciting or glorifying terrorism, hate, violence, or racist or religious abuse. Violators could face hefty fines. It prompted heated discussion in the National Assembly over how to define hate speech. French President Emmanuel Macron proposed such a law earlier this year amid an uptick in anti-Semitic incidents in France and concerns about increasing extremist language online. ‘Save the Internet’ – EU Moves to Monitor Uploads, ‘Censor’ Memes, ‘Tax’ Website Links … [Read more...] about Macron’s France to Force Social Media and Search Engines to Censor ‘Hate Speech’
