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User: wherley

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  1. LFTRs most intriguing nuclear option on Climatologist James Hansen Defends Nuclear Energy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_fluoride_thorium_reactor

    What makes them interesting is being able to "burn" up existing nuclear wastes. So use LFTRs to clean up existing long term nuclear waste and get power as a byproduct.

  2. Cut & Paste on Buried In the Healthcare.gov Source: "No Expectation of Privacy" · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is boilerplate language from many Federal sites and would seem to be a template cut/paste thing. Examples:

    https://logonsm.faa.gov/dotrso/certoptional/myfaa/

    https://ampedc1.cms.gov/amserver/UI/Login

    http://hsesacpt21.smdi.com/jsso/SSOLogin

    https://fedstar.phmsa.dot.gov/FedSTAR/Default.aspx

    etc.

  3. Recently aired "Mystery:Foyle's War" related on 1935 Meccano "Dam Busters" Computer Restored · · Score: 1

    Readers interested in this item may find the recent episode of Mystery "Foyle's War: Casulties of War" adds to their understanding:
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/mystery/foyleswar/series4. html#casualties

    Great period series and this episode has specific ties to the topic at hand.

  4. and i was just reading on Electric Companies Get Involved With Broadband · · Score: 5, Informative

    in the latest QST http://www.arrl.org/qst/ about the FCC ignoring amateur radio ongoing complaints about BPL system interference.
    new BPL complaint here: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/05/05/100/
    system operator response here:
    http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/files/COMTek .pdf

  5. A few more details, re: homebrewing etc. on Breakthrough in Biodiesel Production · · Score: 4, Informative

    The acid catalyst they are talking about replacing is liquid Sulphuric Acid. Most homebrewers of biodiesel, like those using an "open source" Appleseed type reactor, are not using both an acid and base catalyst, only the base being Potassium Hydroxide or Sodium Hydroxide (along with Methanol or Ethanol).
    With higher Free Fatty Acid feedstock, such as really used grease, the acid cataylst helps convert those FFAs. You can read a little more on the chemistry of
    the news item here:
    http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/11/inexpensiv e_eff.html
    Nature abstract:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd= Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=1628102 6&query_hl=3
    Another abstract:
    http://www.researchsea.com/html/article.php/aid/34 0/cid/2/research/green_chemistry__efficient_cataly st_for_making__biodiesel_.html>

    Seems this process is five times more reactive than other solid catalysts, but still 50% that of the liquid acid - however sepearation afterward would be much
    easier.

  6. See and hear BPL interference on Web Access Over Power Lines · · Score: 2, Informative

    the AARL has a collection of video and sound files demonstrating BPL interference.
    Vid:
    http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/aud-vid.html
    Sound: http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/aud-vid.html #Audio

  7. UNIX Magic *poster* on Where Can I Find Linux Porters? · · Score: 1

    impossible to find. even a scan of it. coolest tech posters ever and can't get them.

  8. Clickable image map of lunar landing sites on Google Moon Debuts · · Score: 4, Informative
  9. Unscrewed segment covered topic on Secure Hard Drive Deletion Appliance? · · Score: 4, Informative

    See http://www.g4tv.com/unscrewed/features/45707/Dark_ Tip_Destroy_All_Data.html
    have a few pieces of s/w and h/w mentioned there. use the floppy method on a standalone machine to plug your disk into and wipe it. try Darik's Boot and Nuke method: http://dban.sourceforge.net/

  10. Re:Hydrogen is a Boondoggle - Biodiesel on The Physics of the Hydrogen Economy · · Score: 1

    i think you have it almost exactly backwards!

    http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/faqs/

    - biodiesel reduces particulate exhaust relative to petrodiesel.
    - biodiesel reduces global warming emissions (CO2, not particulate which you claim) by 78% relative to petrodiesel.
    - biodiesel *is* a green solution
    - someone has done the math for biodiesel using an algae feedstok: http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html

  11. Re:why not a diesel economy? on The Physics of the Hydrogen Economy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    regarding this comment about biodiesel: ...
    "I don't see how it could ever approach being even 1% of the fuel we use nationwide." ...

    don't forget the algae potential. per this UNH study http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html about10 million acres would be required for our usage, which is ~1/40th of our current crop farming space.

  12. note - not required to tell you FICO number on U.S. Govt. Stipulates Free Annual Credit Reports · · Score: 2, Interesting

    note that the free credit file disclosure is not required to (and probably will not) contain your computed FICO (Fair Isaac & Co.) number relating to your credit rating. this is the number proprietarily computed and available (at a cost to you) from
    Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax. the number ranges from around 500 to 850 and could be different from the three sources.
    http://www.myfico.com/myFICO/FAQ/FICOScores.asp?fi re=5

  13. Re:Forgot: on Could Nuclear Power Wean the U.S. From Oil? · · Score: 5, Interesting

    regarding your 500% territoy && lots of research point:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel

    specifically: (note the Algae number)

    Different plants produce usable oil at different rates. Some studies have shown the following annual production:

    * Soybean: 40 to 50 US gal/acre (40 to 50 m/km)
    * Mustard: 140 US gal/acre (130 m/km)
    * Rapeseed: 110 to 145 US gal/acre (100 to 140 m/km)
    * Palm oil: 650 US gal/acre (610 m/km) [2] (http://www.journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_yield.h tml)
    * Algae: 10,000 to 20,000 US gal/acre (10,000 to 20,000 m/km)

    this guy computes you could cover US oil needs with 10,000 square miles of alage producing biodiesel:
    http://www.green-trust.org/biodiesel.htm

  14. Re:Biodiesel on Could Nuclear Power Wean the U.S. From Oil? · · Score: 5, Interesting

    i think you are wrong about biodiesel - it is a net energy gain:
    http://www.mda.state.mn.us/ethanol/balance.html
    notice there:
    gasoline 19% *loss*
    diesel 15% *loss*
    biodiesel 220% ***gain***

    got any better evidence?

  15. Biodiesel on Could Nuclear Power Wean the U.S. From Oil? · · Score: 4, Informative

    * can make in USA (no foreign dependence).
    * runs in existing diesel engines.
    * less toxic than regular diesel, in fact biodegradable.
    * creates more demand for US soybean crop.
    * no new infrastructure needed, just more diesel engines.
    * emissions better in almost also cases than existing diesel emissions.
    * can mix in any percentage with existing diesel fuel.

    yes i know it would take *a lot* of soy crop to meet the US oil consumption - but check out some of the research on using algae for biodiesel production at a much higher land density.

    overall there are a *lot* of pros vs. cons regarding this alternative fuel IMHO.

    for more information:
    http://www.grassolean.com/
    http://www.biodieselnow.com/
    http://forums.tdiclub.com/postlist.php?Cat=&Board= UBB44

  16. Interesting, but not great. *Here* is great. on Time Lapse of Lunar Eclipse · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This shot really makes you appreciate the lunar surface and appearance during eclipse.

    And this timelapse video shows what can be done in that arena.

  17. Re:eGold (sic) - "e-gold" is the correct name on Yahoo Shuts Down Their PayPal Competitor · · Score: 3, Informative

    I think you meant e-gold. The name without the hyphen goes to some other site that (currently) redirects to the real e-gold site with a referral code attached to the URL.

  18. Re:e-gold && The Fusion Codicil on Yahoo Shuts Down Their PayPal Competitor · · Score: 2, Informative

    actually it seems the e-gold creators have already thought of this possiblity and provided for it in their User Agreement:
    ...
    4.8. The Fusion Codicil

    Issuer reserves the right to stop issuing additional e-gold by ceasing to accept bailment of additional bullion. This extraordinary provision will be triggered only in the event that lower cost or more efficient physical methods of extraction or transmuting the metals that comprise the reserves of the e-gold system result in subsequent non-scarcity of those elements.
    ...

  19. Re:Power consumption on AMD 90nm Evaluated · · Score: 4, Informative

    say the P4 uses pretty grossly 100 watts more than the AMD - and you leave that on for 10 hours overnight each day for a year. say you pay about 7 cents a kilowatt-hour. then you end up paying .10 kilowatts * 10 hrs/day * 365 days/yr * 7 cents/kilowatt = ~ 25 bucks a year extra to run the P4.
    say there are 100,000 P4 users doing this - there goes 2.5 million USD worth of electricity up in heat! :)

  20. Mead moon and Nanci Griffith on "Blue Moon" Appears in Sky Saturday Night · · Score: 2, Informative

    Related:

    The first moon in July is known as the "Mead Moon".

    A real nice song about the rarity of a Blue Moon is by Nanci Griffith.

  21. real men - vi && named yank buffers on Dealing with the Unix Copy and Paste Paradigm? · · Score: 1

    nt

  22. Re:Availability on Brew Your Own Auto Fuel For 41 Cents A Gallon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If *anything* changed step-function-wise to 50% it would be a problem.
    Most of the biodiesel in use today in the US is not from used vegetable oil - it's from new soybean (and other seed) oil. Put the American farmer back into the energy loop growing soybeans and take foreign oil sources out - how is that a "bad solution"?

  23. Biodiesel baby on Hybrid Cars Don't Live Up to Mileage Claims · · Score: 5, Informative

    An interesting alternative fuel is biodiesel:

    - We can make it in the US

    - Runs in existing diesel engines

    - Almost all emissions reduced vs. dinodiesel

    (for NOx there are some interesting additives
    being produced).

    - Much less toxic/dangerous than dinodiesel/gasoline

    - Exhaust smells like french fries!

  24. periodical for cold fusion... on U.S. Dept. of Energy Takes A New Look At Cold Fusion · · Score: 4, Informative

    Infinite Energy has been asking for continued investigation of cold fusion for a long time. See Their press release on this story.
    There are many more CF and LENR resources at their web site.

  25. Berkeley CA already *does* ban it on City Officials Almost Ban Foam Cups · · Score: 1

    Since 1988, Berkeley has an ordinance banning Styrofoam aka polystyrene foam.
    As recently as June 2000 they restated that The City will continue to enforce its Styrofoam ban ordinance.
    Go Berkeley!