By Alex Beam,

Alligators swimming in the streets of Florida. . . . Tragic lightning strikes on golf courses. . . . Tornados touching down in Kansas, New Hampshire, and all points in between. From the first shark sightings in May until the big boomer hurricanes roll in before Labor Day, the American summer - once a time of rest and relaxation - has become one long, terrifying Red Alert.
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Of course, we already knew Priuses were dangerous. The National Federation for the Blind has been complaining that Priuses - a.k.a. the "Silent Killers" - make too little noise when running on their electric engines, with potentially unfortunate consequences for men and women who can't see.

Then CNN reported that a fully sighted young Minnesota boy rode his bike into one of those super-quiet Priuses, emerging from the crash with bruises and scrapes. This doesn't happen with other cars!


Astonishingly, the House of Representatives is considering legislation that would require a minimum noise level for hybrid vehicles. Just in time, two Stanford engineering students have designed an artificial noise system for use on the Prius. ...