Robin van Spaandonk wrote:
> >Actually, seriously, the Min. of Sci. & Education (or whatever they > >call it in English) said something to the effect of: "we cannot > >support this research because if it succeeds it would disrupt the > >energy sector of the national economy." > > That's precisely why it should be done. :( Yeah. You don't know whether to laugh or cry. People used to challenge me when I related stories like that, saying: "Nobody would be that stupid. Why would Toyota abandon cold fusion development after achieving boiling cells that produce hundreds of megajoules?" I have not heard such complaints lately, because recent events have been even more stupid, surrealistic and mind-boggling than the rejection of cold fusion. Look at the 9/11 attacks, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, the bankruptcy of GM . . . It is clear that people are capable of astounding self-destructive stupidity. I knew that all along. Any student of history knows that. Read about World War I. Arthur Clarke used to say he was 51% optimistic about the future. Still, despite all the dysfunctional behavior, bad decisions, and stupidity, people do accomplish great things. We did discover cold fusion after all, and it may yet survive and triumph. As long as I am able I will fight for that, and you never know when I might win. It will only take one researcher to make a critical breakthrough, or one enlightened leader to fund the research properly. - Jed
