Florida Derby

Florida Derby, a race for owners who can afford the hotel rates in Louisville during Derby week, have three serious problems to overcome. The other six in the field shouldn't be completely ignored. They have the required four legs and a tail, but so did Babe, the wonder pig. So let's get serious. The second choice is Quality Road and his problem is the road's he's taken. He's the fastest horse in the field but, big but, he's never been asked to go around two turns.

Dunkirk, the morning line favorite, cost $3.7 million at auction. He didn't run as a 2-year-old, finally coming to the races two months ago. He overcame troubled trips in his only two races but went on to win by plenty. His problem: The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a 2-year-old was the magnificent-looking Apollo. I'm guessing magnificent, since he won his roses in 1882.

Dunkirk must win Saturday - no kidding around, must - if he wants to reach the starting gate at Churchill Downs. He's run only in allowance races. And if too many horses enter the Derby, and they always do, the first 20 are selected on the basis of money won in stakes races, like today's $750,000 Grade I Derby. There isn't enough time to make another start.

Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour 2009 is a global initiative of the WWF, where individuals, businesses and governments turn off their lights for one hour to show support for action on climate change. Amongst others, Bosch's facilities in Farmington Hills and Plymouth, Mich. will be dark for 60 minutes. The Bosch Group global headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, participated in WWF's Earth Hour 2008. In 2008, the company joined the Chicago Climate Exchange and committed to reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions at its US operations by six percent by 2010, compared to a baseline from the year 2000.

Globally, Bosch is committed to environmental stewardship through its site practices and product development. The Bosch Group has established a target of decreasing CO2 emissions among its worldwide manufacturing operations by at least 25 percent against 2007 levels by 2020. In addition to participating in Earth Hour 2009, Bosch has partnered with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (www.wbcsd.org), a coalition of companies dedicated to pursuing sustainable growth.

"In addition to implementing eco-conscious measures within our sites, Bosch continues to develop energy-efficient technologies, even in the difficult times we currently face," said Peter Marks, chairman, president and CEO, Robert Bosch LLC. "For the past two years, more than 40 percent of our R&D was directed at products that help protect the environment and conserve natural resources."

Earth Day

Earth Day celebrations in April, you'll be able to bypass the guilt as you learn about conservation and alternative energy while munching food served in containers made of vegetable-based material. Even the plastic-looking knives and forks will be made from potato starch, cornstarch and other compostable materials says Taylor, a partner in Green Tahoe Inc. of Truckee, brokers of biodegradable products.

Started eight years ago by the nonprofit Tahoe Earth Day Foundation, the events are designed to provide information about global climate change, recycling, water conservation, sustainability, energy production, composting, trash reduction and carbon footprints. The programs will tell you how you can help protect and improve the environment, says Suzanne Wilkins, chairwoman of the Squaw Valley event. But to make it fun and to celebrate the earth in a positive way, she says, musical and other entertainment will be offered as well.

Contests and activities for children and dozens of booths focused on the environment will be part of the festivities. Organizations sponsoring displays will include government agencies, public utility companies, water districts, environmental nonprofits, and commercial vendors offering recycling and conservation products and services. Exhibits and entertainment venues will fill the central courtyard at the Village at Squaw Valley, a chalet-style condominium and shopping complex.