Re: Harvesting the Sun... on the cheap
Very interesting Jones. 8-) As far as the 2nd Law is concerned it's always struck me that to show it's wrong is a no-brainer. All one needs is a chess board and a concept of scale. In the classic case of the steam engine where disorder on the micro-scale is increased, people totally forget that order on the macro-scale is increased. They ignore the fact that the engine has taken Sir Joseph Porter, together with his Sisters, his Cousins, his Aunts down to H.M.S.Pinafore at Portsmouth. In short they have a thoroughly blinkered view of order. The concentrate on the fact that the glass is half empty and fail to see that it is also half full. Cheers, Grimer At 02:43 pm 08-02-05 -0800, Jones wrote wrote: Hindsight is 20/20 as they say. I hope the lab execs at Sandia do not have to find that out the hard way... if it turns out that they dropped funding on a particularly promising project... or if some ploy was involved to keep Sam out of the IP picture. The Sunflower solar-mirror story mentined in FSB (in another post today) brings an enabling technology to mind (not mentioned in that story) which even dispenses with the need for solar cells, per se. It involves both conversion of heat to electricity and the violation of Plank's Law of blackbody radiation. That's right, the violation of Plank's Law of blackbody radiation. Yet, does anyone on vortex remember the photolattice? Why it raised so little curiosity at the time is a huge mystery. Did it slip though the lattice G If Plank got a Nobel for discovering an over-reaching law, shouldn't the iconoclasts get at least some tiny bit of recognition? Looking back over files and scientific announcements relevant to LENR, solar energy and/or greatly increased efficiency in energy-conversion over the last few years - this one keeps recurring in importance: For one thing - because it could fit into so many other schemes - particularly thermal solar conversion or LENR heat conversion. Solar thermal is the easiest of all forms of free energy to harvest (with mirrors) and a factor of 10-50 times less costly than using solar cells - but all you normally get for the low cost is day-time heat - not electricity, and not particularly high-grade heat at that. What the photolattice does is to convert low grade heat into coherent IR light, and very efficiently. Coherency is the key to efficiency. When trying to rate a wide range of enabling technologies in terms of unrealized potential, the newsbyte that seems now to have had the greatest easily-realizable potential, to a wide swath of alternative energy research could be this technology of the photolattice but has the technology now gone stagnant? I wish someone at Sandia or Stanford could answer that one. Here is the reference: A Novel Photolattice with Extraordinary Properties By Neil Savage http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/wonews/oct03/1003phot.html A device from Sandia emits infrared radiation at a fixed wavelength and with a conversion efficiency that appears to defy Plancks law Notice how the editors downplay the part about Plancks law - don't want to offend anyone, right? Eventually, the high-priests of the physics establisment will also find a way to save-face on this Law, of course, just as with the soon-to-be-demolished 2nd Law. N. Savage is not so diplomatic in the story: 15 October 2003A microscopic device built by researchers at Sandia National Laboratory (Albuquerque, N.M.) could lead to better photovoltaic cells, more efficient light bulbs, and the rewriting of basic physics texts. Researchers Shawn Lin and James Fleming built a photonic lattice that emits infrared radiation only at a specific wavelength. The lattice is a type of photonic band gap crystal, in which a regular structure at the scale of microns or nanometers allows light to exist only at specific wavelengths With the same photolithographic methods used to manufacture computer chips, the scientists inscribed the structure they wanted in silicon. They then filled the gaps with tungsten, the same material that makes light bulb filaments, and etched away the silicon, leaving a three-dimensional waffle of tungsten rods, piled in a crisscrossing log cabin style. The size and spacing of the rods, half a micron thick and spaced 1.5 µ m apart, force the photons passing between them to fit into particular wavelengths. [OK they used the expensive technique of photolithography to discover and document the process, but that does not mean that bulk process cannot be adapted to manufacture it] When Lin and Fleming heated the device in a vacuum to 1250 °C, the typical operating temperature of a thermal photovoltaic (PV) cell, they saw a sharp emission peak at 1.5 µ m. They calculated that the peak would translate into an optical-to-electrical conversion efficiency in a PV cell of approximately 34 percent and an electrical power output of about 14 W/cm2. Thats far greater than the 11 percent
Suppressed science web site
See: http://www.suppressedscience.net/ http://www.suppressedscience.net/physics.html
noovoodoo economics
Somewhere amidst the cognitive dissonance of world events, the recent announcement by OPEC that they intended to force oil to stabilize at $50, and NOT a whimper of protest from the USA was kind of missed by many pundits, in all the ferment of world events. Not that many months ago, we had protested vigorously at $20 and similar OPEC vows. Why are we seeming to acquiesce now, and with record deficits forecast? Answer: noovoodoo Hmmm. And does it have anything to do with recent allegations that the US, with the tacit support of Kuwait, has opened up secret oil fields in Southern Iraq through Kuwait ? and are now pumping two to three times more oil than is claimed on the books - and helping to finance the war to a degree that way? After all, with the deficits racked up in the past four years, the dollar should be worth pennies next to the Euro, and one can only suspect that it is being propped up by some hidden force. The voodoo part is pretty obvious. Gasoline is still about $2 in California and the wholesale price dropped significantly AFTER the OPEC announcement. Traditionally the wholesale price is 35% of the selling price with most of the rest going to Fed/State/County/City taxes bribes and assorted payoffs, along with chump-change for the dealer. At $50 per 42 gallon barrel for crude, gasoline at the pump should cost at least as $3.50-3.75 now but it is still at $2; and yes, it does cost over $5 in Europe now, and probably will here as well... as soon as the political climate permits it. Bush doesn't want a civil war at home in places like California, who generally hate his administration with an visceral intensity that other parts of the country do not even begin to understand. This is a state that can elect Reagan and Swartznegger, and really any decent person - especially if they have charisma, humor, character and intelligence... but cannot tolerate high-level greed... at least not without the other three in excess. California is closer to actaul seccession than most Easterners realize http://tinyurl.com/67dzy ...and civil disobedience will happen here with with absolute certainty with $5 gasoline, at least until DC gets the troops back home to maintain order. He can then let the price rise in 2008 to as far above $5 at the pump as possible, and at the same time try to make it look like it is the Dem/wits fault. And it probably will be... for not trying harder to get him out of office. But I have to admire his moxie with this noovoodoo plan. It is brilliantly concieved. One can only suspect that the brains behind it truly have the initials DC but are not located anywhere near Capitol Hill. We are claiming to the world officially that Iraqi production is about 2 million BBD or about $35 billion per year at the new higher price... yet at OPEC they openly laught at that assertion. OTOH compare that reality with the fact we have already spent, according to real estimates about $500 billion on the war (only half of it out-of-pocket and that is the difference between estimates). Is there a payback to recoup most of this, through the noovoodoo scheme of DC? Yup. It looks that way. Way to go, Dick. If the contested fields are really pumping - you remember the fileds in South Iraq bordering Kuwait, which Saddam coveted for decades, and was a big part of his motivation for the Kuwait invasion - because they hold more oil than all of Kuwait; and as some OPEC ministers have confided to reportes - that Halliburton is now pumping secretly through the new pipeline an estimated 2-2.5 BBD... yes, the sand-storm is clearing and now, and it is becomming clear WHY we did not officiall protest the OPEC cartel's new higher oil price. This off-the-book oil goes to Europe anyway. The logic is that they have not paid for our invasion, and cannot do so politically, though we are all in the same boat together - ERGO, they should be made to pay the new artificial price through market manipulation... ...sounds logical to me, and yes, there are many any claim that even the older voodoo model worked in the long run. Three of fours years of this and Europe has effectively paid its fair share. It does not hurt that the Hubbert curve, ect makes it look like oil has nearly peaked, but even if it has, the $50 price was too much, too soon for normal market moves even in a partially free-market that is dominated by US interests, even if those interests are wearing abayas and shailas in front of the Arab press... Most of them were educated here anyway, know economics better than most CPas, and have mansions and bank accounts in the US and Europe... just in case... Remember these haunting words from a man who even managed to beat the hangman: Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
Re: noovoodoo economics
--- Rick Monteverde [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Jones - There was an article a year or so ago in Pop-Sci-Mech whatever showing how we could in fact defeat California rather quickly if we had to, complete with great graphics of missle launches, satellites, etc. I'm not afraid of Californians. Bring 'em on. Good point. But it's a little like shooting yourself in the foot, isn't it? more like in the 'nads, according to Hollywood... Tell ya' what We'll give you the guberantor in exchange for letting us dispense with the ABC axis of evil. Everybody will be happy (except the Enronites and Halliburton, etc.), and the balance of power will stay about the same, but we will have a real hero in Washington with less petro-government to weight down progress. Maybe the ABC boys can use Goering's ploy to defeat the hangman, as there should be lots of under-used cyanide around San Quentin ... or maybe Ken Lay will come to the resue of his old pals ;-) Jones
[OFF TOPIC] Time to start Filtering again
I noticed that: Frederick Sparber signed his last Reply as: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Signing off the list. Frederick - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Vortex is the greatest news list on the internet for stimulating conversations. Personally .. I enjoy most all of the subjects discussed. However ... There are some Great Minds out there who do not like the Off Topic conversions. For awhile you all put [OFF TOPIC] in the subject line .. When you were Off Topic This allows those who want to .. To Filter out this type of conversion. Could you all start doing this again .. Maybe this would get Mr. Sparber back. Also .. Remember PlainTEXT only. -DonW-
Re: [OFF TOPIC] Time to start Filtering again
At 1:13 PM 2/9/5, Don Wiegel wrote: I noticed that: Frederick Sparber signed his last Reply as: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Signing off the list. Frederick - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Vortex is the greatest news list on the internet for stimulating conversations. Personally .. I enjoy most all of the subjects discussed. However ... There are some Great Minds out there who do not like the Off Topic conversions. For awhile you all put [OFF TOPIC] in the subject line .. When you were Off Topic This allows those who want to .. To Filter out this type of conversion. Could you all start doing this again .. Maybe this would get Mr. Sparber back. Also .. Remember PlainTEXT only. -DonW- Fred will be back when he has something to say. He signs off and on the list frequently. He just signs off when he doesn't have time to or doesn't want to converse. I certainly do agree with use of the [OFF TOPIC] or [OT] designations when the discussion drifts completely away from a science topic. I should also note I personally have enjoyed reading some of the OT discussions. Regards, Horace Heffner
charging for energy consumption.
While modern physics represents all forms of energy as equivalent through the conservation laws, is every form of energy consumption morally equal? .e.g. Some types of energy consumption keep people from freezing. Is this use of energy morally equivalent to the energy used to operate a shopping mall? I view some forms of energy consumption as a public good and these should be provided free of charge. Of course the taxpayer will ultimately pay but consider how the modern highway system was built. Harry
Cluster Chemistry
http://www.science.psu.edu/alert/Castleman1-2005.htm Clusters of Aluminum Atoms Found to Have Properties of Other Elements Reveal a New Form of Chemistry 13 January 2005—A research team has discovered clusters of aluminum atoms that have chemical properties similar to single atoms of metallic and nonmetallic elements when they react with iodine. The discovery opens the door to using 'superatom chemistry' based on a new periodic table of cluster elements to create unique compounds with distinctive properties never seen before. The results of the research, headed jointly by Shiv N. Khanna, professor of physics at Virginia Commonwealth University and A. Welford Castleman Jr., the Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry and Physics and the Eberly Family Distinguished Chair in Science at Penn State University, will be reported in the 14 January 2005 issue of the journal Science. Depending on the number of aluminum atoms in the cluster, we have demonstrated 'superatoms' exhibiting the properties of either halogens or alkaline earth metals, says Castleman. This result suggests the intriguing potential of this chemistry in nanoscale synthesis. The discovery could have practical applications in the fields of medicine, food production and photography. The researchers examined the chemical properties, electronic structure, and geometry of aluminum clusters both theoretically and experimentally in chemical compounds with iodine atoms. They found that a cluster of 13 aluminum atoms behaves like a single iodine atom, while a cluster of 14 aluminum atoms behaves like an alkaline earth atom. The discovery of these new iodine compounds, which include aluminum clusters, is critical because it reveals a new form of 'superatom' chemistry, said Khanna. In the future, we may apply this chemistry, building on our previous knowledge, to create new materials for energy applications and even medical devices. To make their discovery, the research team replaced iodine atoms with the aluminum clusters in naturally occurring chains or networks of iodine atoms and molecules known as polyiodides. When the researchers substituted the iodine atom with the aluminum cluster, Al13, they observed that the entire chemistry of the compound changed--causing the other iodine molecules to break apart and bind individually to the cluster. The researchers then were able to bind 12 iodine atoms to a single Al13 cluster, forming a completely new class of polyiodides. Our production of such a species is a stirring development that may lead to new compounds with a completely new class of chemistry and applications, says Castleman. Along with the discovery that Al14 clusters appear to behave similarly to alkaline earth atoms when combined with iodine, these new results give further evidence that we are really on our way to the development of a periodic table of the 'cluster elements'. The researchers conducted experimental reactivity studies that indicate that certain aluminum-cluster superatoms are highly stable by nature. The team's related theoretical investigations reveal that the enhanced stability of these superatoms is associated with a balance in their atomic and electronic states. While the clusters resemble atoms of other elements in their interactions, their chemistry is unique, creating stable compounds with bonds that are not identical to those of single atoms. Using stable clusters provides a possible route to an adaptive chemistry that introduces the aluminum-cluster species into nanoscale materials, tailoring them to create desirable properties. The flexibility of an Al13 cluster to act as an iodine atom shows that superatoms can have synthetic utility, providing an unexplored 'third dimension' to the traditional periodic table of elements, said Khanna. Applications using Al13 clusters instead of iodine in polymers may lead to the development of improved conducting materials. Assembling Al13I units may provide aluminum materials that will not oxidize, and may help overcome a major problem in fuels that burn aluminum particles. The theoretical investigations for this project were conducted by Khanna with N.O. Jones, a graduate student in the physics department at Virginia Commonwealth University, and the experimental work was conducted by Castleman with Denis Bergeron and Patrick J. Roach, graduate students in the chemistry department at Penn State. This research was supported by the U. S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the U. S. Department of Energy. end __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
[OT] Noovoodoo economics and portmanteau words
--- RC Macaulay wrote: http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/HUD403A.html I almost wish you hadn't sent that reference, Richard, as it really makes me realize how far we have strayed in the never-ending battle of greed vs. fair government (not to mention wanting to puke at those who think the present administration has moral principles because they are backed by the religious right). To think that this great country is willingly turning away from a long tradition of well, crony-capitalism to what amounts to a petro-criminal oligarchy, sustained by religious fundamentalism... is almost sickening. In effect we now are approaching the equivalent of an Americanized Taliban entrenched in place of a true democracy. From the reference: Much of America's net foreign debt, along with that of countries such as Argentina, is owed to these flight-capital centers. This has become the meaning of globalization in its financial dimension. There is humor in this, I suppose. But it is of the you have to laugh or else you cry-type of humor. You own two cows. under ~ ~ Fascism - you keep both cows, state regulates milk production, dictates who you sell to, and the price. ~ Communism - confiscates one cow, regulates milk production, confiscates most of your milk and profit and gives it to unproductive people. ~ Socialism - lets you keep both cows, confiscates most of your profit and gives it to unproductive people, but let's you vote for the leader who promises to change things and never does. ~ Democratic Bureaucracy - lets you keep both cows, confiscates most of your profit and gives it to unproductive people. It also buys a large portion of your milk and then pours it down the drain. Then it raises taxes to fund elaborate, expensive studies to find out why government is so inefficient. ~ Libertarian Capitalist Republic - Lets you keep both cows, the milk, and your profit. It regulates nothing. You sell one cow and buy a bull. This form of government only exists in the imagination, however. ~ New American Crony Capitalist Petrocracy - Lets you keep both cows, and about 60% of the profit. It regulates nothing directly, but borrows using you cow, bull, and new calves for collateral. You try to sell the milk but find the only buyer is an offshore bank, and they want to take out a second mortgage on everything to make sure that you buy your tractor fuel at the new inflated price ... etc etc Sad BTW for more of a smile, and for the benefit of any who did not finish the Sunday Puzzle, there is the subject of my favorite le mot juste which is the portmanteau word or morphword...which is a literary trend that did not begin with either the Beatles nor email, but goes back to Lewis Carrol, James Joyce and especially the French, who have so few words to begin with (OTOH they all sound very nice on the ear). Noovoodoo is the not necessarily French nor even the newest in the long lineage (Petrocracy is a few hours newer) some others: bionic ..biology + electronic blog .web + log brunch .breakfast + lunch camcorder camera + recorder email electronic + mail factoid ..fact + oid fantabulous ..fantastic + fabulous infomercial ...information + commercial motel.motor + hotel smog.smoke + fog ... and of course, pundit... wordplay specialist + idiot hey, as your local pundit, I represent that remark Jones
Re: solving really big problems
Revtec, interesting questions, more to ponder than to reply. It depends on whether one believes in God ..or .. whether one believes God. Richard Blank Bkgrd.gif
Re: SOLVING REALLY BIG PROBLEMS
- Original Message - From: Jones Beene [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: vortex-l@eskimo.com Cc: Bob Flower [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Andy Becan [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 7:57 PM Subject: Re: SOLVING REALLY BIG PROBLEMS --- revtec wrote: Perhaps the reduction in CO2 emissions will be more than offset by the waste heat output of billions of CF engines, and that global warming will accelerate by direct heating alone! Could it be that with perfecting CF we are about to open pandora's box? I brought this up before without getting a single comment. Did I have silent agreement with this concern from most of the group, or am I considered totally nuts Not sure what you are referring to specifically, but back in April when I brought up the subject of thermal pollution in a long post to vortex, I believe it was you (or someone using the name revtec) who commented, I personally believe that we are overrating our ability to thermally affect this planet, and that the earth is thermally self regulating to a much greater degree than we give it credit for. Do I take it that you are now coming around to getting a proper understanding of the issue of thermal pollution, and now chiding others for following your previous advice? Jones No. I still believe the Earth has a propensity for self regulation. But if human activity manages to push the planet beyond the control limits a concerned God can make further adjustments. Jeff
Re: Cluster Chemistry
At 03:01 pm 09-02-05 -0900, you wrote: At 1:25 PM 2/9/5, Terry Blanton wrote: http://www.science.psu.edu/alert/Castleman1-2005.htm Clusters of Aluminum Atoms Found to Have Properties of Other Elements Reveal a New Form of Chemistry 13 January 2005ÄîA research team has discovered clusters of aluminum atoms that have chemical properties similar to single atoms of metallic and nonmetallic elements [snip] Given that aluminum nanopowders are used in solid rocket fuels and explosives, could it be possible that aluminum nanopowders absorbed into the body can act like a wide variety of toxins, while not being readily detectable as such? Might there be a relation to Desert Storm Syndrome? One also has to wonder about the possibility of nano-cluster formation in the body when aluminum compound containing food, like some baking powders, acidic food in aluminum cans, food in containers with aluminum foil tops, food in plastic containers that are aluminized on the inside, or pickles containing alum, is consumed. Regards, Horace Heffner Whilst on the subject of clusters it occurs to me that since there seems to be a whole new discipline of inorganic cluster chemistry out there waiting to be discovered, there may also be a whole new discipline of hydroic chemistry also waiting to be discovered. On his excellent website Professor Chaplin describes some of these clusters; and the power laws for water and water vapour strongly suggest the these clusters comprise a self similar hierarchy as outlined in Buchanan's very readable book, UBIQUITY. Though I hate to admit it, maybe my harp playing Spanish daughter-in-law is not quite so daft as I imagine by believing in Homeopathy. It appears I might have hoisted myself on my own petard. 8-( Cheers, Frank Grimer
Re: SOLVING REALLY BIG PROBLEMS
At 08:21 PM 2/9/2005 -0500, you wrote: Jeff writes: What is our collective goal regarding the commercialization of CF? Is it to reduce the level of CO2 emissions to reverse global warming? I think Bockris put it most succinctly: It is the basis of a way to continue our Civilization. I've got more comments on the way regarding this in #9 and #10 of the forthcoming issues of New Energy Times. Perhaps the reduction in CO2 emissions will be more than offset by the waste heat output of billions of CF engines, and that global warming will accelerate by direct heating alone! Nope. Can't happen. Two reasons: 1. As I show in the book, cold fusion is so efficient, it would greatly reduce primary energy use for a long time, even if energy consumption increases. See chapters 14 and 15. 2. Heat from engines leaves the atmosphere in about a half hour. You would have to increase heat from motors by a huge factor before it would have a serious impact. To add to what Jed said, It was my understanding that global warming was primarily because of solar radiation hitting the earth, reflecting back towards space, but intercepted by the greenhouse gasses which absorb the wavelengths of reflected radiation and converts it into thermal energy, thereby creating a transparent blanket. Not so much from the heat that is generated initially from terrestrial sources. Yes? No? Steve
