Tabletop Fusion

I missed this, but here it is now.... WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., July. 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Researchers at Purdue University have new evidence supporting earlier findings by other scientists who designed an inexpensive "tabletop" device that uses sound waves to produce nuclear fusion reactions. The technology, in theory, could lead to a new source of clean energy and a host of portable detectors and other applications. [...] Development of a low-cost thermonuclear fusion generator would offer the potential for a new, relatively safe and low-polluting energy source. Whereas conventional nuclear fission reactors make waste products that take thousands of years to decay, the waste products from fusion plants would be short-lived, decaying to non-dangerous levels in a decade or two. For the same unit mass of fuel, a fusion power plant would produce 10 times more energy than a fission reactor, and because deuterium is contained in seawater, a fusion reactor's fuel supply would be virtually infinite. A cubic kilometer of seawater would contain enough heavy hydrogen to provide a thousand years' worth of power for the United States. [...] As always, read the whole thing. I don't really expect to see something like this come to fruition in my lifetime, but I say 'Bring it on!' Tagged as Science, Technology, Nuclear Fusion, Energy, Clean Energy

Barney's Legacy

This is interesting, kind of... Tehran, Iran, Jul. 16 – Iran’s new police chief today called on the forces under his command to deal “decisively with criminals” and use live bullets if necessary. [...] My first thought when reading the beginning of this article was to wonder if they received one cartridge each, a la Barney Fife. Inquiring minds want to know. Me, too. Tagged as Iran, Police, Criminal Justice, The Andy Griffith Show

One Sick Puppy

According to the AP via Newsday: Authorities found nearly 800 pounds of marijuana in a wooded ravine and arrested an armed man accused of guarding the crop. [...] Two possibilities here... 1. Someone is really, really sick, and needs tons of medical marijauna for relief, or 2. Someone is really, really sick, as their cash crop has been discovered. Take your pick. Either way, there is one sick puppy in California right now. Tagged as California, Marijauna, Medical Marijauna, Current Events

Nadagate

I said when I posted this, that it would be my only comment on the Rove/Wilson thing, but this was too good to pass up. From the pages of the New York Times Op Ed (yes, THAT New York Times, believe it or not!), and the pen of John Tierney, come this: [...] For now, though, it looks as if this scandal is about a spy who was not endangered, a whistle-blower who did not blow the whistle and was not smeared, and a White House official who has not been fired for a felony that he did not commit. And so far the only victim is a reporter who did not write a story about it. [...] He then proceeds to coin the phrase Not-a-gate, and transform it into Nadagate. Let's see if it sticks. Tagged as Politics, New York Times, NY Times, Mainstream Media, MSM, Karl Rove, Joe Wilson, Plame, Current Events, Scandal, Nadagate

Deep Impact Aftermath

For those following this item: Summary - (Jul 15, 2005) After getting smashed by Deep Impact two weeks ago, Comet Tempel 1 has finally settled back down and appears normal again. Right after the impact, material streamed off the comet, traveling 700 to 1000 km/h (430 mph to 600 mph). This created a large, diffuse halo around the comet which faded away over the next few days. The same jets astronomers could see before the impact are still streaming away, so it appears Tempel 1 suffered very little damage. Tagged as Space, Science, Technology, Exploration, Comet, Solar, Solar System, Tempel 1, Deep Impact

Sounds Good To Me

Hmmm... Maybe money can't buy everything, but a new study finds the wealthy manage to fund reduced misery in their last year on this planet. [...] OK, so the old adage that money can't buy happiness may be true. Is it? I can't answer that, having never had an excess of it. However, it seems to me that money CAN ease many of the pains associated with poverty, or illness, or being disabled. Now, if anyone would like to make a sizable donation so that I may test this out, I am available. Tagged as Medicine, Old Age, Elderly, Aging, Disability

Rooster Sex Aids

Apparently I have an unusual interest in sex today, or maybe it's an ill-disguised campaign to attract more hits. Who knows... or more importantly, who cares? Anyway, this article exploring the whys and wherefores on chicken sex left me wondering about condoms for roosters, IUDs, and other devices. [...] Researchers outfitted one group of hens with a plastic device that prevented the fertilization of eggs. The other group had unprotected sex. Scientists watched their behavior on subsequent days. [...] Chicken voyeurism, anyone? Tagged as Science, Sex, Birth Control, Chicken, Voyeurism

Dems New Plan

With ever increasing scrutiny on the historic voter bastions of the Democrat party (dead voters, illegal aliens, multiple vote-casters, etc.), they have finally devised a means of increasing their rolls. The theory being... if you can't convince them to join, develop new voters. Hence, now ALL primates will be elegible to vote, with suitable modifications. The Dems are working on that program as we speak! [...] Overall, Greely and his colleagues found no ethical reason for prohibiting research involving human stem cells in nonhuman primate brains. This type of work may even be required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to show that a potential therapy involving human stem cells is effective. [...] Update: (1:08 PM CDT) More on the human stem cell/primate brain study here. Further corraboration of my above theory here. Substitute rats for mice, and there you go! More thought: Could it be that the previous post was evidence of a low-tech approach to the same study? Tagged as Politics, Sarcasm, Humor, Democrat, Medical, Research, Ethics

Darwinian Sex

[...] Seattle man died from injuries sustained while having sex with a horse [...] The genesis of the legend of half-man, half-horse... the Centaur! Thanks to Free Republic for the pointer, and the interesting, spirited and thought-provoking discussion in the comments! UPDATE: (9:32 PM CDT) Realizing that this is not a normal topic of conversation, I keep running across references to it. Now, from the KOMO-TV website comes another write-up, containing this: The private gatherings became public when a 45-year-old Seattle man died after having sex with an Arabian stallion. An Arabian stallion? Would this be related to some kind of terrorist threat? Inquiring minds want to know! A stallion??? LOL, no comment on that. Tagged as Bestiality, Sex, Darwin, Stupid

Rove vs. Wilson

This will be my one and only comment on this ongoing brouhaha... I wonder when and if President Bush will finally deliver the political equivalent of a bitch slap to Wilson, Schumer, et al? I'm tired of waiting... Tagged as President George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Joe Wilson, CIA, Leak, Politics

Bombs Away!

And here I thought it was just my car that was affected. Go figure. Tagged as Humor, Science, Nature, Environment, Pollution, Biology, Birds, Canada, Arctic