I think you're missing the point. The only way we could made the advances we did would be through experimentation. Saying we spent a lot of money and got nowhere is ignoring the progress that has been made, especially with respect to the fusion research done at Sandia, the subject of the article.
The ambition was there, but not the technology. In the case of solar, it was not financially feasible yet, but is now becoming so due to technological advances. In the case of fusion, we're not even to the point yet of thinking about financial feasibility - we still have to work out how best to get the job done (my money's on inertial confinement), and then work on how best to repeatedly produce the reaction in a financially feasible way.
Besides being limited by the amount of funding available, fusion research has been hindered by various complex interactions that were not originally known about. With greater understanding comes greater control. The ends will ultimately justify the means.
"Well, the whole point of having devices like this, is that, if you can directly detect somebody trying to smuggle in a nuke or even a backpack bomb..."
That is actually not the point of devices like this. The point of this device is to keep the federal funds flowing to Sandia researchers. This is because the researchers are interested in fusion research to provide cheap power to the world, but the government has always only cared about nukes and national security. So researchers are occasionally forced to invent things like this to justify their continued funding. The research being done at Sandia follows the global fusion research, and so the researchers have to continually develop new justifications to the government.
In reality this technology is used to analyze neutron emissions from fusion capsules imploded with their z-pinch machine.
The researchers in this case are interested only in the science, but in order to get the government funding, they need to think up ways that their research could be used by the government. A hot-button issue for the government is national security, so applications related to that are the best to mention. In reality this neutron camera is for fusion research that could ultimately provide cheap power to the world.
To clarify, this neutron camera is nice for nukes, but what they're actually using the technology for is to examine neutron emissions from fusion capsules compressed with their z-pinch machine.
Look, WD, I don't care what color you spray paint your hard drives. After my failed HD was replaced by another that started clicking almost immediately, I ain't never going back.
If this turns out to be true, which it seems to be, then William Tobin is a hero for revealing all of this. If I were in his position, working for so many years under the assumption that the FBI had actually done some tests to back up their original theory, I too would be pissed off that my spurious work had put so many people behind bars for decades (the article mentions someone behind bars for 22 years based solely on this evidence, who has maintained absolute innocence from day one).
It seemed like a better idea to me to write to the proposer's constituents. Miller is clearly not representing their interests, and they would likely ride his ass for this, threatening a future reelection attempt. Not to mention that these people likely get much less email than the representative, and are thus much more likely to actually read your statement, rather than filter it to the trash.
In general writing to the people who are supposed to be represented by a given congressional fuckwit seems like a good idea. They created the problem when they voted for him, and if they are made sufficiently aware of the problem, they may in the future fix it (or at least delay its return).
Subject: George Miller hides language in College Opportunity and Affordability Act that removes federal funding from colleges unable to stop file-sharing
Here are the emails for the county officials and city council for the largest cities in George Miller's district. Make sure to send Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) so they might actually read it.
Subject: George Miller hides language in H.R.4137 that would remove federal funding from colleges unable to stop file-sharing
This is unbelievably unconscionable and corrupt on the part of your elected representative. The MPAA is applauding Rep. George Miller for introducing an anti-piracy bill that threatens the nation's colleges with the loss of $100 Billion a year in federal financial aid, should they fail to have a technology plan to stop illegal file sharing.
The proposal, which is embedded in a 747-page bill, has alarmed university officials. "Such an extraordinarily inappropriate and punitive outcome would result in all students on that campus losing their federal financial aid -- including Pell grants and student loans that are essential to their ability to attend college, advance their education, and acquire the skills necessary to compete in the 21st-century economy," said university officials in a letter to Congress. "Lower-income students, those most in need of federal financial aid, would be harmed most under the entertainment industry's proposal."
"they both sounded reasonable and articulate"... "Obama impresses everyone with his erudition and is quite photogenic."
That is exactly my point. The measure of a candidate has become his ability to speak clearly and look pretty, rather than have sound plans backed up by expert analysis.
"And if prospective first ladies were the measure of a candidate, Kucinich would be crushing everyone in the polls."
I didn't say the first lady was the primary measure, just that people know more about her hobbies than about the candidate's potential policies, which are of a far distant concern to the voters.
I don't think you realize how much television and the media have completely changed the system. People now vote based on how articulately a candidate can speak, their appearance, their charm, etc. People are glued to the television, more interested in how the prospective first ladies keep their figure than what the hell a given candidate's message is (which said candidate long ago gave up trying to provide).
"We can't elect anyone worth much to the general population, we can't get them impeached when they break the laws, violate the constitution, torture, engage in warmaking, arrest without probable cause, hold people incommunicado without hearings for extended periods of time, make a huge industry out of imprisoning the population for personal choices about what intoxicants they prefer..."
I think part of the problem is that we have given so much power to the federal level. Had we continued to rely on and maintain our interest in local and state powers, this result might not have happened. Maybe people inherently need a king to rule them. In this day and age, the king need only speak articulately and look good on camera to pass muster. Now that they have the power, they are unlikely to give it back to the people.
Slashdot Mirror
I think you're missing the point. The only way we could made the advances we did would be through experimentation. Saying we spent a lot of money and got nowhere is ignoring the progress that has been made, especially with respect to the fusion research done at Sandia, the subject of the article.
The ambition was there, but not the technology. In the case of solar, it was not financially feasible yet, but is now becoming so due to technological advances. In the case of fusion, we're not even to the point yet of thinking about financial feasibility - we still have to work out how best to get the job done (my money's on inertial confinement), and then work on how best to repeatedly produce the reaction in a financially feasible way.
"We see how that worked out."
Besides being limited by the amount of funding available, fusion research has been hindered by various complex interactions that were not originally known about. With greater understanding comes greater control. The ends will ultimately justify the means.
"Well, the whole point of having devices like this, is that, if you can directly detect somebody trying to smuggle in a nuke or even a backpack bomb..."
That is actually not the point of devices like this. The point of this device is to keep the federal funds flowing to Sandia researchers. This is because the researchers are interested in fusion research to provide cheap power to the world, but the government has always only cared about nukes and national security. So researchers are occasionally forced to invent things like this to justify their continued funding. The research being done at Sandia follows the global fusion research, and so the researchers have to continually develop new justifications to the government.
In reality this technology is used to analyze neutron emissions from fusion capsules imploded with their z-pinch machine.
The researchers in this case are interested only in the science, but in order to get the government funding, they need to think up ways that their research could be used by the government. A hot-button issue for the government is national security, so applications related to that are the best to mention. In reality this neutron camera is for fusion research that could ultimately provide cheap power to the world.
To clarify, this neutron camera is nice for nukes, but what they're actually using the technology for is to examine neutron emissions from fusion capsules compressed with their z-pinch machine.
Everyone knows the only reason China's putting so much effort into examining the moon is in the hopes of finding "Made in Taiwan" written in its dust.
What the hell were your parents thinking naming you Rock Hardon Beaver?!
Especially when their last name is Goldstein...
So, 1 cubic meter will take care of 11 kg. How much to take care of our 330 teragram annual emission? A couple dozen cubic kilometers?
Look, WD, I don't care what color you spray paint your hard drives. After my failed HD was replaced by another that started clicking almost immediately, I ain't never going back.
Reality is now considered flamebait?
Now if only the government could be relied upon to provide the necessary financial incentives to fuel this changeover...
How much does it use on Linux... err... does it run... damn!
Sorry, I'm new at this....
If this turns out to be true, which it seems to be, then William Tobin is a hero for revealing all of this. If I were in his position, working for so many years under the assumption that the FBI had actually done some tests to back up their original theory, I too would be pissed off that my spurious work had put so many people behind bars for decades (the article mentions someone behind bars for 22 years based solely on this evidence, who has maintained absolute innocence from day one).
What alternatives are there besides Hushmail?
What drives the advances of the last couple decades?
Two desires:
1. To restore Stephen Hawking's physical body to its former fully-functional form.
2. To turn Stephen Hawking into a mobile, indestructible cyborg of incomprehensible power.
It seemed like a better idea to me to write to the proposer's constituents. Miller is clearly not representing their interests, and they would likely ride his ass for this, threatening a future reelection attempt. Not to mention that these people likely get much less email than the representative, and are thus much more likely to actually read your statement, rather than filter it to the trash.
In general writing to the people who are supposed to be represented by a given congressional fuckwit seems like a good idea. They created the problem when they voted for him, and if they are made sufficiently aware of the problem, they may in the future fix it (or at least delay its return).
Subject: George Miller hides language in College Opportunity and Affordability Act that removes federal funding from colleges unable to stop file-sharing
Here are the emails for the county officials and city council for the largest cities in George Miller's district. Make sure to send Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) so they might actually read it.
Subject: George Miller hides language in H.R.4137 that would remove federal funding from colleges unable to stop file-sharing
BCC: LDare@cao.cccounty.us, pburk@contracostatv.org, cwamp@contracostatv.org, bkondylis@solanocounty.com, ceward@solanocounty.com, jfsilva@solanocounty.com, mpalmaffy@solanocounty.com, JPSpering@solanocounty.com, sgoerkeshrode@solanocounty.com, cmcook@solanocounty.com, jmvasquez@solanocounty.com, pknelson@solanocounty.com, mjreagan@solanocounty.com, FCZaragoza@SolanoCounty.com, cao-clerk@solanocounty.com, bwagenknecht@co.napa.ca.us, mluce@co.napa.ca.us, ddillon@co.napa.ca.us, bdodd@co.napa.ca.us, hmoskowite@co.napa.ca.us, Diane_Holmes@ci.richmond.ca.us, natbates@comcast.net, tom.butt@intres.com, Lopez.Ludmyrna@comcast.net, johnemarquez@aol.com, elirapty@aol.com, harpreet.sandhu@comcast.net, tony_thurmond@ci.richmond.ca.us, Maria_Viramontes@ci.richmond.ca.us, aevenson@ci.pittsburg.ca.us, mayor@ci.vallejo.ca.us, jdavis@ci.vallejo.ca.us, tpearsall0285@aol.com, sgomes@ci.vallejo.ca.us, tbartee@ci.vallejo.ca.us, hsunga@ci.vallejo.ca.us, garycloutier@sbcglobal.net, citycouncil@ci.concord.ca.us
Dear Sir or Madam,
News source: http://www.news.com/2102-1028_3-6217943.html?tag=st.util.print
Bill source: http://edlabor.house.gov/bills/HEAReauthorizationText.pdf
This is unbelievably unconscionable and corrupt on the part of your elected representative. The MPAA is applauding Rep. George Miller for introducing an anti-piracy bill that threatens the nation's colleges with the loss of $100 Billion a year in federal financial aid, should they fail to have a technology plan to stop illegal file sharing.
The proposal, which is embedded in a 747-page bill, has alarmed university officials. "Such an extraordinarily inappropriate and punitive outcome would result in all students on that campus losing their federal financial aid -- including Pell grants and student loans that are essential to their ability to attend college, advance their education, and acquire the skills necessary to compete in the 21st-century economy," said university officials in a letter to Congress. "Lower-income students, those most in need of federal financial aid, would be harmed most under the entertainment industry's proposal."
Nice misrepresentation of everything I said.
... "Obama impresses everyone with his erudition and is quite photogenic."
"they both sounded reasonable and articulate"
That is exactly my point. The measure of a candidate has become his ability to speak clearly and look pretty, rather than have sound plans backed up by expert analysis.
"And if prospective first ladies were the measure of a candidate, Kucinich would be crushing everyone in the polls."
I didn't say the first lady was the primary measure, just that people know more about her hobbies than about the candidate's potential policies, which are of a far distant concern to the voters.
I don't think you realize how much television and the media have completely changed the system. People now vote based on how articulately a candidate can speak, their appearance, their charm, etc. People are glued to the television, more interested in how the prospective first ladies keep their figure than what the hell a given candidate's message is (which said candidate long ago gave up trying to provide).
"We can't elect anyone worth much to the general population, we can't get them impeached when they break the laws, violate the constitution, torture, engage in warmaking, arrest without probable cause, hold people incommunicado without hearings for extended periods of time, make a huge industry out of imprisoning the population for personal choices about what intoxicants they prefer..."
I think part of the problem is that we have given so much power to the federal level. Had we continued to rely on and maintain our interest in local and state powers, this result might not have happened. Maybe people inherently need a king to rule them. In this day and age, the king need only speak articulately and look good on camera to pass muster. Now that they have the power, they are unlikely to give it back to the people.
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Wikileaks actual article on the leak
Related article on the leak: "US violates chemical weapons convention"
Related article on the leak: "US violates chemical weapons convention"