Even second-generation biofuels, made from crop wastes or wood, are an environmental disaster, either extending the cultivated area or removing the straw and stovers which protect the soil from erosion and keep carbon and nutrients in the ground.

This time, my host asked me if I was part of LinkedIn, a buzzy Web site intended to link people with similar business interests.

My intention was to marry a wealthy widow.

a nifty trick for reducing your household energy bill