What Global Warming? →

"A joint investigation by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism’s Energy and Environmental Reporting Project and the Los Angeles Times earlier detailed how one company, Exxon, made a strategic decision in the late 1980s to publicly emphasize doubt and uncertainty regarding climate change science even as its internal research embraced the growing scientific consensus."

The skeptic in me wonders if the left hand knew what the right hand was doing. The people who run PR and design ads for Exxon are not the same as the people who do research for drilling mechanisms. In fact CMO and COO may not have all communicated about this. 

But then again-- What steps did the engineers who came across this ad, and saw its folly, take to have it amended? Or if not amended, make sure that it, or a future related ad/PR campaign didn't continue or happen again? And more important, did ad messaging leadership solicit the opinion of Exxon's internal engineers and then ignore it? Or did they get their information from outside help? It's tough to coordinate info in big organizations and Exxon is one of the biggest. 

Either way, it's painful to learn. 

Mercedes Aanounces Performance Plug-in Hybrid SUV →

"The GLE550e has the first plug-in hybrid powertrain ever offered in a Mercedes-Benz SUV. Its 3.0-liter V6 gasoline engine and electric motor together produce 436 horsepower. Using only electric power, Mercedes says the GLE550e can travel up to 18.6 miles and reach a speed of 81 mph."

Wow. In other words, plug it in for the commute or grocery shopping and never waste time at the gas station unless you need to go far.
Mercedes is doing exactly what I thought Lexus would do in the mid-sized hybrid crossover space two years ago. With their new XC90, Volvo and Merc are beginning to lead.  

I wonder if this the Tesla e-motor hardware they've been discussing? Or something else entirely?

Oil companies pledge support for Paris climate deal →

the U.S. oil giant Exxon is mysteriously missing. 

"In a statement Friday, the CEOs of BP, Shell, Saudi Aramco, Total, Repsol, Statoil, Eni, Petroelos Mexicanos, Reliance Industries and BG Group said they recognize greenhouse gas emissions trends are inconsistent with the ambition to keep warming below a level many consider dangerous."

This could be the beginning of some traction in what's clearly one of the scourges of humanity's future.