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It’s funny how things sometimes turn out. Petroleum was the replacement for burning coal way back when because petroleum could be made to burn cleaner or hotter or brighter or something. Whatever the reason, it was better. Well now as we’re all starting to experience problems related to diminishing world oil supplies it looks like coal may be rising from the grave to trump oil. A process for converting coal into liquid diesel fuel was developed way back in the 1920’s in Germany and is now starting to surface as a potential source of fuel into the future. Maybe Volkswagen hasn’t been so crazy to stick with diesel engines for so long after all!

French car maker Venturi has released the first production electric sports car. It’s called ‘Fetish’ and has 300 horsepower. More on Autotopia.

The upcoming November launch of Microsoft’s new Xbox 360 game console is including a faked limited launch so prospective buyers all over will arrive to the stores to find the console sold out. Stores have been notified in advance that they are getting very few units and they will sell out. They are preparing ‘SOLD OUT’ signs in advance to display. This is a move to generate a media buzz for the unit and make it appear to be more popular than it really is. Deceiving consumers this way is pretty sad, in my opinion. Maybe we should all just not buy any of their Xboxes so they learn their lesson. Who’s with me?

If a bill that’s been proposed becomes law, it would become legal for law enforcement officials to forcibly extract DNA samples from anyone arrested for anything, like they do with fingerprints already. Currently, DNA samples can be taken from anyone convicted of a crime but not until after the conviction. DNA contains a lot more information about a person than their fingerprints and I know I wouldn’t personally want that information in the hands of the government. Privacy and civil liberties groups are fighting the bill. (via arstechnica.com)