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Helium Crisis Approaching

Posted by kdawson on from the no-more-squeaky-voices dept.

vrmlguy writes "Within nine years the National Helium Reserve will be depleted, according to an article in Science Daily. It quotes Dr. Lee Sobotka, of Washington University in St. Louis: 'Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable. Its properties are unique and unlike hydrocarbon fuels (natural gas or oil), there are no biosynthetic ways to make an alternative to helium. All should make better efforts to recycle it.' (The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a local article with quotes from Dr. Sobotka and representatives of the balloon industry.) On Earth, Helium is found mixed with natural gas, but few producers capture it. Extracting it from the atmosphere is not cost-effective. The US created a stockpile, the National Helium Reserve, in 1925 for use by military dirigibles, but stopped stockpiling it in 1995 as a cost-saving measure."

5 of 501 comments (clear)

  1. Eddie knows where the ultimate helium supply is. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Well, step aside my friend
    I've been doing it for years
    I say, sit on down, open your eyes
    And open up your ears

    Say
    Put a tree in your butt
    Put a bumblebee in your butt
    Put a clock in your butt
    Put a big rock in your butt
    Put some fleas in your butt
    Start to sneeze in your butt
    Put a tin can in your butt
    Put a little tiny man in your butt
    Put a light in your butt
    Make it bright in your butt
    Put a TV in your butt
    Put me in your butt
    Everybody say

    I, hey, that's, man, I ain't putting no trees in nobody's butt,
    no bees in nobody's butt, putting nothing--
    You must be out your mind, man,
    y'all get paid for doing this?
    Cause y'all gotta get some kind of money
    Cause this don't sound like the kind of--
    I'd rather golf, to be perfectly honest,
    than put somethin in somebody's butt
    to be truthful

    Well step aside my friend and let me
    show you how you do it
    When big bad E just rock rock to it

    Put a metal case in your butt
    Put her face in your butt
    Put a frown in your butt
    Put a clown in your butt
    Sit on down in your butt
    Put a boat in your butt
    Put a moat in your butt
    Put a mink coat in your butt
    Put everything in your butt
    Just start to sing about your butt
    Feels real good

  2. QuantumG is a fag! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    you know it's true

  3. Re: We need more gas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Build a refinery.
    ...in your butt?
  4. You Called ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Seriously look at my ID i've had this for years.

  5. The prize is surprising! by martinpisto · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    "Sometimes customers are a little surprised by the price, but it doesn't prevent them from wanting a fun arrangement," he said. "It's sort of like price increases with things like gasoline or bread, or milk. People don't stop buying them." http://www.spymac.com/details/?2331213