I had forgotten about this. Lewis advocates a bit for space solar. For a time there, I agreed. Then I found out about LFTRs, and that was all she wrote for space solar.
Sorensen believes that the moon will require a nuclear reactor because of the long lunar night. Lewis proposes that solar power can crack water and then recombine the hydrogen and oxygen for energy when the sun isn't shining. Lewis' idea sounds plausible for a lunar base, and leaves open the possibility for something more ambitious.
However, it may not be the optimal solution on the moon, or elsewhere for that matter. I can't answer that question any better than before.
One thing though. Let's say that you were to manufacture the solar cells on the moon, then transport them to GEO. The cost to get them there from the moon, as opposed to from Earth, would be much less. It would then become a matter of converting the energy to a useful form on the ground at a reasonable price. If such a industry could be created by building these factories and launch sites on the moon, it could give an economic reason to develop the moon.
Lewis shows a way that a base could be created. But a base is not profitable nor self-sustaining. The solar power idea is a way to make it profitable. Intriguing idea.
Update:
Why do solar at all? Solar requires very big arrays that will have to be maintained somehow. Not to mention getting them into space in the first place.
I'm shifting back to Sorensen's point of view. Forget solar.
One more thought. If you want to make the lunar colony self-supporting, then send energy via LFTRs instead. You'd have to get around all the anti-nukes, though. You could say that by using a CANDU reactor to start several LFTR's, you could generate enough power on the lunar surface that could be exported in order for the colony to pay its own way.
How do you get nuke reactors on the moon? See this for the answer.
Al Fin: "Cowboy Commentary", aka "Eat your veggies" The Flag banner is posted in order to defy those who would make patriotic symbols illegal or disreputable.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Re-thinking the blog
This post was originally conceived as an optimistic view of current developments, as opposed to the increasingly pessimistic view.
Well, that's just too good to be true. So much for that.
Today I am re-reading Mining The Sky, which was an early inspiration for this blog.
Perhaps the re-thinking is going back for new inspiration. Things are getting a bit run down here in terms of spirit and morale.
The Wikipedia entry on the book sums it up nicely
We don't have a shortage of resources. We don't have a shortage of technical skills. At least not yet. What we do have is a shortage of will to address the issues effectively. It's not a technological nor even an economic problem, it is a human problem.
"We have met the enemy and they is us."
Well, that's just too good to be true. So much for that.
Today I am re-reading Mining The Sky, which was an early inspiration for this blog.
Perhaps the re-thinking is going back for new inspiration. Things are getting a bit run down here in terms of spirit and morale.
The Wikipedia entry on the book sums it up nicely
He argues that shortage of resources is "...an illusion born of ignorance."
We don't have a shortage of resources. We don't have a shortage of technical skills. At least not yet. What we do have is a shortage of will to address the issues effectively. It's not a technological nor even an economic problem, it is a human problem.
"We have met the enemy and they is us."
Friday, July 26, 2013
Life is tough.....it's tougher when you're stupid
He doesn't look like much. But when he started talking, he started to make a lot of sense.
I envy this dude. He has his own land and he can take care of himself. I wish I could do that.
I spent an awful lot of time trying to live in a society that is falling apart. To be a guy like this is quite an advantage when the shit hits the fan. Unfortunately for me, I am not anywhere near being ready when the shit really does hit the fan, and it will.
See, we are are depending on each other to help pull the weight. But there are too many people who don't want to do their part and are acting irresponsibly. That can't come to a good ending.
I envy this dude. He has his own land and he can take care of himself. I wish I could do that.
I spent an awful lot of time trying to live in a society that is falling apart. To be a guy like this is quite an advantage when the shit hits the fan. Unfortunately for me, I am not anywhere near being ready when the shit really does hit the fan, and it will.
See, we are are depending on each other to help pull the weight. But there are too many people who don't want to do their part and are acting irresponsibly. That can't come to a good ending.
Train derailment in Spain
As a transportation worker myself, it would be very, very easy to be tough on the guy in charge of this train. Last thing anyone should do around a curve is to go too fast.
Another thing: it is rather easy to bemoan the general incompetence in the West. But you really don't expect to see that in Europe. They're supposed to be smarter than this.
Yeah, anybody can make a mistake. Some mistakes are hard to understand, though.
Another thing: it is rather easy to bemoan the general incompetence in the West. But you really don't expect to see that in Europe. They're supposed to be smarter than this.
Yeah, anybody can make a mistake. Some mistakes are hard to understand, though.
Chris Christie slams libertarians over national security
Free Republic
I guess we are all too stupid to understand the debate. Nuclear physics and rocket science is esoteric. The Bill of Rights is not.
What about the raging debate regarding the balancing of privacy and national security? Some of that debate is “esoteric,” according to Christie.comment:
I guess we are all too stupid to understand the debate. Nuclear physics and rocket science is esoteric. The Bill of Rights is not.
This Congressional Map shows how yesterday’s NSA vote cut across partisan divides
This Congressional Map shows how yesterday’s NSA vote cut across partisan divides
comment:
The NSA should not be spying upon Americans. But intelligence has to be undertaken. What to do?
You could deposit the records for safekeeping and then have a warrant for specific records based upon probable cause. This means the government has to work harder. Tough toenails.
Otherwise, it is clearly illegal, and can be abused. Are people blind?
comment:
The NSA should not be spying upon Americans. But intelligence has to be undertaken. What to do?
You could deposit the records for safekeeping and then have a warrant for specific records based upon probable cause. This means the government has to work harder. Tough toenails.
Otherwise, it is clearly illegal, and can be abused. Are people blind?
Why America is NOT the greatest country in the world, anymore.
I didn't want to put this up. This is not to be construed as America-bashing. Something's wrong. As the man said, that fact has to be faced. It can't be in this political climate as it exists now.
Something has to give. Hopefully, something better can come out of this. But that isn't guaranteed.
Something has to give. Hopefully, something better can come out of this. But that isn't guaranteed.
Nuclear thermal water splitting
According to this Wikipedia entry can produce hydrogen for $1.53 kg.
The temperatures in the Generation IV nuclear plant are quite similar to a molten-salt reactor.
In other words, it is quite possible to split water with a LFTR.
The other problems, I've already worked out. All it takes is the will to do it.
The plasma arc technology can reduce the nuclear methane to hydrogen at the point of sale. The waste product would be elemental carbon. It would be a lot easier to sequester that than carbon dioxide.
The point of sale mentioned in the previous paragraph is for a hydrogen fueling station for fuel cell cars. These can be mass produced with today's technology, according to Aaronsson.
The temperatures in the Generation IV nuclear plant are quite similar to a molten-salt reactor.
In other words, it is quite possible to split water with a LFTR.
The other problems, I've already worked out. All it takes is the will to do it.
The plasma arc technology can reduce the nuclear methane to hydrogen at the point of sale. The waste product would be elemental carbon. It would be a lot easier to sequester that than carbon dioxide.
The point of sale mentioned in the previous paragraph is for a hydrogen fueling station for fuel cell cars. These can be mass produced with today's technology, according to Aaronsson.
Family rescued by George Zimmerman from car accident cancels press conference in fear of “blowback”
hot air
Comment:
Then why not mask their voices and identities and let them tell their story without becoming a focus of retribution?
It seems to me that this stuff is going way too far. The way to respond to it is to not give in to the fear. I'm not blaming the people that want to protect themselves from these race warriors. But I do think a way has to be found to counter them. This was an opportunity missed to do just that.
Also, I know that I wanted to avoid discussing much more about the Zimmerman situation, but this garbage continues and it leaves me little choice.
Comment:
Then why not mask their voices and identities and let them tell their story without becoming a focus of retribution?
It seems to me that this stuff is going way too far. The way to respond to it is to not give in to the fear. I'm not blaming the people that want to protect themselves from these race warriors. But I do think a way has to be found to counter them. This was an opportunity missed to do just that.
Also, I know that I wanted to avoid discussing much more about the Zimmerman situation, but this garbage continues and it leaves me little choice.
Robert Gordon: The death of innovation, the end of growth
He concludes his talk with the challenge, can we match the achievements of the past? I say yes. The problem is not because it is technically difficult. The problem is between our ears. There is a substantial resistance to change. The Industrial Revolution imposed radical change upon the population. This was not always received with gladness.
There's no technical reason why we can't improve our standard of living. It is totally up to ourselves if we want to or not.
One thing is certain to me. China is very determined to do just that. I think they will succeed. Whether or not we will succeed is a matter yet to be determined.
Update:
Background information that led to this post here. H/T Instapundit.
There's no technical reason why we can't improve our standard of living. It is totally up to ourselves if we want to or not.
One thing is certain to me. China is very determined to do just that. I think they will succeed. Whether or not we will succeed is a matter yet to be determined.
Update:
Background information that led to this post here. H/T Instapundit.
How Plasma Cutting Works II
There weren't any videos that I could find that showed the plasma arc torch in operation. It turns out that plasma cutting, which is quite similar, is not unusual. There were many videos of plasma cutters. Here's one.
PLASMA ARC TORCHES for Plasma Reactors and Plasma Furnaces
Plasma waste converters have me intrigued. I know I saw a Canadian system on the web not too long ago. The company called Startech, which was featured in the plasma waste converter post, no longer exists. The founder died. Nobody else in the company could carry on with the technology.
My searching on the web has netted the following finding: there's a company in Canada that makes plasma arc torches. It seems that this technology is similar to what Startech was doing.
In my studies of fusion energy, I learned about the relationship between electricity and temperature.
For example, in a typical television set, the amount of electricity to run it, if it were to become thermalized, would be enough to vaporize it. It doesn't vaporize because it doesn't get converted into heat. At least not that much heat. It may be warm enough to the the touch to be noticeable, but certainly not enough to melt it, or vaporize it.
A plasma arc torch, on the other hand, does thermalize matter, and it will break it down chemically into its constituent elements. Thus, most, if not all matter can be converted to plasma, and then collected after cooling as pure elements. It seems that fact could be brought to bear in a useful way. That's what plasma waste conversion is all about.
My searching on the web has netted the following finding: there's a company in Canada that makes plasma arc torches. It seems that this technology is similar to what Startech was doing.
In my studies of fusion energy, I learned about the relationship between electricity and temperature.
For example, in a typical television set, the amount of electricity to run it, if it were to become thermalized, would be enough to vaporize it. It doesn't vaporize because it doesn't get converted into heat. At least not that much heat. It may be warm enough to the the touch to be noticeable, but certainly not enough to melt it, or vaporize it.
A plasma arc torch, on the other hand, does thermalize matter, and it will break it down chemically into its constituent elements. Thus, most, if not all matter can be converted to plasma, and then collected after cooling as pure elements. It seems that fact could be brought to bear in a useful way. That's what plasma waste conversion is all about.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Can you mine uranium from seawater?
Evidently, you can. But it isn't worth the effort.
It probably hasn't occurred to policy makers, that you can get 100 times what you are already using and you wouldn't have to mine anything.
How can you do this? Run the radioactive wastes through a molten-salt reactor. You see, conventional reactors only burn 1% of the fuel. One hundred times 1% equals 100%. That's just for one year. The radioactive waste has been collecting for 40 years since Jimmy Carter stopped reprocessing of radioactive waste. There may be enough for hundreds of years by this method, and you wouldn't have to mine anything at all.
You can stretch out these supplies by using thorium, which exists in such abundance that we'll never run out of the stuff.
Trouble is, the enviros have everybody so afraid of radioactivity, that we can't do this.
It probably hasn't occurred to policy makers, that you can get 100 times what you are already using and you wouldn't have to mine anything.
How can you do this? Run the radioactive wastes through a molten-salt reactor. You see, conventional reactors only burn 1% of the fuel. One hundred times 1% equals 100%. That's just for one year. The radioactive waste has been collecting for 40 years since Jimmy Carter stopped reprocessing of radioactive waste. There may be enough for hundreds of years by this method, and you wouldn't have to mine anything at all.
You can stretch out these supplies by using thorium, which exists in such abundance that we'll never run out of the stuff.
Trouble is, the enviros have everybody so afraid of radioactivity, that we can't do this.
Plasma Waste Converters
This concept may be even better than this gal thinks.
I'm thinking that with enough energy, you could recycle everything. Think nuclear energy here that is cheaper than coal.
You don't have to restrict yourself to materials that would be used in making energy. Perhaps in theory, you can make a plasma out of anything and just about everything.
Every substance will have a boiling point, in which it will be turned into a gas. As it cools, it will condense according to its chemical properties. You could set up a collection point as is done in oil refineries, that will pick off each product as it condenses. The final result should be various pure elements which constituted the chemical makeup of the waste stream. That's the general idea, anyway.
Here's the video.
I'm thinking that with enough energy, you could recycle everything. Think nuclear energy here that is cheaper than coal.
You don't have to restrict yourself to materials that would be used in making energy. Perhaps in theory, you can make a plasma out of anything and just about everything.
Every substance will have a boiling point, in which it will be turned into a gas. As it cools, it will condense according to its chemical properties. You could set up a collection point as is done in oil refineries, that will pick off each product as it condenses. The final result should be various pure elements which constituted the chemical makeup of the waste stream. That's the general idea, anyway.
Here's the video.
Examples of Serious Crimes of Illegal Aliens
The aliens in these reports were all identified as being in the country illegally,
comment:
There has been reports that a great number of the prisoners in jails in this country are illegals.
This is what happens when border control is not enforced. The last amnesty included a promise to enforce the immigration laws, but we can see how that turned out. Not to mention, this...
comment:
There has been reports that a great number of the prisoners in jails in this country are illegals.
This is what happens when border control is not enforced. The last amnesty included a promise to enforce the immigration laws, but we can see how that turned out. Not to mention, this...
"Magic negro" effect has vanished
Race relations have returned to historical averages, according to poll. The polls improved after Obama's election.
So much for saving a "racist" America from itself. The magic negro wasn't so magic after all.
So much for saving a "racist" America from itself. The magic negro wasn't so magic after all.
Key Benghazi witness found Testifying to Congress today behind closed doors
Free Republic
The article says that this Colonel was said to be retired, but he was not. It also said that they need to get to him before he retires, or he signs a non-disclosure agreement.
Looks to me like somebody in the administration is hiding something. Phony scandal? We'll see.
The article says that this Colonel was said to be retired, but he was not. It also said that they need to get to him before he retires, or he signs a non-disclosure agreement.
Looks to me like somebody in the administration is hiding something. Phony scandal? We'll see.
Did Obama go Captain Queeg on Us?
From the movie, The Cain Mutiny. There was a mutiny on board later on this movie. At the court martial trial, and its aftermath, an officer accused these men of not responding to this request for help. The skipper was in trouble and he requested help here, but his men said nothing. The mutiny came later, you see.
The President asked for suggestions. Okay, I've been offering them here. If the request for help is sincere, then perhaps he would care to consider them. But it has to be sincere, not just political posturing.
Update:
Everybody has an opinion. My opinion is that the Queeg character was genuine. Obama is not.
Nevertheless, I have and will continue offer suggestions for anyone to read who may be interested. If I didn't believe my ideas had merit, why write about them?
If there's any doubt on my part, is that there doesn't appear to be much interest. If I were to quit this blog, it may for that reason. Not from a lack of confidence in my ideas.
The President asked for suggestions. Okay, I've been offering them here. If the request for help is sincere, then perhaps he would care to consider them. But it has to be sincere, not just political posturing.
Update:
Everybody has an opinion. My opinion is that the Queeg character was genuine. Obama is not.
Nevertheless, I have and will continue offer suggestions for anyone to read who may be interested. If I didn't believe my ideas had merit, why write about them?
If there's any doubt on my part, is that there doesn't appear to be much interest. If I were to quit this blog, it may for that reason. Not from a lack of confidence in my ideas.
Replace ObamaCare with a better system
But that leads to a lot of arguments. ObamaCare isn't popular. Never has been. I think the reason for it is pretty simple. It doesn't delivers the benefits promised and it costs too much.
I had a discussion with my doctor about ObamaCare. My doctor doesn't like it. I discussed my own ideas on the subject, and I'll repeat that here.
ObamaCare isn't insurance. Insurance is a way to protect yourself against financial risk. Health risks are not the same thing, but are being conflated with financial risks. An insurance company that is considering coverage for you will assess your health risks, and then determine a premium that will allow them to assume the risk; and pay claims while making for themselves a reasonable profit. That's how it should work. In a real world system, it could work like auto insurance. With auto insurance, the insurance company considers your driving record, and then makes an estimate of its risk in covering you. Your premium is based upon those risk factors.
Health insurance is a complicated thing, though. There are many, many different things to cover. It is really not feasible to cover every possibility and keep the system manageable.
My idea is to simplify it and cover only those things that the individual can afford on their own. Let's say you want to cover yourself for heart attacks. Here's a way to assess your risk for a heart attack. No doubt, there are more sophisticated ways than this. But it gives the general idea.
I figured out my own risk and the amount of coverage that I wanted and what I could afford. It's definitely cheaper than trying to cover everything.
This way, you could make priorities and apportion your budget to what you could realistically afford. This is a better way than anything I heard discussed.
I had a discussion with my doctor about ObamaCare. My doctor doesn't like it. I discussed my own ideas on the subject, and I'll repeat that here.
ObamaCare isn't insurance. Insurance is a way to protect yourself against financial risk. Health risks are not the same thing, but are being conflated with financial risks. An insurance company that is considering coverage for you will assess your health risks, and then determine a premium that will allow them to assume the risk; and pay claims while making for themselves a reasonable profit. That's how it should work. In a real world system, it could work like auto insurance. With auto insurance, the insurance company considers your driving record, and then makes an estimate of its risk in covering you. Your premium is based upon those risk factors.
Health insurance is a complicated thing, though. There are many, many different things to cover. It is really not feasible to cover every possibility and keep the system manageable.
My idea is to simplify it and cover only those things that the individual can afford on their own. Let's say you want to cover yourself for heart attacks. Here's a way to assess your risk for a heart attack. No doubt, there are more sophisticated ways than this. But it gives the general idea.
I figured out my own risk and the amount of coverage that I wanted and what I could afford. It's definitely cheaper than trying to cover everything.
This way, you could make priorities and apportion your budget to what you could realistically afford. This is a better way than anything I heard discussed.
President Alinsky Threatens Americans with Rising ‘Social Tensions’
pjmedia
Very, very interesting quote here:
So, does that mean that Obama has admitted to not being a real American?
A provocative question, sure. But those are his words.
He did eat dog, you know. Real Americans don't do that.
Very, very interesting quote here:
Social tensions will rise, as various groups fight to hold on to what they have, start blaming somebody else for why their position isn’t improving. That’s not the America we know.”- Barack Hussein Obama ( emphasis added )That describes his own situation to the tee. He is blaming the GOP for his own failures.
So, does that mean that Obama has admitted to not being a real American?
A provocative question, sure. But those are his words.
He did eat dog, you know. Real Americans don't do that.
Obama dismisses scandals as ‘phony’ - The Hill's On The Money
Obama dismisses scandals as ‘phony’ - The Hill's On The Money
Looks like the Prez wants to fight:
Blaming others is a bad trait in anybody. It is especially bad in a president. You can take blaming others just so far. At some point, you have to take responsibility for your own mistakes.
The press liked to ask Bush if he made any mistakes. Does Obama believe that he is infallible? Someone might want to ask him and see what he thinks on that one.
Looks like the Prez wants to fight:
Obama declared the nation had “fought its way back” from the depths of the recession in a speech clearly targeting an outside-the-beltway audience.With his poll numbers fading, he needs to fight his way back. It remains to be seen how this will turn out, but the article seems to indicate that the reception has been cool amongst the GOP.
Blaming others is a bad trait in anybody. It is especially bad in a president. You can take blaming others just so far. At some point, you have to take responsibility for your own mistakes.
The press liked to ask Bush if he made any mistakes. Does Obama believe that he is infallible? Someone might want to ask him and see what he thinks on that one.
Obama Condemns IRS Scandal: 'I Have Got No Patience' For It
With recent complaint about "phony" scandals and so forth, has Obama disavowed what he said at the time the story broke about the IRS? Is this an important matter or not? As for Benghazi, there was supposed to be an investigation and justice for the murder of the ambassador and others at the consulate. Why hasn't that happened?
Obama has a way of changing his stories, like he has on Benghazi. It was a protest at first, now it is terrorism. Which way is it? He is a bit careless with his "facts", to put it mildly.
Obama has a way of changing his stories, like he has on Benghazi. It was a protest at first, now it is terrorism. Which way is it? He is a bit careless with his "facts", to put it mildly.
Assorted thoughts
Usually I'm up and running a bit earlier than this. I wanted to think, but my thinking is going nowhere.
Here's a few snippets
Here's a few snippets
- With respect to the gold chart that I posted recently---gdp per oz gold per capita shows the entire country hasn't gotten richer in terms of gold since 1970. To me, that makes sense. We have been following a backwards economic policy for that entire time. The rich aren't getting richer, we're all getting poorer.
- The less that gets said about Zimmerman, the better. If this president was a leader, as opposed to a political hack, he would be saying that. The system has produced a result. Live with it.
- The "One" made a speech yesterday. I started to review it, but changed my mind. It was a political speech disguised as an economic one. It is politics 24/7 with this administration.
- I was going to write something about Abraham Lincoln, since the "One" likes to compare himself to him. His second inaugural speech where he said something to the effect "with malice towards none, and charity for all", which seemed a good place to start. But he said nothing else memorable in that speech. Anyway, this president has been hyped to a ridiculous degree. He can't raise his game to Lincoln's level. When did this guy say anything memorable? Can't remember it if he did.
- I did go on a read some other inaugurals. FDR's was memorable. JFK's was memorable. So was Reagan's. Those are my impressions, only. Others may disagree. One thing about Grant's inaugural, he used the first person singular an awful lot. It really sticks out when you see that. Bad habit.
- My mood is downbeat. Sometimes, its hard to keep this thing going every day.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
On Plantation Politics
Got this link off Free Republic and followed it to National Review. Williamson, the author, makes an allusion to who owns the term "plantation". It sort of looks to me like the left is trying to appropriate that term for their own uses.
With that in mind, I'll throw my own two cents in.
White liberals run the Democrat party. This may be changing, but for the most part, those in leadership positions are mostly white. Thus, those in the rank and file are not white, by and large. Isn't that what the plantation system was all about? All blacks working for whites for little profit or gain? Isn't that the case today? What good has the Democrat party really done for the black people? It seems to me that they've done a lot of harm.
Most of the money is still coming from rich whites. Guys like Soros and Buffet.
Again, who's working for who? Are the white folks in the Democrat party working for blacks or against them?
How does it really help the black folks to be united in their enthusiasm for a party that doesn't advance their interests? Isn't that the question that is usually thrown at white guys like me who aren't rich, but vote for Republicans?
The Republicans, judging from what I have seen, tend to get their support from the middle class. It is the very poor and very rich who tend to vote for the Democrats. It's the very poor and very rich dynamic that defines what the old Plantation system was really like in the Old South.
The use of the word “plantation” to describe the relationship between black Americans and their political patrons is an unfortunate staple of contemporary rhetoric. Professor West’s remark is unusual in that “plantation” rhetoric usually comes from the RightWilliamson goes on to warn the white folks not to use the term loosely.
With that in mind, I'll throw my own two cents in.
White liberals run the Democrat party. This may be changing, but for the most part, those in leadership positions are mostly white. Thus, those in the rank and file are not white, by and large. Isn't that what the plantation system was all about? All blacks working for whites for little profit or gain? Isn't that the case today? What good has the Democrat party really done for the black people? It seems to me that they've done a lot of harm.
Most of the money is still coming from rich whites. Guys like Soros and Buffet.
Again, who's working for who? Are the white folks in the Democrat party working for blacks or against them?
How does it really help the black folks to be united in their enthusiasm for a party that doesn't advance their interests? Isn't that the question that is usually thrown at white guys like me who aren't rich, but vote for Republicans?
The Republicans, judging from what I have seen, tend to get their support from the middle class. It is the very poor and very rich who tend to vote for the Democrats. It's the very poor and very rich dynamic that defines what the old Plantation system was really like in the Old South.
Nuclear cannon to the planets
Here we go on an imaginative cruise into insanity here, but that's okay. The world is already crazy, so a bit more craziness won't matter much. An adaptation of a proposition made by Brian Wang of Nextbigfuture and posted here awhile back for your amusement, consternation, or whatever the case may be.
Actually, it is a mash of a number of ideas gleaned from various sources. The title, for instance, is an adaptation of the Quicklaunch concept. Quicklaunch was itself an adaptation of the Jules Verne novel, From the Earth to the Moon. Verne described in detail the plan to set off an explosion that would send a spaceship to the moon. The nineteenth century novel was technically correct up to a point. The explosive materials wouldn't have been powerful enough and nobody inside the craft would have survived the g forces. Besides that, there was no way to soft land the thing once it got there, anyway.
Wang's idea is to set off a nuclear explosion in order to send up to 200k tons of cargo only to the moon or elsewhere. He doesn't describe how to soft land the thing either. That and a few other thoughts, led to me try to improve upon the concept a bit. In the link above, I suggested using nukes to soft land. But that may run into opposition. Okay, can you land it another way? Sure, why not? As long as we go small ball. Trying to stop 200k tons would require powerful rockets and a lot of fuel. A smaller payload and careful planning would reduce that substantially.
To get from lunar escape velocity to a soft landing would require more than half of the launch mass to be fuel. Not so good, but that's the price to pay for a soft landing on the moon. Let's say you were to launch 1000 tons with a nuclear blast. Then, you may get upwards of 500 tons to land softly on the moon. Not an insignificant achievement.
What could you do with 500 tons? Well, a 100 megawatt LFTR would weigh in at about 50 tons or less. A railroad locomotive weighs about 200 tons. You could substitute several "earth" movers and diggers for the weight of one locomotive. Various equipment and supplies to support a crew could fill out the rest. With all this equipment, you can construct a moon base with in situ materials.
The purpose of the moon base would be to begin development of the moon by using the moon's resources. Thus, the equipment mentioned above would be tailored towards that purpose. The equipment would have to survive the launch, too.
As Wang mentioned, none of the technology for the launch itself is new. Nor are the concepts. Radioactivity can be contained, as it has been in underground nuclear tests in the past. It wouldn't violate any treaties, and it could be done quickly and cheaply.
A thousand ton device isn't as massive as a Saturn V rocket, nor a Space Shuttle on a launch pad. It could cause quite a boom when it hits the atmosphere at escape velocity or higher. But there are plenty of remote sites where this wouldn't be a problem. The boom would be a lot less than it would be if the boom occurred above the ground, don't you know.
The hard part may be the landing. The rockets would have to solid, I would think. That's because liquids have to be contained in a tank, which may not hold up in such a launch. Besides that, solid rockets have to burn up completely because they can't be stopped. In answer to those problems, here's a proposition. Carry more than enough rockets and use only what you need. That will cut into payload though. But payload won't be a problem because you can just send more with a bigger blast. Careful planning can reduce any overage to a minimum.
Assuming all goes well, you can begin building the moon base. Perhaps you wouldn't need to land a crew. Using teleoperation, just operate everything from the Earth. Once everything is set for the crew, then people could land and begin using the facilities.
In the long run, you could build space stations that could be placed at EML4 or EML5. These could be used as way stations to Mars. That facilities would be used for the transport of people, and the transport of goods for interplanetary trade. Now to set up the Mars base, you would just lather, rinse, and repeat.
Once completed, a chain like series of stops would be in place for the long transit to Mars. Starting from Earth, you reach orbit. From orbit, you would proceed to the moon. From the moon, you could proceed to EML4 and finally from there, to Mars. People could collect on the station and go to Mars in large groups every two years. In a decade, several hundreds to thousands could be on Mars.
Actually, it is a mash of a number of ideas gleaned from various sources. The title, for instance, is an adaptation of the Quicklaunch concept. Quicklaunch was itself an adaptation of the Jules Verne novel, From the Earth to the Moon. Verne described in detail the plan to set off an explosion that would send a spaceship to the moon. The nineteenth century novel was technically correct up to a point. The explosive materials wouldn't have been powerful enough and nobody inside the craft would have survived the g forces. Besides that, there was no way to soft land the thing once it got there, anyway.
Wang's idea is to set off a nuclear explosion in order to send up to 200k tons of cargo only to the moon or elsewhere. He doesn't describe how to soft land the thing either. That and a few other thoughts, led to me try to improve upon the concept a bit. In the link above, I suggested using nukes to soft land. But that may run into opposition. Okay, can you land it another way? Sure, why not? As long as we go small ball. Trying to stop 200k tons would require powerful rockets and a lot of fuel. A smaller payload and careful planning would reduce that substantially.
To get from lunar escape velocity to a soft landing would require more than half of the launch mass to be fuel. Not so good, but that's the price to pay for a soft landing on the moon. Let's say you were to launch 1000 tons with a nuclear blast. Then, you may get upwards of 500 tons to land softly on the moon. Not an insignificant achievement.
What could you do with 500 tons? Well, a 100 megawatt LFTR would weigh in at about 50 tons or less. A railroad locomotive weighs about 200 tons. You could substitute several "earth" movers and diggers for the weight of one locomotive. Various equipment and supplies to support a crew could fill out the rest. With all this equipment, you can construct a moon base with in situ materials.
The purpose of the moon base would be to begin development of the moon by using the moon's resources. Thus, the equipment mentioned above would be tailored towards that purpose. The equipment would have to survive the launch, too.
As Wang mentioned, none of the technology for the launch itself is new. Nor are the concepts. Radioactivity can be contained, as it has been in underground nuclear tests in the past. It wouldn't violate any treaties, and it could be done quickly and cheaply.
A thousand ton device isn't as massive as a Saturn V rocket, nor a Space Shuttle on a launch pad. It could cause quite a boom when it hits the atmosphere at escape velocity or higher. But there are plenty of remote sites where this wouldn't be a problem. The boom would be a lot less than it would be if the boom occurred above the ground, don't you know.
The hard part may be the landing. The rockets would have to solid, I would think. That's because liquids have to be contained in a tank, which may not hold up in such a launch. Besides that, solid rockets have to burn up completely because they can't be stopped. In answer to those problems, here's a proposition. Carry more than enough rockets and use only what you need. That will cut into payload though. But payload won't be a problem because you can just send more with a bigger blast. Careful planning can reduce any overage to a minimum.
Assuming all goes well, you can begin building the moon base. Perhaps you wouldn't need to land a crew. Using teleoperation, just operate everything from the Earth. Once everything is set for the crew, then people could land and begin using the facilities.
In the long run, you could build space stations that could be placed at EML4 or EML5. These could be used as way stations to Mars. That facilities would be used for the transport of people, and the transport of goods for interplanetary trade. Now to set up the Mars base, you would just lather, rinse, and repeat.
Once completed, a chain like series of stops would be in place for the long transit to Mars. Starting from Earth, you reach orbit. From orbit, you would proceed to the moon. From the moon, you could proceed to EML4 and finally from there, to Mars. People could collect on the station and go to Mars in large groups every two years. In a decade, several hundreds to thousands could be on Mars.
The Fish Rots From The Head Down
Published on Zero Hedge (http://www.zerohedge.com)
Guest Post: Trying To Stay Sane In An Insane World - Part 1
By Tyler Durden
Created 07/23/2013 - 19:56
Facts are treasonous and dangerous in an empire of lies, fraud and propaganda. It is maddening to watch the country spiral downward, driven to ruin by a psychotic predator class, while the plebs choose to remain willfully ignorant of reality and distracted by their lust for cheap Chinese crap and addicted to the cult of techno-narcissism. We are a country running on heaping doses of cognitive dissonance and normalcy bias, an irrational belief in our national exceptionalism, an absurd trust in the same banking class that destroyed the finances of the country, and a delusionary belief that with just another trillion dollars of debt we'll be back on the exponential growth track. The American empire has been built on a foundation of cheap easily accessible oil, cheap easily accessible credit, the most powerful military machine in human history, and the purposeful transformation of citizens into consumers through the use of relentless media propaganda and a persistent decades long dumbing down of the masses through the government education system. This national insanity is not a new phenomenon. Friedrich Nietzsche [1] observed the same spectacle in the 19th century: "In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."
Source URL: http://www.zerohedge.com/node/476758
Links:
[1] http://www.amazon.com/dp/0140150625/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=thebur01-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0140150625&adid=1NMDDJ8JZYT63EXTVTP9
[1] http://www.amazon.com/dp/0140150625/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=thebur01-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0140150625&adid=1NMDDJ8JZYT63EXTVTP9
Gold prices should be $15000 oz., or the Dow should be 1300
Why? According to the chart I made yesterday, gold prices reached a peak in 1980 or thereabouts. At that point, the Dow Jones was at its low point having been in a bear market for over a decade. So, if the economy was doing poorly, as indicated by the double digit inflation and double digit unemployment ( that was to follow shortly), and the gold prices; and the gold prices being equal roughly to the Dow, that condition should obtain today as well.
But the Dow today isn't in a bear market and is a bit overpriced. Also, there are those who say that gold is in a bubble. With gold at $1300 oz and the Dow at over 15k, there's a 10 to 1 ratio between the two. How can gold be in a bubble and the Dow is not?
As mentioned in an earlier post, the economic statistics are just as bad as they were in 1980. Maybe even worse. But the numbers are not reported the same way as they were in 1980. If the numbers were reported the same way, the numbers today would look like 1980 all over again.
How does the same report technique if used as in 1980 support a Dow at 15k and a gold price less than 10% of that when the two numbers were equal back then? The Dow should be lower or gold should be higher, or some combination of both. Or something is definitely out of whack.
But the Dow today isn't in a bear market and is a bit overpriced. Also, there are those who say that gold is in a bubble. With gold at $1300 oz and the Dow at over 15k, there's a 10 to 1 ratio between the two. How can gold be in a bubble and the Dow is not?
As mentioned in an earlier post, the economic statistics are just as bad as they were in 1980. Maybe even worse. But the numbers are not reported the same way as they were in 1980. If the numbers were reported the same way, the numbers today would look like 1980 all over again.
How does the same report technique if used as in 1980 support a Dow at 15k and a gold price less than 10% of that when the two numbers were equal back then? The Dow should be lower or gold should be higher, or some combination of both. Or something is definitely out of whack.
Tragedy of The Commons
This is a pretty standard concept and isn't new to me. I'm putting it up in connection to our government. Just replace the pasture in this example with the government and you get the same kind of results. Nobody owns the government. So, the government gets overused and abused, just like the pasture that gets overgrazed. That's my theory.
This is not to suggest that somebody should own the government. Only that the government isn't the solution. Just making government bigger only makes the problems bigger. That's due to this phenomenon of the tragedy of the commons.
You see, nobody seems to give a damn that the government is crapping out big time. It is easy to rationalize too, based upon the systematic deception that promotes its continual overuse and abuse. Nothing gets done about it because nobody recognizes or wants to recognize how it is going to impact us all. Environmentalists like to talk about sustainability. I am here to tell you that a big government is unsustainable because of the tragedy of the commons.
This is not to suggest that somebody should own the government. Only that the government isn't the solution. Just making government bigger only makes the problems bigger. That's due to this phenomenon of the tragedy of the commons.
You see, nobody seems to give a damn that the government is crapping out big time. It is easy to rationalize too, based upon the systematic deception that promotes its continual overuse and abuse. Nothing gets done about it because nobody recognizes or wants to recognize how it is going to impact us all. Environmentalists like to talk about sustainability. I am here to tell you that a big government is unsustainable because of the tragedy of the commons.
Why the government is systematically lying to us
In connection with the price action of gold, the thought occurred to me that we are being lied to systematically. It's being done for political reasons.
At the bottom of the page, there is a link to the site that publishes government statistics that were used in the past. If these same statistics were used today, the reporting would be much more negative than it is. The rosy numbers would not look so rosy, and the smell would be much more sour. For the government wants everything to appear better than it really is. That is so as to keep themselves in power and to keep the population quiet. Another technique is to provide bread and circuses. But, in order to do this, it requires massive government spending; which is being financed by printing money out of thin air.
Gold prices are being suppressed as well. Any sign of gold rising is a negative sign that must be suppressed. After all, the government doesn't want anyone to get the notion that the government's own policies are failing. With alternative stats showing inflation at 1970 levels instead of the near zero levels, the general mood would be much more negative than it is. Instead of zero interest rates, there would be political pressure to increase rates to a higher level. A rising gold price, therefore, shatters the myth making created with manipulated government statistics. News of rising gold prices must be suppressed, and so it is.
How do gold prices get suppressed? My theory is that gold is being leveraged like the paper based debt system is. Consequently, there's more paper gold than actually exists. If this isn't leverage, then it must be something else. Fraud, perhaps. Whatever it is, it isn't based upon the truth.
So, the government has most people believing things are better than they really are. This charade can continue as long as the dollar maintains its reserve status, but that is in increasing jeopardy. Other nations, in particular those doing trade with China, are seeking to do trade without using the almighty dollar. Once enough nations do that, the dollar's reserve status will have been effectively ended. If the dollar's status is lost, it will be harder to maintain the fiction that all is well. But by that time, damage will have been done, and it will be impossible to reverse it. For we are headed towards a one-party state. The practices of deception are necessary in a totalitarian state in order to keep the people in line.
At the bottom of the page, there is a link to the site that publishes government statistics that were used in the past. If these same statistics were used today, the reporting would be much more negative than it is. The rosy numbers would not look so rosy, and the smell would be much more sour. For the government wants everything to appear better than it really is. That is so as to keep themselves in power and to keep the population quiet. Another technique is to provide bread and circuses. But, in order to do this, it requires massive government spending; which is being financed by printing money out of thin air.
Gold prices are being suppressed as well. Any sign of gold rising is a negative sign that must be suppressed. After all, the government doesn't want anyone to get the notion that the government's own policies are failing. With alternative stats showing inflation at 1970 levels instead of the near zero levels, the general mood would be much more negative than it is. Instead of zero interest rates, there would be political pressure to increase rates to a higher level. A rising gold price, therefore, shatters the myth making created with manipulated government statistics. News of rising gold prices must be suppressed, and so it is.
How do gold prices get suppressed? My theory is that gold is being leveraged like the paper based debt system is. Consequently, there's more paper gold than actually exists. If this isn't leverage, then it must be something else. Fraud, perhaps. Whatever it is, it isn't based upon the truth.
So, the government has most people believing things are better than they really are. This charade can continue as long as the dollar maintains its reserve status, but that is in increasing jeopardy. Other nations, in particular those doing trade with China, are seeking to do trade without using the almighty dollar. Once enough nations do that, the dollar's reserve status will have been effectively ended. If the dollar's status is lost, it will be harder to maintain the fiction that all is well. But by that time, damage will have been done, and it will be impossible to reverse it. For we are headed towards a one-party state. The practices of deception are necessary in a totalitarian state in order to keep the people in line.
Rep. King Creates Furor With Remarks on Immigrants
wsj
comment:
Representative King of Iowa made the claim that there's 100 drug mules for every valedictorian amongst the young undocumented illegals. The left is all in a snit over this claim. Here's a question for you: Is it true or not? For the left is claiming that there's valedictorians amongst the illegals and that opens the door as to how significant this number is in comparison to the others who are less desirable.
Common sense, which is uncommon these days, would suggest that King has a point. For a valedictorian is rare in any case. Probably even more rare amongst illegals because many of them don't finish school. Their graduation rates are lower than average, if my information is correct. The odds are that there will be significantly fewer scholars amongst them.
But the complaint is that King isn't being nice. What obligation does King have in being nice if the truth is being suppressed? Does political correctness count more than accuracy? This is the kind of thing that is killing this society. I hope that the opponents to this proposition will continue to supply the facts to a nation even if it hurts to do so. There can be no justice without the truth. There's no justice in flooding this country with undesirables just because we don't want to look like we're not nice.
comment:
Representative King of Iowa made the claim that there's 100 drug mules for every valedictorian amongst the young undocumented illegals. The left is all in a snit over this claim. Here's a question for you: Is it true or not? For the left is claiming that there's valedictorians amongst the illegals and that opens the door as to how significant this number is in comparison to the others who are less desirable.
Common sense, which is uncommon these days, would suggest that King has a point. For a valedictorian is rare in any case. Probably even more rare amongst illegals because many of them don't finish school. Their graduation rates are lower than average, if my information is correct. The odds are that there will be significantly fewer scholars amongst them.
But the complaint is that King isn't being nice. What obligation does King have in being nice if the truth is being suppressed? Does political correctness count more than accuracy? This is the kind of thing that is killing this society. I hope that the opponents to this proposition will continue to supply the facts to a nation even if it hurts to do so. There can be no justice without the truth. There's no justice in flooding this country with undesirables just because we don't want to look like we're not nice.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Jeremiah Wright's attorney was one of only two political appointments to the IRS
And he is now the center of the storm around the IRS scandal.
People may get taken in by Wright, but Obama disavowed him in order to win election in 2008. But he remembered to appoint Wright's tax attorney to the IRS.
Just for your consideration. In case you need your memory refreshed, here's Wright in one of his "sermons".
Update:
This wasn't supposed to go to the top of the blog. I corrected an error in the title, and Blogger put it on the top.
Update:
It wasn't the spelling in the title. I changed the most popular post on this blog's title, but it didn't appear at the top of the blog.
People may get taken in by Wright, but Obama disavowed him in order to win election in 2008. But he remembered to appoint Wright's tax attorney to the IRS.
Just for your consideration. In case you need your memory refreshed, here's Wright in one of his "sermons".
Update:
This wasn't supposed to go to the top of the blog. I corrected an error in the title, and Blogger put it on the top.
Update:
It wasn't the spelling in the title. I changed the most popular post on this blog's title, but it didn't appear at the top of the blog.
A very good reason to ignore conventional wisdom
Published on Zero Hedge (http://www.zerohedge.com)
QBAMCO On Gold And Inflation: "Don't Fight The Fed... Front Run It"
By Tyler Durden
Created 07/22/2013 - 17:20
Financial asset investors may continue to benefit in the short term while stocks and bonds remain well bid, but production and labor in over-levered economies should continue to wither. When we take it to its logical conclusion, central banks cannot withdraw debt support (on a net basis) and so our baseless currencies seem highly likely to fail to provide sustainable purchasing power. (This happens as producers demand more currency units for their labor and resources, not when consumers drive prices higher by competing with each other for finite supplies of labor and resources.) Continued inflation of all global currency stocks is likely. This implies to us that fundamental expectations of the inevitability of price inflation across borders and in all currencies must change, from unlikely to highly likely. Since very few investors expect rising inflation anytime soon, the return skew is overwhelmingly positive in its favor.
Source URL: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-22/qbamco-gold-and-inflation-dont-fight-fed-front-run-it
Another look at the employment situation
The most recent one was covered here. No need to cover old ground. However, there has been some talk about full time v part time employment. An administration official or defender ( don't remember who) denied that economy is producing mostly part timers. So, I took a look, and yes, it's true.
Over 300 k additional part timers, and less than 200 k additional altogether. That means more full time jobs were lost than created, otherwise, the overall job numbers would have been higher.
Over 300 k additional part timers, and less than 200 k additional altogether. That means more full time jobs were lost than created, otherwise, the overall job numbers would have been higher.
 |
| Headings added to aid in clarity |
 |
| Household report for june 2013 |
US GDP per capita in gold per oz from 2011 to 1960
This would be in reverse chronological order from present day to 1960. That is, from left to right goes back into time over 50 years.
Statistics for chart obtained from this site for population and gdp, and this site for gold prices. Chart produced using Microsoft Works Spreadsheet.
Certain features of the chart indicate some obvious problems, wouldn't you agree?
Statistics for chart obtained from this site for population and gdp, and this site for gold prices. Chart produced using Microsoft Works Spreadsheet.
Certain features of the chart indicate some obvious problems, wouldn't you agree?
 |
| Most recent dates to the left, oldest dates to the right... X-Axis uses only last two digits of the year for readability |
Thinking about the big picture
Well, number one on the list is that as a blogger, one has to blog. Every day. This can be a bit of a grind after awhile. I've been doing this for almost three years now. After three years, it's hard to say anything new.
It's a big world though, and lots of things in it. Always something new to look into and write about.
But my mood isn't there this morning. I'm going over some things, like some old posts and so forth.
So, I'm checking in, but I'm probably not good for a whole lot of posts today. That's unless I find something out there that piques my interest.
Some big picture observations:
It's a big world though, and lots of things in it. Always something new to look into and write about.
But my mood isn't there this morning. I'm going over some things, like some old posts and so forth.
So, I'm checking in, but I'm probably not good for a whole lot of posts today. That's unless I find something out there that piques my interest.
Some big picture observations:
- Trayvon Martin didn't die because of Stand Your Ground and Guns. He died because nobody cared enough about him. He was on the wrong track. Somebody needed to pull him back, but either nobody could or nobody would, and it didn't happen. So, he died. Those who are crying over him now are crying crocodile tears. One thing I noticed about the left. They love to exploit death for political purposes.
- Barack Obama became President because he was the Magic Negro. That's not new, but what is new is that the magic may be wearing off. Maybe Obama just doesn't have the magic anymore to rescue all of us from ourselves. He is just a politician after all. He does what's political, not what's right or good. The magic was never really there, you know. All hype.
- The left says they want to talk about race. I doubt that. They want to talk AT us about race. If they wanted to talk TO us, they'd talk about their own responsibility for the situation. They just want to blame and accuse and to gain from that. Nothing wrong in trying to gain from something as long as it is an equal exchange. Value for Value. But this isn't about that. One thing that the left does very well is to get an advantage for themselves while claiming to be working for the good of all. It's is all bullshit. It's all about getting an advantage.
- The left's ideas in practice don't work, but their political ideas work like gangbusters. Why is that? There's a reason for that and the conservatives had better figure it out because the time is getting late. Maybe too late. If I may offer an explanation, I sort of covered it yesterday. It is about unity and maintaining it. The left is good at that, the "right" is horrible at that. If the "right" can't or won't figure it out, maybe it is because Trayvon Martin is to the left what the death of the Republic will be for the "right". In other words, if the Republic dies, it is because nobody can or nobody will do anything about getting this country back on the right track.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Barack the Magic Negro - Paul Shanklin
Barak Obama really is the Magic Negro. He came to rescue white America from its racism and bigotry. He's going to change us into a more enlightened people!!!
He really believes that. So do the blacks and the liberals. It's twue, it's twue!
He really believes that. So do the blacks and the liberals. It's twue, it's twue!
The Pretenders - My City Was Gone (Remastered)
Also known as the Rush Limbaugh Show's Intro jingle.
This would work for Detroit, all things considered. Supposedly, the song is about a city in Ohio.
This would work for Detroit, all things considered. Supposedly, the song is about a city in Ohio.
Did Election Fraud Help Win the Civil War?
Election Law Blog h/t Instapundit
quote:
A cursory answer would appear to be "no". But it could have had some significant consequences, as the article points out. A number of initiatives would have been stalled, most likely.
On the other hand, if any of these initiatives had contributed towards a significant political defeat somewhere else, as in his second election, there could have been a difference. Two years later, McClellan ran against Lincoln for the Presidency. Now, if the Democrats had managed to bottle up some legislation in the interim that Lincoln wanted, and assuming all other things were equal, then maybe McClellan would have won. For, the Democrats were badly divided. If the Democrats were more unified, with the possible help of events adverse to Lincoln's interests, it could have been decisive. That would have changed history, perhaps in a way more favorable for the South.
History can turn on small things. A little thing like the Kentucky vote mentioned in the article could have led to a different kind of history and a different kind of country. History has its cautionary tales and its lessons. The lesson here is avoid dividing your party. Democrat division led to the war and to an unfavorable peace for the South. It exacerbated racial tensions as the South chafed under bayonet rule. No war means no bayonets. No division means no Lincoln victory. Once the bayonets were gone though, the high minded aims of the war were lost for nearly a century.
quote:
even had the Democrats controlled the House, they would not have had the power to cut off war funding without enacting legislation, which would have required the Senate and Lincoln to approve. But partisan control of the House was still hugely consequential for the second half of Lincoln’s presidencycomment:
A cursory answer would appear to be "no". But it could have had some significant consequences, as the article points out. A number of initiatives would have been stalled, most likely.
On the other hand, if any of these initiatives had contributed towards a significant political defeat somewhere else, as in his second election, there could have been a difference. Two years later, McClellan ran against Lincoln for the Presidency. Now, if the Democrats had managed to bottle up some legislation in the interim that Lincoln wanted, and assuming all other things were equal, then maybe McClellan would have won. For, the Democrats were badly divided. If the Democrats were more unified, with the possible help of events adverse to Lincoln's interests, it could have been decisive. That would have changed history, perhaps in a way more favorable for the South.
History can turn on small things. A little thing like the Kentucky vote mentioned in the article could have led to a different kind of history and a different kind of country. History has its cautionary tales and its lessons. The lesson here is avoid dividing your party. Democrat division led to the war and to an unfavorable peace for the South. It exacerbated racial tensions as the South chafed under bayonet rule. No war means no bayonets. No division means no Lincoln victory. Once the bayonets were gone though, the high minded aims of the war were lost for nearly a century.
McCain says Obama’s comments on the Zimmerman trial are “very impressive”
Young Conservatives
comment:
There's a book review on the left sidebar which was authored by McCain. In it, he discusses "courage".
On the issue of courage, McCain seems to think of courage as standing up to conservatives. This may get the liberals fired up, but when did he go after liberals on the race baiting stuff of late? Maybe he has in the past, but in calling Obama's comments on the Zimmerman trial "impressive", he missed a big opportunity to show that his "courage" isn't the Dutch variety.
Note: couldn't resist the dutch reference. It is a joke. A pun. But it is a pun without a good enough understanding of the word. What I meant to say was that McCain isn't practicing what he preached in this book.
At any rate, I'm sorry to have bought and reviewed his book. I am strongly considering taking it down.
Just decided to take the review down.
comment:
There's a book review on the left sidebar which was authored by McCain. In it, he discusses "courage".
On the issue of courage, McCain seems to think of courage as standing up to conservatives. This may get the liberals fired up, but when did he go after liberals on the race baiting stuff of late? Maybe he has in the past, but in calling Obama's comments on the Zimmerman trial "impressive", he missed a big opportunity to show that his "courage" isn't the Dutch variety.
Note: couldn't resist the dutch reference. It is a joke. A pun. But it is a pun without a good enough understanding of the word. What I meant to say was that McCain isn't practicing what he preached in this book.
At any rate, I'm sorry to have bought and reviewed his book. I am strongly considering taking it down.
Just decided to take the review down.
Personal beef about my bank
Starting right out of the gate with this post, here's a turn of phrase that's sure to drive capitalists crazy:
What has driven me to use such a provocative reference to our own system, which, until recently, was strongly free enterprise? Not my politics, I assure you. The trouble is, this isn't free enterprise. It is state directed capitalism, or more properly, fascism, and it should have no place in our government and economy.
So, when banksters, who get so much free money from the fed, want to rip off depositors, I get a bit testy. Banksters should not be cutting jobs and raising fees after so much largess has been bestowed upon them. Note that said largess was necessary in order to save their skins for their own failures leading to the crisis in 2008.
What I am pissed off about in particular is my bank raising fees right and left. Also, this bank of mine keeps insisting upon pushing paperless management of accounts. It's bad enough that they charge all the fees and everything. It's bad enough that they don't pay interest anymore. Now, they are moving to charge you a fee for bank statements. No, this hasn't happened yet at my bank, but it is on the way.
There should always be a paper trail, especially for financial documents. The only reason not to have them is to reduce costs for employees who are needed to produce said documents. So, they are screwing the bank employees and screwing depositors. All this for a service that will eventually be brought to you by machines only. They own the machines, so you pay them for safekeeping of your money. Trouble with that is, that won't even do that properly.
People need to get their blinders off. Something's wrong here.
We are now witnessing capitalism with an inhuman face.Notice the historical reference if you can recall. In the late sixties, there was a Czech leader, who wanted we he described as "socialism with a human face". That explains the reference above.
What has driven me to use such a provocative reference to our own system, which, until recently, was strongly free enterprise? Not my politics, I assure you. The trouble is, this isn't free enterprise. It is state directed capitalism, or more properly, fascism, and it should have no place in our government and economy.
So, when banksters, who get so much free money from the fed, want to rip off depositors, I get a bit testy. Banksters should not be cutting jobs and raising fees after so much largess has been bestowed upon them. Note that said largess was necessary in order to save their skins for their own failures leading to the crisis in 2008.
What I am pissed off about in particular is my bank raising fees right and left. Also, this bank of mine keeps insisting upon pushing paperless management of accounts. It's bad enough that they charge all the fees and everything. It's bad enough that they don't pay interest anymore. Now, they are moving to charge you a fee for bank statements. No, this hasn't happened yet at my bank, but it is on the way.
There should always be a paper trail, especially for financial documents. The only reason not to have them is to reduce costs for employees who are needed to produce said documents. So, they are screwing the bank employees and screwing depositors. All this for a service that will eventually be brought to you by machines only. They own the machines, so you pay them for safekeeping of your money. Trouble with that is, that won't even do that properly.
People need to get their blinders off. Something's wrong here.
China buying gold on the dips
Published on Zero Hedge (http://www.zerohedge.com)
Gold: Physical Demand Vs Paper Supply
By Tyler Durden
Created 07/21/2013 - 22:38
From the huge demand for physical gold from Asia to repatriation demands, and from the draining of COMEX gold inventories [1] to the excess supply of paper gold, there is an increasing 'gap' between the perceived 'price' of gold and the cost to get one's hands on the precious metal. Santiago Capital's Brent Johnson [2] provides a brief but complete summary of the various conundra (which we have described in detail [3]) occurring currently in the manipulated metals market. Perhaps the most telling phrase comes towards the end when Johnson notes, "I don't know how to say 'Hunt Brothers' in Mandarin, but it might not be a bad idea to learn."Greg NOTES: The Hunt Brothers tried to corner the market on silver in the late seventies. What he is trying to say is that the Chinese are attempting the same. My opinion is that they are more likely to succeed than the Hunt Brothers.
Links:
[1] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-19/jpm-eligible-gold-plummets-66-one-day-total-gold-fresh-all-time-low
[2] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-16/gold-tale-two-markets
[3] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-16/things-make-you-go-hmmm-gold
[1] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-19/jpm-eligible-gold-plummets-66-one-day-total-gold-fresh-all-time-low
[2] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-16/gold-tale-two-markets
[3] http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-16/things-make-you-go-hmmm-gold
Conservatives Fear 'Conference' May Transform House Immigration Bills to Senate's Amnesty
Breitbart
comment:
Yes, that's right.
When you have to fight your own leadership, what does that say about your party?
comment:
Yes, that's right.
When you have to fight your own leadership, what does that say about your party?
ObamaCare Killing Jobs – Dick Morris TV: Lunch Alert!
ObamaCare Killing Jobs – Dick Morris TV: Lunch Alert!
comment:
Morris warns about the worsening economic situation. There is no job creation, only part time jobs being created to replace full time jobs. The stock market is about to crash. The Fed is corrupt.
Lest you think that Morris is a raving right winger, it should be remembered that he was an advisor to President Clinton.
That Morris is saying should amplify the warning.
But we are getting a lot of happy talk from the media. You can't trust the media for accuracy at all.
comment:
Morris warns about the worsening economic situation. There is no job creation, only part time jobs being created to replace full time jobs. The stock market is about to crash. The Fed is corrupt.
Lest you think that Morris is a raving right winger, it should be remembered that he was an advisor to President Clinton.
That Morris is saying should amplify the warning.
But we are getting a lot of happy talk from the media. You can't trust the media for accuracy at all.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
White people are getting bullshitted big time
Look, not only did the media falsify the reporting and suppress the facts of the case. But the black people themselves know damn well about the drug abuse in their community. This information is simply being suppressed for political purposes. That is to divide the white people and to keep the black people unified and motivated.
White people are being deceived from all angles---liberals' supporters in the media, the black leaders, and the black people themselves.
Black people HAVE TO KNOW about this drink called "lean" and "purple drank". It originated in the hip hop community. No way they don't know about this. Black people HAVE DIED from abusing this drug. How is it possible for them NOT TO KNOW?
Drugs and crime go together. Drugs are used in the commission of crimes. That Martin was found with property that didn't belong to him and ingredients for a well-known recreational drug used in the hip-hop community were relevant facts in this case and those facts were suppressed in order to keep the public in the dark. Especially the white people.
If liberals in the media actually did their job, they'd inform us about this, but did they? I can't answer that question because I don't watch TV, but I did see commentary from the trial, and they were definitely biased in favor of the prosecution. It stands to reason then that any evidence of drug abuse by Martin was simply not addressed. Any evidence of a criminal history was also suppressed. It has become a pattern to cover up anything that reflects badly upon Democrats and their causes. Consequently, any white folks who get their information from the media simply won't know about these facts. Hell, I never heard of lean until I started studying it.
You cannot trust the media to tell you what you need to know about the government today. This isn't merely bias anymore. It is flat out lying.
White people are being deceived from all angles---liberals' supporters in the media, the black leaders, and the black people themselves.
Black people HAVE TO KNOW about this drink called "lean" and "purple drank". It originated in the hip hop community. No way they don't know about this. Black people HAVE DIED from abusing this drug. How is it possible for them NOT TO KNOW?
Drugs and crime go together. Drugs are used in the commission of crimes. That Martin was found with property that didn't belong to him and ingredients for a well-known recreational drug used in the hip-hop community were relevant facts in this case and those facts were suppressed in order to keep the public in the dark. Especially the white people.
If liberals in the media actually did their job, they'd inform us about this, but did they? I can't answer that question because I don't watch TV, but I did see commentary from the trial, and they were definitely biased in favor of the prosecution. It stands to reason then that any evidence of drug abuse by Martin was simply not addressed. Any evidence of a criminal history was also suppressed. It has become a pattern to cover up anything that reflects badly upon Democrats and their causes. Consequently, any white folks who get their information from the media simply won't know about these facts. Hell, I never heard of lean until I started studying it.
You cannot trust the media to tell you what you need to know about the government today. This isn't merely bias anymore. It is flat out lying.
Why Is Obama Trying to Start a Race War?
Free Republic
comment:
Hmm. Looks like what I wrote this morning. The Democrats and Obama are promoting a race war.
Here's a video that is found on the linked page that this Free Republic post refers to. It is useful to see what they are up to, which is the redistribution of wealth.
comment:
Hmm. Looks like what I wrote this morning. The Democrats and Obama are promoting a race war.
Here's a video that is found on the linked page that this Free Republic post refers to. It is useful to see what they are up to, which is the redistribution of wealth.
Technical interlude
All of this social and political stuff gets a bit tedious at times.
Time out!
Let's take a look at something that may mean something or mean nothing at all.
An idea occurred to me that ionizing radiation could be used to produce hydrogen from water. If such be the case, the production of ionizing radiation could be a way to produce non-carbon forms of fuel, especially for fuel cells.
A question that I have, which I haven't been able to answer in my peregrinations through the web is this: how much hydrogen could be produced this way? Is it very much or very little?
It so happens that cobalt-60 is used in certain applications, but not for this. Could the current applications be modified to produce hydrogen? Cobalt-60 produces gamma rays that may do the trick, but that is not at all clear. But the hydrogen bond doesn't require all that much energy to break, while the gamma ray is much more powerful. This would indicate that a potential exists to use it this way. But I am not sure.
A glance at the Wikipedia page leads me to believe that it may not be energetic enough for this purpose. Again, I'm not sure.
One problem with cobalt-60 is that it is quite radioactive and needs special handling. Don't know if it needs guards, guns, and gates. The main problem is those gammas.
Cobalt-60 will decay to stable nickel 60 with a half-life of more than 5 years. That means it will take 50 years ( 10 half-lives ) to make it safe. ( maybe)
It can be produced in a CANDU nuclear reactor by using it as a control rod. The cobalt control rod will replace the stainless steel control rod. The neutron flux in the reactor activates the cobalt.
Maybe that isn't the best way to produce hydrogen. According to this, hydrogen can be produced for less that $2.00 per kg. However, it must be shipped. That entails expenses that could be avoided if the hydrogen can be generated on the distribution site.
You could try making nuclear methane this way as discussed in an earlier post. The LFTR could provide the necessary process heat.
Time out!
Let's take a look at something that may mean something or mean nothing at all.
An idea occurred to me that ionizing radiation could be used to produce hydrogen from water. If such be the case, the production of ionizing radiation could be a way to produce non-carbon forms of fuel, especially for fuel cells.
A question that I have, which I haven't been able to answer in my peregrinations through the web is this: how much hydrogen could be produced this way? Is it very much or very little?
It so happens that cobalt-60 is used in certain applications, but not for this. Could the current applications be modified to produce hydrogen? Cobalt-60 produces gamma rays that may do the trick, but that is not at all clear. But the hydrogen bond doesn't require all that much energy to break, while the gamma ray is much more powerful. This would indicate that a potential exists to use it this way. But I am not sure.
A glance at the Wikipedia page leads me to believe that it may not be energetic enough for this purpose. Again, I'm not sure.
One problem with cobalt-60 is that it is quite radioactive and needs special handling. Don't know if it needs guards, guns, and gates. The main problem is those gammas.
Cobalt-60 will decay to stable nickel 60 with a half-life of more than 5 years. That means it will take 50 years ( 10 half-lives ) to make it safe. ( maybe)
It can be produced in a CANDU nuclear reactor by using it as a control rod. The cobalt control rod will replace the stainless steel control rod. The neutron flux in the reactor activates the cobalt.
Maybe that isn't the best way to produce hydrogen. According to this, hydrogen can be produced for less that $2.00 per kg. However, it must be shipped. That entails expenses that could be avoided if the hydrogen can be generated on the distribution site.
You could try making nuclear methane this way as discussed in an earlier post. The LFTR could provide the necessary process heat.
Canadian-born Ted Cruz says “facts are clear” he’s eligible to be president
Dallas News
A few points about the article
A few points about the article
-
Actually, Cruz said this:
“My mother was born in Wilmington, Delaware. She’s a U.S. citizen, so I’m a U.S. citizen by birth,” Cruz told ABC.
If there was more that he said, it wasn't indicated in this article. Therefore, the title of the article is misleading.
-
I like Cruz's position on the immigration bill:
In the Senate, Cruz has established himself as a leading opponent of immigration reform that includes a “pathway to citizenship” for millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
-
I found the article on Free Republic. This is another case of how conservatives shoot themselves in the foot. If the liberals can elect someone like Obama, why can't conservatives elect someone like Cruz? Principles never stopped the left, why unilaterally disarm?
-
As for the legal argument about his eligibility, it should be about the law, not about what Obama had to deal with. Obama wanted the controversy. It doesn't take that much effort to produce a birth certificate.
“My child is gifted. He’s also 29, unemployed, and living in my basement”
The Matt Walsh Blog
comment:
Walsh receives an email from a reader and responds to it. Well worth a read if you have the attention span.
Ann Barnhardt doesn't think you have it. She thinks most everybody doesn't have an adequate attention span. Sadly, it looks like she's right.
Read it the whole thing.
Here's what I think: rather than blame the world for your problems, just start with yourself. You can't do very much about the world, but you may be able to do something with yourself.
But blaming yourself is the last thing that anyone wants to do.
comment:
Walsh receives an email from a reader and responds to it. Well worth a read if you have the attention span.
Ann Barnhardt doesn't think you have it. She thinks most everybody doesn't have an adequate attention span. Sadly, it looks like she's right.
Read it the whole thing.
Here's what I think: rather than blame the world for your problems, just start with yourself. You can't do very much about the world, but you may be able to do something with yourself.
But blaming yourself is the last thing that anyone wants to do.
Civil War in 1861
This morning I considered doing a post on this, then changed my mind. Now, I've changed my mind again and I'm going to do the post.
In recent posts, I compared today's events to the run up the Civil War. That's what I'm not so sure about now, but it is still worrisome.
I think the point is that the Civil War might have been averted. Since it was not, it may happen again.
So, how did the War happen and how might it have been avoided? On Instapundit, Glenn Reynolds offers that it would have been better if the South had not seceded at all. This is what Sam Houston believed. There was a faction at that time that did not approve of Lincoln, and it was this party that was considered to be an alternative. But there was more than one, and they split their votes. Now, if unity was the course that the Democrat party took back then, they may have won the election. Their split opened the way for Lincoln's victory. The election of Lincoln was the reason given by the South for their secession.
Douglas was the Democrat's nominee, but the Democrats were divided. Douglas was the author of the Kansas Nebraska Act, which served to split the party into Northern and Southern factions. Therefore, Douglas couldn't unify his party and shouldn't have been the nominee. The South, for its part insisted upon their own nominee. Their nominee had no hope of winning in the North. A unionist nominee, like the one that Sam Houston was being considered for as a nominee, may have unified the country enough to avoid a war. But that party couldn't get enough support. The vote was thus split four ways. The failure to unite around a suitable nominee was the last straw towards political failure. War soon followed.
The war was caused by the dissension over the issue of slavery. That issue was rather difficult to resolve since it involved economic and legal interests which could not be resolved easily. Besides all of that was the issue of race. That issue remains today even though slavery was abolished, hence the war never resolved that. Once the war was over, the issue of race took its place. It has been a source of political struggle ever since.
Today, black people vote as a block. Nearly 100% of all black votes went to Obama. It is this solidarity that has enabled them to place a black man in the White House even though the black people are but a small minority in the total population.
This small minority has power all out of proportion to their numbers. They have managed to obtain for themselves a type of special status. There are affirmative action programs and so forth which are specifically granted to them on the basis of race. Hence, they have an economic interest and political interest not unlike which existed for the slaveholders in the Old South. Thus to challenge or to remove this special status, of which affirmative action is but only a part, is likely to provoke a reaction that may well turn to violence. For example, there are those that believe that if Obama had lost this last election, the blacks would have rioted because of what they claimed to be racism. Another example is this absurd claim of racism in the recently concluded Zimmerman trial. The LA Riots in the nineties is yet another example.
The political class is developing a rather dangerous notion of entitlement. When applied to blacks, it is often said by them that white people "owe" them. If such a debt exists, how far should it go? Does it include the right to strike a non-black man if that man says or does something offensive? For that is what Martin did to Zimmerman. The ability to do this would confer a special right or privilege not accorded to any race since the days of slavery and Jim Crow. If slavery and Jim Crow was wrong, how then is this right?
To deny that such a right is being claimed would require you to close your eyes to the truth. The protests to the verdict in the Zimmerman trial appear to demand that very thing. Close your eyes. Shut your mouth. Never mind the truth. The black folks are offended and that is all that counts. If the black folks are offended, everything must change to accommodate their grievance---never mind the facts that there isn't any grievance to accommodate. No evidence of racism was presented. No evidence of law breaking by Zimmerman was proven. There is only the dead black kid, but nobody seems to be interested in why he died, only that he did, and there must be hell to pay for that.
Lincoln once said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. That house was divided on the issue of slavery. Our house is divided over the issue of race. If there was war before, there can be war again. The answer is to observe the Constitution, not to tear it down. For the document prohibits not only slavery, but it also prohibits nobility. For one people to claim special status on the basis of race is a claim to nobility. If there is anything to unite around, it should be that no group should have a special privilege on the basis of race. The black problem is that they are claiming that while accusing that of others. They are wrong.
In recent posts, I compared today's events to the run up the Civil War. That's what I'm not so sure about now, but it is still worrisome.
I think the point is that the Civil War might have been averted. Since it was not, it may happen again.
So, how did the War happen and how might it have been avoided? On Instapundit, Glenn Reynolds offers that it would have been better if the South had not seceded at all. This is what Sam Houston believed. There was a faction at that time that did not approve of Lincoln, and it was this party that was considered to be an alternative. But there was more than one, and they split their votes. Now, if unity was the course that the Democrat party took back then, they may have won the election. Their split opened the way for Lincoln's victory. The election of Lincoln was the reason given by the South for their secession.
Douglas was the Democrat's nominee, but the Democrats were divided. Douglas was the author of the Kansas Nebraska Act, which served to split the party into Northern and Southern factions. Therefore, Douglas couldn't unify his party and shouldn't have been the nominee. The South, for its part insisted upon their own nominee. Their nominee had no hope of winning in the North. A unionist nominee, like the one that Sam Houston was being considered for as a nominee, may have unified the country enough to avoid a war. But that party couldn't get enough support. The vote was thus split four ways. The failure to unite around a suitable nominee was the last straw towards political failure. War soon followed.
The war was caused by the dissension over the issue of slavery. That issue was rather difficult to resolve since it involved economic and legal interests which could not be resolved easily. Besides all of that was the issue of race. That issue remains today even though slavery was abolished, hence the war never resolved that. Once the war was over, the issue of race took its place. It has been a source of political struggle ever since.
Today, black people vote as a block. Nearly 100% of all black votes went to Obama. It is this solidarity that has enabled them to place a black man in the White House even though the black people are but a small minority in the total population.
This small minority has power all out of proportion to their numbers. They have managed to obtain for themselves a type of special status. There are affirmative action programs and so forth which are specifically granted to them on the basis of race. Hence, they have an economic interest and political interest not unlike which existed for the slaveholders in the Old South. Thus to challenge or to remove this special status, of which affirmative action is but only a part, is likely to provoke a reaction that may well turn to violence. For example, there are those that believe that if Obama had lost this last election, the blacks would have rioted because of what they claimed to be racism. Another example is this absurd claim of racism in the recently concluded Zimmerman trial. The LA Riots in the nineties is yet another example.
The political class is developing a rather dangerous notion of entitlement. When applied to blacks, it is often said by them that white people "owe" them. If such a debt exists, how far should it go? Does it include the right to strike a non-black man if that man says or does something offensive? For that is what Martin did to Zimmerman. The ability to do this would confer a special right or privilege not accorded to any race since the days of slavery and Jim Crow. If slavery and Jim Crow was wrong, how then is this right?
To deny that such a right is being claimed would require you to close your eyes to the truth. The protests to the verdict in the Zimmerman trial appear to demand that very thing. Close your eyes. Shut your mouth. Never mind the truth. The black folks are offended and that is all that counts. If the black folks are offended, everything must change to accommodate their grievance---never mind the facts that there isn't any grievance to accommodate. No evidence of racism was presented. No evidence of law breaking by Zimmerman was proven. There is only the dead black kid, but nobody seems to be interested in why he died, only that he did, and there must be hell to pay for that.
Lincoln once said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. That house was divided on the issue of slavery. Our house is divided over the issue of race. If there was war before, there can be war again. The answer is to observe the Constitution, not to tear it down. For the document prohibits not only slavery, but it also prohibits nobility. For one people to claim special status on the basis of race is a claim to nobility. If there is anything to unite around, it should be that no group should have a special privilege on the basis of race. The black problem is that they are claiming that while accusing that of others. They are wrong.
Stakes In “Nuclear Option” Senate Confirmation Battle – Dick Morris TV: Lunch Alert!
Stakes In “Nuclear Option” Senate Confirmation Battle – Dick Morris TV: Lunch Alert!
comment:
Morris discusses what the Democrats are after with the NLRB. They want to appoint pro-union board members so as to rescue the private sector labor unions.
This video came out before the GOP cave-in which probably means that the Democrats are going to get what they want. There will be a push for more power for labor unions in the private economy. That's what this all meant, and why I posted it.
comment:
Morris discusses what the Democrats are after with the NLRB. They want to appoint pro-union board members so as to rescue the private sector labor unions.
This video came out before the GOP cave-in which probably means that the Democrats are going to get what they want. There will be a push for more power for labor unions in the private economy. That's what this all meant, and why I posted it.
William Wilkins: The G. Gordon Liddy Of The IRS Scandal?
William Wilkins: The G. Gordon Liddy Of The IRS Scandal?
comment:
Could this be why Obama is raising the stakes by playing the race card?
comment:
Could this be why Obama is raising the stakes by playing the race card?
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