Today's round-up: McKibbon, LiSC Batteries, and finally someone explains the aesthetics of why every kind of energy production is hated by NIMBYs

1) McKibbon pans ExxonMobil. Well deserved.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/03/exxon-mobil-climate-change-oil-gas-fossil-fuels

2) A "game-changer" battery? Would be nice. There are lots of types in development, though, so don't run to your broker's office just yet:

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/breakthrough-batteries-lithium-sulphur-graphene

3) Obviously I'm no artist. My aesthetic is probably very limited, at least according to art aficionados. I like to see new-born lambs, even when manure-and-blood smeared. Honest people always look beautiful to me, even when other folks think that they're ugly. Beautiful people are immediately suspect, especially when it's obvious that they believe that they are so. I'm fond of well-cleaned engines, tidy wiring, and exceptionally well-done soldering on plumbing projects. Tight carpentry joints and clean engine oil is right up there, too. I even like to smell the manure in my compost heap. I actually like wind turbines on the landscape is some if not most spots. There are other places I wish to see left alone, mostly for wildlife and habitat conservation.

But I don't understand and have never understood why anti-wind NIMBY's can't see that what they advocate for Maine -- no wind turbines on our landscape -- really means more fracking for people in PA, or more nukes in Delaware, or more oil drilling in Texas. Wind turbines to me are inherently more beautiful than frack pads.

If any art history teacher would like me to prepare a expressive slideshow to promote this aesthetic, I'm waiting for the chance. Right now I have a large collection of manure-and-blood smeared lamb photos.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/03/electricity-wonderful-fawley-power-station