I just returned from the big island (some nice real estate over there) and time to report: The prestigious Japan Prize for science has been given to a Stanford professor whose far-reaching research of Hawaiian ecosystems has resulted in breakthrough knowledge of the ways agriculture and other human actions affect the environment.
Writing for the online site for the Honolulu Advertiser, Michael Tsai posted his piece on February 6, 2010, under the headline, Hawaii-ecosystem researcher Peter Vitousek wins Japan Prize.
Tsai reports that in announcing the award — which is awarded along with a 50 million yen (about $550,000) cash prize — the Science and Technology Foundation of Japan honored former Honolulu resident and Hawaii native, Peter Vitousek’s.
The scientist, who is 61 years old, will take a trip to Japan in April to accept the award in the presence of Emperor Akihito. It was reported that Vitousek was surprised and honored by the award.
Vitousek was quoted as saying. As an aside if you are interested in big island real estate then I can suggest this site. They spealize almost entirely in high quality big island real estate. Tsai writes that Vitousek’s colleagues were not surprised. Stanford biology department chair Robert Simoni was quoted in a message issued by the university.
Vitousek comes from a distinguished family. Not only is he the son of retired Family Court Judge Betty Vitousek and attorney Roy Vitousek Jr., but he is the grandson of former speaker of the Territorial House Roy Vitousek. Although the celebrated scientist grew up in Honolulu, he spent part of each year with his family in his father’s native home of Kona on the big island of Hawaii. After attending Punahou for two year, he graduated from Big Island’s Hawai’i Preparatory Academy.
California state representatives have been getting increased calls concerning pedestrians who have been involved in more and more hybrid car vs. pedestrian accidents. A bill was sent to Governor Arnold Swarzenegger for review that would that would require the California Energy Commission to set up a committee to study this issue. Los Angeles Pedestrian accident attorneys have been wondering when the State would see what the injury lawyers had been seeing all along.Hybrid cars are gaining in popularity and there will be many more added to the streets as years go by. One attractive feature of the hybrid cars is the fact that they are so quite. They are so quiet though that people simply do not hear them approaching and if you are deaf or blind, that makes matters worse. Even a hearing and seeing pedestrian can enter a crosswalk or roadway with out seeing an on coming silent vehicle.
Lobbyists for the California Council for the blind are trying to get legislators to do a study on this problem. Other groups are trying to push them to mandate technology to be included on these vehicles that would put an artificial sound on them.
Engineers at Toyota are working on trying to come up with a solution to meet the needs of persons who cannot see. In fact, loud speakers were put under the hood of a hybrid Toyota Prius near the radiator. It has a high pitch frequency effect to identify the distance and speed as it approaches objects. This is being done on a trial basis by Toyota and is not perfected yet. Another group of researchers from Stanford is doing work on developing an after market audio add on that would cause the hybrid vehicle to make a noise when in operation.
A new technology from Europe done by Lotus, has also been developed and can simulate the noise of a real engine. This would be beneficial to those who are deaf or blind and to cyclists also who do not see vehicles as they approach from behind. An executive from Lotus Group is hoping that a minimum noise requirement is legislated for vehicles to insure pedestrian safety. Opponents to this legislation state that it is the drivers responsibility to give the right away to pedestrians and to be fully aware of what is going on around them at all times.
All these studies, researches and inventions are being done in response to the growing concerns that quiet hybrid car accidents have been causing an increased number of accidents resulting in serious injuries. Just as in the need for seat belt laws, there appears to be a need for a minimum vehicle noise law for the protection of all.