-Caveat Lector- WHAT'S NEW Robert L. Park Friday, 24 Sep 99 Washington, DC 1. CTBT: SENATE DEMOCRATS ABANDON THE BIG PUSH. Just two weeks ago, Byron Dorgan (D-ND) was threatening to chain himself to the tracks to block other Senate business unless the test ban was put on the agenda (WN 10 Sep 99). But a week ago, Jesse Helms (R-NC) hinted he would be willing to have a quick vote (WN 17 Sep 99). Did that mean Helms had the votes to kill it? Democrats weren't taking any chances. On Wednesday, Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D- SD) acknowledged that the big push in the Senate is over for now. "It isn't that we've forgotten about the test ban," Daschle told reporters, "it's just that we feel strongly about the importance of getting appropriations bills done on time as well." But it's not over for everyone. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, slammed treaty opponents: "They have failed to explain how our security can be damaged by asking others to end testing, as we have already done, and accept intrusive monitoring as well." 2. TRAIN WRECK: APPROPRIATIONS BILLS AREN'T GETTING DONE EITHER. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved an FY 2K funding bill that would provide everything the President requested for NSF and NASA. That's very good news of course, even though a substantial share of NASA's money is earmarked for dubious projects in the home states of appropriators (WN 27 Aug 99), but that's not the end of the story. The bill must survive attempts to amend it on the Senate floor and then be reconciled with the House version. There's the rub. House and Senate totals for the bill differ widely, presenting conferees with an impossible task at time when relations between the chambers are fractious. 3. PERPETUUM MOBILE: BETTING AGAINST THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS. Most free energy scams invoke outlandish new physics: cold fusion, hydrinos, zero-point energy, gravity shields, antimatter. But there are also throwbacks to the 19th Century that directly challenge the laws of thermodynamics. Physics Today carried a full-page ad for Entropy Systems, Inc. describing a heat engine that runs off ambient heat. It's hardly a new idea. Two years ago Better World Technologies was touting the "Fisher engine" that violated the Second Law (WN 18 Jul 97). But it wasn't new then either--it was the "zero motor," invented by John Gamgee in 1880. It didn't work then either, but Gamgee sold it to the U.S. Navy anyway. Better World Technologies quietly dropped the Fisher Engine, but if they couldn't get around the Second Law, how about the First? In a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal last Friday, BWT announced 45 FREE meetings across the country to demonstrate free energy using "Counter Rotation" technology. 4. POLITICS: SENSENBRENNER IS HONORED AS "CHAMPION OF SCIENCE." The award was made by the Science Coalition. Mr. Sensenbrenner sought to block construction of the spallation neutron source (WN 2 Apr 99) and opposed the science doubling bill (WN 5 Mar 99). THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY (Note: Opinions are the author's and are not necessarily shared by the APS, but they should be.) DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
