Types of Red and White Wine

information is from http://www.frenchscout.com/

Major types of red wine

Syrah, cabernet, zinfandel are red grape varieties. This page describes wine styles by variety and production area. For each major variety, please find herebelow description, pronunciation, and food pairings.

If only one variety (merlot, cabernet sauvignon) is mentioned on the label, then the wine is called varietal and is named after the grape with a capital initial (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon). A varietal wine primarily shows the fruit : the

Syrah (or Shiraz)

(Sah-ra or Shi-raz) Shiraz or syrah are two names for the same variety. Europe vintners only use the name syrah.

Food pairings: meat (steak, beef, wild game, stews, etc.)

Districts: syrah excels in California, in Australia, and in France’s Rhone Valley.

Typical taste in varietal wine: aromas and flavors of wild black fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins.

Toffee notes if present come not from the fruit but from the wine having rested in oak barrels.

The shiraz variety gives hearty, spicy reds. While shiraz is used to produce many average wines it can produce some of the world’s finest, deepest, and darkest reds with intense flavors and excellent longevity. You’ll discover Syrahs of value and elegance by reading my reviews of French wines.

Merlot

(Mare-lo) Easy to drink. The softness of Merlot has made it an "introducing" wine for new red-wine drinkers.

Food pairings: any will do.

Districts: a key player in the Bordeaux blend, merlot is now also grown in Italy, Romania, California, Washington State, Chile, Australia, etc.

Typical taste in varietal wine: typical scents include blackcherry, plums and herbal flavors. The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common. The Merlot type of wine is less tannic (rough) than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cabernet sauvignon

(Ca-burr-nay so-veen-yaw) Widely accepted as one of the world’s best varieties. Cabernet sauvignon is often blended with cabernet franc and merlot. It usually undergoes oak treatment.

Food pairings: best with simply prepared red meat.

Districts: cabernet sauvignon is planted wherever red wine grapes grow except in the Northern fringes such as Germany. It is part of the great red Médoc wines of France, and among the finest reds in Australia, California and Chile.

Typical taste in varietal wine: full-bodied, but firm and gripping when young.

With age, polyphenols polymerize: the grip fades away. The rich currant qualities of the Cabernet Sauvignon wine change to that of pencil box. Bell pepper notes remain.

Another article deals with the health benefits of polyphenols.

Vanilla notes if present come not from the fruit but from the oak treatment. They increase review ratings but may overwhelm the varietal taste.

Malbec

(Mal-bek)

Food pairings: all types of meat-based meals.

Districts: malbec has its origins in the French Bordeaux region. It is grown as côt in the Loire Valley and auxerrois in Cahors. Malbec has also been recognized as médoc noir or pressac again in France. Malbec is widely grown in Argentina, where it is the most popular red grape variety. It is also available in Chile, in Australia, and in the cooler regions of California.

Typical taste in varietal wine: malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where it is grown and how it is transformed. Generally it produces an easy-drinking style, well colored wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice.

Malbec is often blended with other varieties such as cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot to make Bordeaux style wines. Malbec and some such blends may present some health benefits.

Pinot noir

(Pee-know na-wahr) One of the noblest red wine grapes. Pinot noir is difficult to grow, rarely blended, with no roughness.

Food pairings: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, and lamb.

Districts: makes the great reds of Burgundy in France, and good wines from Austria, California, Oregon, and New Zealand.

Typical taste in varietal wine: very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.

Yet pinot noir is very transparent to the place where its is grown. "The staggering range of wines produced makes it impossible and pointless to define which personality is the best expression of the variety", as Craig Camp put it.

Zinfandel

(Zin-fan-dell) Perhaps the world’s most versatile wine grape, making everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel), to rich, heavy reds.

Food pairings: very much depends on the freshness/heaviness of the wine; tomato-sauce pastas, pizza, and grilled and barbecued meats.

Districts: only found in California.

Typical taste in varietal wine: often a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.

Sangiovese

(San-gee-oh-ve-zee)

Food pairings: a good choice for Italian and other Mediterranean-style cuisines.

Districts: sangiovese produces the Chiantis of Italy’s Tuscany region and, of late, good wines from California.

Typical taste in varietal wine: the primary style is medium-bodied with fresh berry and plum flavors.

 

Barbera

(Bar-bear-a) Not as popular as Merlot but with similar attributes.

Food pairings: barbera wines are versatile: they match many dishes, including tomato sauces.

Districts: another classic red of Italian origin. Widespread in California.

Typical taste in varietal wine: juicy black cherry and plum fruit, a silky texture and excellent acidity. You may wish to read tasting notes of Barberas at La Spinetta.

 

 

Major types of white wine

Chardonnay, gewürztraminer, sauvignon blanc are white grape varieties. This page describes wine styles by variety and production area. Any below variety can give dry white wine or sweet white wine. Some varieties can be made bubbly or still. For each major variety, please find herebelow description, pronunciation, and food pairings.

If only one variety (chardonnay, gewürztraminer) is mentioned on the label, then the wine is called varietal and is named after the grape with a capital initial (Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer). A varietal wine primarily shows the fruit : the

Chardonnay

(Shar-doe-nay) Chardonnay was the most popular white grape through the 1990's. It can be made sparkling or still.

Food pairings: a good choice for fish and chicken dishes.

Districts: chardonnay makes the principle white wine of Burgundy (France), where it originated. Chardonnay is versatile and is grown with success in most viticultural areas under a variety of climatic conditions.

Typical taste of the different types of chardonnay: voluptuous. Chardonnay wines are often wider-bodied (and more velvety) than other types of dry whites, with rich citrus (lemon, grapefruit) flavors. Fermenting in new oak barrels adds a buttery tone (vanilla, toast, coconut, toffee). Tasting a USD 12 Californian Chardonnay should give citrus fruit flavors, hints of melon, vanilla, some toasty character and some creaminess. Burgundy whites can taste very different.

Sauvignon blanc

(So-veen-yawn Blah)

Food pairings: a versatile food wine for seafood, poultry, and salads.

Districts: of French origin, sauvignon blanc is grown in the Bordeaux region where it is blended with semillon. The Loire valley and New Zealand produce some excellent sauvignon blanc varietals. Some Australian Sauvignon Blancs, grown in warmer areas, tends to be flat and lack fruit qualities.

Typical taste in varietal wine: sauvignon blanc normally shows a herbal character suggesting bell pepper or freshly mown grass. The dominating flavors range from sour green fruits of apples, pears and gooseberries through to tropical fruits of melon, mango and blackcurrant. Quality unoaked Sauvignon Blancs will display smokey qualities; they require bright aromas and a strong acid finish and are best grown in cool climates.

Semillon

(Say-mee-yaw)

Food pairings: Semillon goes with fish but there are many better matches. Serve dry Semillon with clams, mussels, or pasta salad.

Districts: sémillon is the major white grape in the Bordeaux region of France. Sémillon is also known as Hunter (River Riesling), boal/bual of Madeira, chevrier, columbier, malaga and blanc doux. Sémillon is also grown in Chile, Argentina, Australia, and California.

Typical taste: the wine varietal features distinct fig-like character. Sémillon is often blended with sauvignon blanc to delimit its strong berry-like flavors.

From the Bordeaux region of France come the great Sauternes and Barsac. These wines are produced from overripe sémillon grapes. They are blended with sauvignon blanc to produce a syrupy, full-bodied wine that may be world class.

Muscat

(Moos-cat) More a family of grapes than a single variety, muscat bears no relationship with the Muscadet wine.

Food pairings: Muscat shows best on its own: without food.

Districts: muscat grows in most vine-friendly climates, including the Rhône Valley, Italy (where it is called moscato) and Austria (where it is called Muskateller).

Typical taste: often sweet and always fruity, with a characteristic grapefruity and musky aroma. Muscat wines are easily recognizable to anyone who has tasted a Muscat table grape.

Pinot grigio

(Pee-no gree-zo) Pinot grigio is the name of the pinot gris variety where grown in Italy.

Food pairings: versatile.

Districts: pinot grigio is planted extensively in the Venezia and Alto-Adige regions of Italy. It is called malvoisie in the Loire Valley. In Germany and Austria pinot gris is known as the Ruländer or Grauer Burgunder where it is used to make pleasant, young, white wines. Similar aliases are used in the german settled regions of Australia. Pinot grigio is also grown in the western coastal regions of the U.S.A.

Typical taste: pinot gris can produce crisp, dry wines with good acid "bite". Alsace Pinot Gris shows aromatic, fruity flavors that improve with a couple of years in the bottle.

Riesling

(Rees-ling)

Food pairings: dry versions go well with fish, chicken and pork dishes.

Districts: the classic German grape of the Rhine and Mosel, riesling grows in all wine regions. Germany's great Rieslings are usually made slightly sweet, with steely acidity for balance. Riesling from Alsace and the Eastern U.S. is also excellent, though usually made in a different style, equally aromatic but typically drier (not sweet). California Rieslings are much less successful, usually sweet without sufficient acidity for balance.

Typical taste in varietal wine: Riesling wines are much lighter than Chardonnay wines. The aromas generally include fresh apples. The riesling variety expresses itself very differently depending on the district and the winemaking. Rieslings should taste fresh. If they do, then they might also prove tastier and tastier as they age.

 

Gewurztraminer

(Gah-vurtz-tra-meener) A very aromatic variety.

Food pairings: gewürztraminer is ideal for sipping. It can fit Asian food, pork and grilled sausages.

Districts: gewürztraminer is best known in wines from Alsace, Germany, the U.S. West Coast, and New York.

Typical taste in varietal wine: fruity flavors with aromas of rose petals, peaches, lychees, and allspice. A Gewurztraminer seems generally not as refreshing as other types of dry whites.

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Although this blog provides FREE Pacquiao vs Margarito Live Stream, it will be more appropriate and convenient for me not to use it. I hope this will be fixed soon.

The effects of beer consumption on your health

from Chris Pavey
CHRIS PAVEY holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours from Monash University.

Binge drinking of any type of alcohol, beer included, is well documented as to having severe adverse effects on a person's health. It is considered a direct cause of brain damage and/or impediment to normal brain development. There is also the risk of alcohol poisoning which can have the adverse side effects of slurred speech, blurred double vision, stupor and even hypothermia. It can cause astute gastritis, vomiting, metabolic complications and even death. Socially, binge drinking can cause you to have the inability to make reasoned decisions, reduce your ability to assess risk, and often will lead you into violent confrontations and an increased risk of putting not only yourself but also others in harm's way. Moreover, continuous binge drinking is likely to lead to alcoholism.

Alcohol Facts & Fiction

Facts & Fiction

This page corrects common alcohol and drinking myths, with research based facts and statistics.
article is from http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/HealthIssues/1133289748.html

Myth
Alcohol destroys brain cells.

Fact
The moderate consumption of alcohol does not destroy brain cells. In fact it is often associated with improved cognitive (mental) functioning. 1

Myth
White wine is a good choice for a person who wants a light drink with less alcohol.

Fact
Standard Drinks
Standard Drinks graphically illustrates information on the equivalence of standard drinks of beer, wine and distilled spirits or liquor. Its accuracy has been established by medical and other health professionals.
A glass of white or red wine, a bottle of beer, and a shot of whiskey or other distilled spirits all contain equivalent amounts of alcohol and are they same to a Breathalyzer. [see Alcohol Equivalence and visit Standard Drinks] A standard drink is:
• A 12-ounce bottle or can of regular beer
• A 5-ounce glass of wine
• A one and 1/2 ounce of 80 proof distilled spirits (either straight or in a mixed drink). 2

Myth
A "beer belly" is caused by drinking beer.

Fact
A "beer belly" is caused by eating too much food. No beer or other alcohol beverage is necessary. 3

Myth
Switching between beer, wine and spirits will lead to intoxication more quickly than sticking to one type of alcohol beverage.

Fact
The level of blood alcohol content (BAC) is what determines sobriety or intoxication. 4 Remember that a standard drink of beer, wine, or spirits contain equivalent amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is alcohol and a drink is a drink.

Myth
Drinking coffee will help a drunk person sober up.

Fact
Only time can sober up a person...not black coffee, cold showers, exercise, or any other common "cures." Alcohol leaves the body of virtually everyone at a constant rate of about .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour. Thus, a person with a BAC of .015 would be completely sober in an hour while a person with a BAC of ten times that (.15) would require 10 hours to become completely sober. This is true regardless of sex, age, weight, and similar factors.5

Myth
Drinking long enough will cause a person to become alcoholic.

Fact
There is simply no scientific basis for this misperception, which appears to have its origin in temperance and prohibitionist ideology. 6

Myth
Drinking alcohol causes weight gain.

Fact
This is a very commonly believed myth, even among medical professionals, because alcohol has caloric value. However, extensive research around the world has found alcohol consumption be does not cause weight gain in men and is often associated with a small weight loss in women. [see Alcohol Calories & Weight]

Myth
Alcohol stunts the growth of children and retards their development.

Fact
Scientific medical research does not support this old temperance scare tactic promoted by the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Anti-Saloon League, the Prohibition Party, and similar groups. 7

Myth
Binge drinking is an epidemic problem on college campuses.

Fact
Binge drinking is clinically and commonly viewed as a period of extended intoxication lasting at least several days during which time the binger drops out of usual life activities. Few university students engage in such bingeing behavior. However, a number sometimes consume at least four drinks in day (or at least five for men). Although many of these young people may never even become intoxicated, they are branded as binge drinkers by some researchers. This practice deceptively inflates the number of apparent binge drinkers. In reality, the proportion of college students who drink continues to decline, as does the percentage of those who drink heavily. 8 [see Binge Drinking]

Myth
Men and women of the same height and weight can drink the same.

Fact
Women are affected more rapidly because they tend to have a slightly higher proportion of fat to lean muscle tissue, thus concentrating alcohol a little more easily in their lower percentage of body water. They also have less of an enzyme (dehydrogenase) that metabolizes or breaks down alcohol, 9 and hormonal changes during their menstrual cycle might also affect alcohol absorption to some degree. 10

Myth
A single sip of alcohol by a pregnant woman can cause her child to have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).

Fact
Extensive medical research studying hundreds of thousands of women from around the world fails to find scientific evidence that light drinking, much less a sip of alcohol by an expectant mother, can cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Of course, the very safest choice would be to abstain during the period of gestation. [see Fetal Alcohol Syndrome]

Myth
People who abstain from alcohol are "alcohol-free."

Fact
Every person produces alcohol normally in the body 24 hours each and every day from birth until death. Therefore, we always have alcohol in our bodies. 11

Myth
Alcohol abuse is an increasing problem among young people.

Fact
Heavy alcohol use among people in the US 17 years of age or younger actually dropped by an amazing two-thirds (65.9 percent) between 1985 and 1997, according to federal government research. 12 The proportion of young people who consumed any alcohol within the previous month dropped from 50% to 19% in about the same period. 13 Other federally funded research also documents the continuing decline in both drinking and drinking abuse among young people. 14 Similarly, alcohol-related traffic injuries and fatalities among young people continue to drop. Deaths associated with young drinking drivers aged 16 to 24 decreased almost half (47%) in a recent 15-year period. 15 [see Underage Drinking]

Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries
1. Portugal 2.98
2. Luxembourg 2.95
3. France 2.87
4. Hungary 2.66
5. Spain 2.66
6. Czech Republic 2.64
7. Denmark 2.61
8. Germany 2.50
9. Austria 2.50
10. Switzerland 2.43

Myth
People in the US are generally heavy consumers of alcohol.

Fact
The US isn't even among the top ten alcohol consuming countries. Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries on per capita Basis Country / Consumption in Gallons of absolute or pure alcohol: At a consumption rate of only 1.74 per person, the US falls far down at 32nd on the list. 16

Myth
The US has very lenient underage drinking laws.

Fact
The US has the most strict youth drinking laws in the Western world, including the highest minimum drinking age in the entire world. 17 And this is buttressed by a public policy of Zero Tolerance.

Myth
Alcohol advertising increases drinking problems.

Fact
Hundreds of scientific research studies around the world have clearly demonstrated that alcohol advertising does not lead to increases in drinking abuse or drinking problems. Alcohol advertising continues because effective ads can increase a brand's share of the total market. 18 [see Alcohol Advertising]

Myth
Bottles of tequila contain a worm.

Fact
There is no worm in tequila. It's in mescal, a spirit beverage distilled from a different plant. And it's not actually a worm, but a butterfly caterpillar (Hipopta Agavis) called a gurano. 19

Myth
People who can "hold their liquor" are to be envied.

Fact
People who can drink heavily without becoming intoxicated have probably developed a tolerance for alcohol, which can indicate the onset of dependency. 20

Myth
Many lives would be saved if everyone abstained from alcohol.

Fact
Some lives would be saved from accidents now caused by intoxication and from health problems caused by alcohol abuse. However, many other lives would be lost from increases in coronary heart disease. For example, estimates from 13 studies suggest that as many as 135,884 additional deaths would occur each year in the US from coronary heart disease alone because of abstinence. 21 [see Alcohol & Health]

Myth
Drunkenness and alcoholism are the same thing.

Fact
Many non-alcoholics on occasion become intoxicated or drunk. However, if they are not addicted to alcohol, they are not alcoholic. Of course, intoxication is never completely safe or risk-free and should be avoided. It is better either to abstain or to drink in moderation. While consuming alcohol sensibly is associated with better health and longer life, the abuse of alcohol is associated with many undesirable health outcomes.

Myth
Alcohol is the cause of alcoholism.

Fact
As a governmental alcohol agency has explained, "Alcohol no more causes alcoholism than sugar causes diabetes." The agency points out that if alcohol caused alcoholism then all drinkers would be alcoholics. 22 In fact, a belief common among members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is that people are born alcoholic and are not caused to be alcoholic by alcohol or anything in their experience. They argue that many people are born and die alcoholic without ever having had a sip of alcohol. Of course, a person can't be a drinking or practicing alcoholic without alcohol.

Prohibition Problems
Unfortunately, prohibition leads to a number of alcohol and other problems such as death and disability from contaminated illegal alcohol, the growth of organized crime, an increase in heavy drinking when alcohol can be obtained, a serious loss of tax revenue, the discouragement of moderation in consumption, a widespread disrespect for the law, and many other social ills. 23
Even if it were somehow possible to prohibit the consumption of alcohol, people who have emotional or psychological problems and need a "crutch" would simply turn to the abuse of other, frequently illegal, substances. 24

Myth
If alcohol were less available there would be fewer alcoholics.

Fact
This is an idea that has been tested through prohibition in the US and a number of other countries. There is no association between the availability of alcohol and alcoholism.

Myth
College life leads to drinking by most students who enter as abstainers. 25

Fact
According to Federal statistics, most students arrive at college with prior drinking experience and te proportion of drinkers doesn't increase greatly during college. [see Underage Drinking]

Myth
Although not totally incorrect, but certainly not the whole truth, is the assertion that the younger children are when they have their first drink the more likely they are to experience drinking problems. 26

Fact
Generally speaking, people who on their own begin drinking either much earlier or much later than their peers begin are more likely to experience subsequent drinking problems. 27 This appears to result from the fact that either behavior tends to reflect a tendency to be deviant. Therefore, delaying the age of first drink would not influence the incidence of drinking problems because it would not change the underlying predisposition to be deviant and to experience drinking problems. 28 And, of course, children who are taught moderation by their parents are less likely to abuse alcohol or have drinking problems.

The experts’ take on tap water safety

The experts’ take on tap water safety
By Lori Bongiorno
Posted Tue May 18, 2010 9:57am PDT
Related topics: Health, Safety, Tips, Pollution, Water
More from The Conscious Consumer blog

Many water experts say that tap water in the U.S. is perfectly safe to drink. Bottled water, they point out, is not necessarily any safer, and sometimes it's just tap water with a much higher price tag.

Yet those statements can be hard to believe if the water that flows from your tap smells funny, tastes bad, or is discolored. It can also be difficult to ignore reports of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other unwanted substances in water.

What do the experts say when you dig a little deeper? "The fact that it might have an off taste or odor may not appeal to the consumer, but it doesn't mean the water is unsafe," says Philip C. Singer, Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Of course, there are exceptions to this.

Read on for explanations to common water quality concerns.

Tastes metallic

For example, if your water tastes metallic it could be contaminated with lead from corroded pipes so it's worth checking out, says Joan B. Rose, Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research, Michigan State University. (In fact, she recommends reporting any funny smell or taste to your local water utility just to make sure there isn't a problem with the pipes.) Iron, which is not harmful, can also be the cause of a metal-like taste.

Smells like rotten eggs

If you have hydrogen sulfide in your water, it can smell like rotten eggs. Rose says it is generally not harmful, but it can cause diarrhea for a short amount of time while you get used to it.

Other tastes and smells

Some other common, but harmless tastes and smells: Minerals might make your water taste a little salty. Algae can give water a musty taste or smell. Some people are put off by the smell or taste of the chlorine used to kill any pathogens in water.

Looks cloudy or rusty

Particles in water can make it cloudy (know as turbidity) and water can appear rusty when pipes in your local distribution system are being maintained or repaired, according to Kellogg J. Schwab, Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Water and Health. He recommends flushing the pipes by running your water until it's clear.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants are more complicated. They are showing up in very low levels in streams, rivers, and lakes, but we don't find them as often in treated tap water, according to Rose. "They haven't been regulated yet because where they are found they are found at very low levels and at levels where they are presumed not to be harmful to public health," says Singer.

That doesn't mean that the Environmental Protection Agency couldn't be looking harder for emerging contaminants, especially when you take into account the precautionary principle.

The bottom line

Schwab, Rose, and Singer all say they drink tap water in the U.S. without worrying about it. "We have very high quality tap water," says Schwab. "Does that mean it's risk free? No." Outbreaks do happen, but they are rare.

In order to keep them rare, experts say we need to aggressively invest in our aging infrastructure.

What you can do

Here are some steps you can take to make sure you're drinking the healthiest tap water possible:

* Find out what's in your water. Read your Consumer Confidence Report (each year it should arrive in your mailbox by July 1) to learn where your water is from and what's in it. Or find it online on the EPA's website. You can also call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline, 800-426-4791, with questions.

* If you have your own well, follow the EPA's guidelines on monitoring your water.

* Water filters can improve taste and smell and remove some contaminants. Do your homework to make sure you're buying a filter that will address your specific needs. Look for one that's been certified by the NSF International to address the issues you are concerned with. The Environmental Working Group has an extensive guide to choosing water filters. One thing to remember: You must change your filters regularly or there's no point in filtering your water.


Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

Six gas mileage myths

Six gas mileage myths
By Jim Motavalli
Posted Tue May 25, 2010 10:09am PDT
Related topics: Oil and Gas, Cars, Saving gas
More from Driving Directions blog

Do Americans care about fuel economy as oil spills into the Gulf of Mexico and gasoline hovers around $3 a gallon? You bet they do, though they also have a fair number of misconceptions about how to squeeze a few more miles out of every drop.

The Consumer Federation of America's (CFA) most recent survey says that if we had a 50-mile-per-gallon car fleet today, we'd save more oil than the entire proven reserves in the entire Gulf of Mexico. And people care about that.

According to Jack Gillis, author of The Car Book and a CFA spokesman, 87 percent of respondents said it is "important that the country reduce its consumption of oil," and 54 percent said it is "very important."

An amazing 65 percent of Americans surveyed support a mandated transition to a 50-mpg fuel economy standard by 2025. That's a tough standard, some 15 mpg better than the ambitious goal set by the Obama Administration (35 mpg by 2016).

"The expectations of American consumers are reasonable and achievable," Gillis said in a conference call." CFA says that Asian carmakers, compared to the U.S. competition, are offering twice as many vehicles with 30 mpg or better. "It's shocking that so few of today's cars get more than 30 mpg," he said.

Mark Cooper, CFA's research director, noted that in five years of the group's polling, the public's views have stayed remarkably consistent: Americans want less dependence on Middle Eastern oil and higher fuel-economy standards.

People care about fuel economy, but they're misinformed about how to actually achieve it. The federal government's fueleconomy.gov site (very useful to check cars' mpg) just published the "Top 10 Misconceptions About Fuel Economy."

Here are a few big myths:

*

It takes more fuel to start a vehicle than it does to let it idle.
People are really confused about this one and will leave a car idling for half an hour rather than turn it off and restart. Some kids I know started an anti-idling campaign in the suburbs and are shaming parents into shutting down their cars.

Idling uses a quarter- to a half-gallon of fuel in an hour (costing you one to two cents a minute). Unless you're stalled in traffic, turn off the car when stopped for more a few minutes.
*

Vehicles need to be warmed up before they're driven.
Pshaw. That is a long-outdated notion. Today's cars are fine being driven off seconds after they're started.
*

As a vehicle ages, its fuel economy decreases significantly.
Not true. As long as it's maintained, a 10- or 15-year-old car should have like-new mileage. The key thing is maintenance -- an out-of-tune car will definitely start to decline mileage-wise.
*

Replacing your air filter helps your car run efficiently.
Another outdated claim, going back to the pre-1976 carburetor days. Modern fuel-injection engines don't get economy benefits from a clean air filter.
*

After-market additives and devices can dramatically improve your fuel economy.
As readers of my story on The Blade recall, there's not much evidence that these "miracle products" do much more than drain your wallet. Both the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Reports have weighed in on this. There are no top-secret 100-mpg add-ons out there.
*

Using premium fuel improves fuel economy.
You might as well write a check to BP if you believe this. Only use premium if your car specifies it.

Here's the complete list of myths.

More from The Daily Green

* Four Easy Tips to Boost Gas Mileage and Save Money
* Great Gas Mileage Is a Game
* The Smart Car Reviews: Good Gas Mileage and Surprises
* Getting 133 mpg in a 1998 Pontiac
* How Efficient Can Internal Combustion Get?

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

Internet, Facebook, Farmville and the Church

I hope I'm wrong with this data.

Members
Internet = 1.73 billion
Facebook = 400 million
Farmville = 81 million
Church = 560 million

Active Members
Internet = 1.73 billion
Facebook = 400 million
Farmville = 81 million
Church = 50 million (still questionable, maybe lesser, I don't know where to find the remaining 510 million, maybe they are playing farmville)

People are concern with global warming? They are planting trees but not on a suitable ground but on farmville.

It's good to have friends. But it's better if you can go with them on the church every sunday.

I'm sorry i'm not a good blogger, my grammar is bad.

But I know how it feels to see young ones (and adult alike) waiting for their turn on the internet, (consuming the money they did not earn to pay for their bills in the internet shop) just to open their facebook account and play farmville.

How i wish they still remember how to pray.

Changing Climate

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As temperatures and sea levels rise, federal agencies are working to establish a national climate service to help communities, regions and nations respond to a changing planet.

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Facts and Solutions to Global Warming

The Sun is not currently the driving force behind the observed global warming dynamics as is shown elsewhere on this website, but the "Keeling Curve" below compiles the major driving reason behind currently observed initial phases of a global warming. If the antropogenic fossil C combustion continues at the current annual level it will cause the planet average temperature to raise and pass +2°C most probably within 20 - 30 years according to leading climatologists around the world. This is a temperature point above which it is estimated by ICPP and the world climatologists that it is a temperature point behind no return.

The same scientific group is convinced that the driving causal agent behind this global warming is the increasing antropogenic fossil burning of carbon(C) let out into the atmosphere.

Global C02 Reset Solution

The Fastest Growing Plant

According to Guinness World Records, bamboo is the fastest growing plant. Some species grow at a rate of 3 feet per day or 0.00002 miles per hour!

We need to distinguish between wild trees and those that have been domesticated for rapid wood production. Domesticated trees grown in plantations are genetically selected for rapid growth, and are grown in plantations with added nutrients.

Wild trees

Eastern cottonwood, Populus deltoides, is probably the fastest growing tree in North America. In Mississippi River bottoms, height growth of 10-15 ft per year for a few years are possible. Sustained height growth of 5 ft. height growth and 1 in. diameter growth per year for 25 years is common.

Coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, is the fastest growing gymnosperm tree in the world. Open-grown trees may grow 4-6 ft per year in height in the age range of 4-10 years, and 2 ft per year for at least 30 years.

Other fast growing species include willows, Salix spp., other bottomland species such as American sycamore, Platanus occidentalis, and several pines, Pinus spp.

Domesticated trees

Acacia falcata. A tree planted in Sabah, Malaysia, grew 35 ft. 3 in in 13 months, or an average of 1.1 inches in height per day. Fast growing tropical trees have the entire year in which to grow, and would be expected to outgrow temperate trees on an annual basis, even if their instantaneous growth rates are not as high.

Poplar hybrids, Populus spp., have been selected for extremely rapid volume growth. They make their most rapid growth in plantations where they receive adequate fertilization and sometimes irrigation.

Loblolly pine, Pinus taeda, in plantations can grow in excess of 3 ft. in height and 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter per year for the first 10 years. Trees may reach 70 ft. in height and 10 in. diameter within the first 25 years.

Climate Change and Global Warming Issues

What is Global Warming and Climate Change?

Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural events and human activities are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in “greenhouse” gases such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

Anup Shah, Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction, Global Issues, Updated: December 26, 2009