Puzzlement over why so many global governments seem reluctant to enact stiff economic sanctions against Iran in light of its apparent pursuit of an atom bomb and overall bellicosity may be partially explained at least by taking a look at Iran?s industrious automotive industry: It has business dealings with at least 35 countries spanning four continents.

Although automotive industry program groups aren?t exactly all atwitter over posting tweets for all the world to see, several are booting up plans for logging on to the marketing opportunities presented by participating in social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn and the like.

Battered and bruised by a sputtering automotive industry and the nation?s highest unemployment rate, Michigan is banking on advanced electric vehicle battery production to jumpstart its short-circuited economy.

If your parts and service customer base includes recreational boaters, they could be setting a course toward an expensive repair bill if an ethanol blend exceeding 10 percent is pumped into an outboard motor?s fuel system.

Separating the chaff from the wheat, Royal Dutch Shell, Volkswagen and Canada?s Iogen Energy Corp. are partnering to reap a commercially viable cellulosic ethanol motor fuel created from post-harvest stalks that up until now have had little use except as Halloween decorations.

Teitur Torkelson is the founder and managing partner of FTO Sustainable Solutions.

Iceland's geology is making it a perfect country to welcome the electric vehicle movement.

Although politicians and the general public may be looking askance at auto industry bailouts, the concept is striking a responsive chord within popular culture as several poignantly humorous songs have hit the airwaves and concert halls across the country.

Shai Agassi is the founder and CEO of Better Place.