Among less expensive solutions, Nissan engineered the 2013 Leaf with a new range-extending drive mode the company says can increase the distance it can travel on a single charge by up to 15%, to 84 miles, by allowing the customer to choose to use up 100% of the energy stored in the battery.

WSJ: To Spark Buyers for Electric Cars, Drop the Price to Nearly $0

The SPEs will be lower as the distance from the Sun will increase, while the GCRs will be about the same, but the length of time will be longer than any mission in history.

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Because the output of a wind turbine also tends to increase proportionally with its distance from barriers such as trees or buildings, the most productive -- and cost-effective -- turbines sit atop tall towers erected on an acre or more of open land.

CNN: Stimulus may get small wind turbines spinning

Another petition calls for a change in planning regulations to enable an increase in the current "neighbour notification" distance of 20 metres.

BBC: Wind farm campaigners present petition to Alex Salmond

The complexities associated with the management of organizations whose activities take place in multiple and different countries, separated by geographic distance and time, increase the difficulties of observing and making sense of non-financial consequences of finance-related decisions, as well as of the impact of financial decisions on strategic moves.

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Stevens says Verizon and many carriers in Asia have embraced Skype, however, because they realize the service can increase customer loyalty and the amount consumers spend on mobile data plans even if it dents their long distance calling business.

FORBES: Skype Seeking Mobile Partnerships In Quest For One Billion Users

With the tremendous increase of students participating in MOOCs and sundry online courses, distance learners are forced to become even more self-directed, engaged, and collaborative than ever before.

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