The Quest

U.S. & Iraq Are Repeating the Errors of a Disastrous 1930 Treaty

2008-06-18T12:26:35Z

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/opinion/17meyer.html?ref=todayspaper

How I'd Solve All the World's Problems If I Were Prez for a Day

2007-10-02T18:08:53Z

The Iranians have recently invited our President to reciprocate Ahmadinejad's New York visit by speaking at one of their universities. I don't know how feasible or wise such a trip would be, given the security considerations involved -- but I think there could be much value in a Presidential address to the Iranian nation, regardless of venue.

Imagine if our leader gave a brief history lesson on the origins of our conflict with Iran -- starting not in 1979, but in 1953, when we overthrew a democratically elected government and installed the Shah. Imagine how shocked the Iranian people would be if he were to apologize, on our behalf, for that act, and tied the present conflict to it. Such candor would be unprecedented in our ongoing war of words with Iran; it would open the minds of Iranians and gain the respect of the entire world.

The President could go on to explain how the roles have since been reversed: that there is overwhelming evidence that various elements in the Iranian military have lately been sowing strife and instability in the nascent democracies of Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq.

Then, he would move the focus back to the nuclear question, explaining why the world cannot entrust dangerous nuclear technology to a government that openly aims to "wipe Israel off the map", even as it claims its programs are peaceful in nature. At this point, he should cite the letter written by the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeni authorizing a nuclear weapons program during the Iran-Iraq war.

Finally, he could point out that the issue of nonproliferation is larger than Iran, and that no matter how many sanctions are passed or wars fought, we'll keep returning to the same situation again and again until the underlying problem is solved. To that end, he would propose that all uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing worldwide be placed under direct supervision of the IAEA. In the interest of global peace and stability, the United States would place all of its own enrichment and reprocessing facilities under IAEA authority, and invite all UN nations -- starting with the current NPT signatories -- to do the same.

Such a speech would be very much in the best interests of the United States. Whereas Iran has not yet produced any, we already have all the weapons-grade uranium and plutonium we will ever need. The President need say nothing about a nation giving up the fissile materials it already has. Furthermore, a fix for the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) loopholes is long overdue, and our looming conflict with Iran illustrates perfectly why those holes must be plugged.

The appeal for changes to the NPT would be made not to Iran, but to the entire world -- and there is an excellent chance it will get a positive reception. One can hardly imagine Iran's regime being more isolated if it continues to insist on indigenous enrichment at that point. But the President should not stop there: at the end of his address, he should offer the Iranians diplomatic recognition and normalized relations if they will endorse and comply with the new NPT protocol.

Gee Whiz Trivia

2007-10-01T03:48:16Z

Enjoy...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urinal

More Science Stuff

2007-09-12T01:40:54Z

Someone has found a way to use radio frequencies, rather than electricity, to break water ("radiolysis"?)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/burning_seawater

Although this development can't be used for long-distance communication, it could help make quantum computers a reality:
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/60762,spooky-science-points-to-quantum-internet.aspx

9/11 Anniversary Post - Analyses

2007-09-12T01:25:46Z

GWOT:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucas/20070908/cm_ucas/waronterroristakingplaceinthewrongplaces;_ylt=AjCbcVZ8vMy_7YHdoB9aBpS7e8UF

WWIV:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucwb/20070905/cm_ucwb/worldwariv;_ylt=AgpXYQwVT7OyuVBi3VnDSiy7e8UF

OBL Hunt:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20430170/site/newsweek/page/1

Isolating Bad Regimes

2007-08-31T03:59:10Z

Food for thought!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/03/07/do0706.xml

Bosenovas: New Route to Fusion?

2007-08-29T04:15:43Z

Some folks at MIT have induced a Bose-Einstein condensate to collapse and create a miniature explosion:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/03apr_neutronstars.htm

Such condensates are a distinct phase of matter that forms when enough atoms of the same isotope are cooled within a millionth of a degree of absolute zero. The funny thing about this explosion is, they did it with Rubidium atoms. Rubidium is a rare-earth element -- pretty massive as isotopes go -- and I don't know much about the nuclear physics involved, but I doubt that it is capable of fusing with itself. The experimenters said that the energy yield of their "bosenova" explosion was very modest... but what if they had used a fusable element instead?

This is something I've wondered before... the problem with nuclear fusion is that positively-charged nuclei repel each other, and the closer they get to each other, the more powerful that repulsion becomes. But in a Bose-Einstein condensate, all the particles of each atom move in unison; in many ways, it's as if the condensate were one *very* large atom. And there's no limit to the number of atoms that can be added to such a condensate, provided that they are sufficiently cooled. But this looks like it eliminates the repulsion problem, doesn't it? If it does, the following applications should become possible:
* high-yield nuclear fusion within light-isotope condensates
* high-yield nuclear fusion between different isotope condensates
* synthesis of new, superheavy elements
* creation of a microscopic "neutron star" or "black hole" in the lab

That might conceivably lead to commercially viable fusion or even breakthroughs in quantum gravity. So, stay tuned! New physics is afoot.

Wedding Ring Engravings

2007-08-29T00:44:53Z

My first, My Only
F f F f F f - Love, Diana
You wore me down
Bloody Hell
Lover of my behind
You are SO mine
You're mine sucker!
Not for pawning
Put me back on!
Wrapped around you forever
A perfect fit
1 room, 1 bed, no p.j.’s
Save and redeem for fun prizes
Hot Wifey Award
Please return with man if found
If found, keep man and return ring
May all our ups and downs be only in the bedroom.
My Pet Monster
Every day and twice on Sunday
His: Frankenstein
Hers: Bride Of Frankenstein
999,995 more years to go
Awesome, Up Top. 9-29-07
I pick the cute brunette 5/13/07
Say bye bye to freedom babe
You are my first home run
Hook, line & sinker
A halo for my angel
His: PDM 1 of 2 Assimilated 24-11-00
Hers: MLR 2 of 2 Assimilated 24-11-00 (resistance was futile)
Happy now? Good.
Don’t hope...decide
I can’t wait to make love to you
Daniela’s property 9-9-00 (his)
Christian’s property 9-9-00 (hers)
I made a wish and you came true
I love you more than toast

Beethoven Dead from Lead

2007-08-28T23:43:28Z

Poor guy! He lived in silence most of his life, and never found a wife... I never knew he suffered so much at the end... :'(

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_re_eu/who_killed_beethoven;_ylt=AjQJ6RiE3py0MDJWszWxT78UewgF

Latest Science Links

2007-08-28T07:31:12Z

Interesting new theoretical developments:

http://www.physorg.com/news96027669.html

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/fundamentals/mg19325954.200-the-universe-is-a-stringnet-liquid.html?DCMP=ILC-Top5&nsref=mg19325954.200

Dark Matter links for my GF <3
More of it is just black holes:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20070731/sc_space/hiddenblackholesrevealed

In any case, it's not what most theorists think:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20070817/sc_space/newmysteryofinvisiblemattergeneratedbycosmiccollision

The quadrant that God forgot
astronomers' latest intriguing discovery: absolutely nothing!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20070824/sc_space/hugeholefoundintheuniverse

Wow -- an actual test for string theory! :o
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9j8eu0MztNGWM4AMRLQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHZkMjZyBHBvcwMxBHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=12roev57c/EXP=1188372364/**http%3a//science.slashdot.org/article.pl%3fsid=07/08/25/019234%26from=rss

And here's the latest cutting-edge work on Dodos:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20070817/sc_livescience/bonescouldyielddododna;_ylt=Ahm9SvnL0ef8g3FoiZKBdrX737YB

Why I'm Glad I Hadn't Already Learned German ; )

2007-08-28T06:58:34Z

Thank goodness MS still grades my papers! : b
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070827/cm_csm/yblechman

Froggy Love

2007-08-28T06:48:38Z

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18494880/

*rubbit!* ^^

Who Is Buried in Columbus's Tomb?

2007-08-28T05:43:37Z

Now they're saying he may have been Spanish, not Italian:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12871458/

I wonder if "Puss in Boots" (Shrek) is Catalonian, too? :D

Big News

2007-08-18T12:02:18Z

I'm the luckiest man in the world, cuz I'm marrying majinsakuko on Valentine's Day! :D She's the love of my life, and lives nearly half the world away -- so I'm planning to mail myself to her in a box, inside a big cake or something. That might be a lot easier than messing with all the immigration paperwork ; ) but she's more than worth all the hassle! <333

Letter to the Editor of CSM

2006-04-09T09:11:15Z

I fully support the efforts of the West to isolate Hamas until it renounces violence, honors Fatah-brokered agreements and recognizes Israel's right to exist. Moreover, I also see Mr. Haniyeh, the new Palestinian PM, as a rational actor who makes decisions based on domestic political considerations rather than extremist ideology. We may therefore be able to work with him.

Mr. Haniyeh represents the landslide victory of Hamas as a democratic mandate for all of its policies, including those that support violence. Once his administration has begun to feel the pinch, we should propose that they put the goal of a two-state solution to a popular referendum vote. If the Palestinian people are willing to live in peace alongside Israel in exchange for international recognition (and aid), the Hamas government would have ample justification for revising its policies. Let us hope that Mr. Haniyeh -- and the Palestinian people -- are up to that challenge.

21st Century NASA: "PIGS... IN... SPACE..."

2006-03-30T21:37:27Z

Gregg Easterbrook has my vote for NASA Chief:
http://www.slate.com/id/2138943/?nav=ais

Then again, he might be disqualified by his penchant for common sense.

vikingknight @ 2006-03-17T21:15:00

2006-03-18T05:23:08Z

Here is some crap that I found -- consider it my St. Patrick's Day gift to you all. Take it easy on the green beer, everyone...
:J

Freedom Fighter:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060217/wr_nm/china_censorship_dc;_ylt=AgwFoEikx5Y5qa01wKv153Fk24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3cjE0b2MwBHNlYwM3Mzg-

ATTN shore-dwellers -- get a houseboat:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060219/ap_on_sc/next_new_orleans;_ylt=AthY8k7raFLuw0BneZ2l9cX737YB;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MzV0MTdmBHNlYwM3NTM-

What really went wrong with Mars missions:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11718925

Medical Breakthrough!

2006-02-21T05:35:27Z

Feeling bummed? Modern science has the answer...

Yesterday, Iraq; Tomorrow -- Canada!

2006-02-18T10:24:57Z

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/P138885.asp

Okay, so maybe it's not the best way to save the planet... but at least it will hasten our energy independence from the Middle East (and Venezuela). Besides; the idea of annexation really is pretty cool! ; b

Pleistocene Porn! :o

2006-02-15T04:48:54Z

Check out what prehistoric caveboys had on their minds: ;D

http://www.livescience.com/history/060214_cave_art.html

Happy V-Day!!!

2006-02-14T10:45:23Z

I love you, Valentine... even if my note to you hasn't quite arrived yet! : )

Love Always,
Your John

Hail to the Chief

2006-02-13T07:04:46Z

A few of you may remember my post about biofuels awhile back. Since then, the President has made energy independence a priority in his State of the Union address... and cellulosic biofuel was highlighted in that speech!

Of all the approaches for producing bio-ethanol, this one may hold the most promise:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060212/ap_on_bi_ge/bug_juice;_ylt=Arwz5s.fvWBEZ2F2rCw6PdZxieAA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MzV0MTdmBHNlYwM3NTM-
It's essentially just biological catalysis and fermentation, which can in theory be accomplished in a single step. Brewers and vintners already have lots of experience in this area, except this time the ethanol is being produced not from the finest ingredients, but from trash!

There are of course many other approaches to green energy that are now being pursued. Heaven forbid we should ignore this one:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-manure12feb12,1,1570514.story?coll=la-headlines-business

As groundbreaking as the President's speech was, there are other nations that have been leading the way in renewable energy for some time now. Sweden, in particular, has vowed to completely eliminate its dependence on oil by 2020. Now, that takes chutzpah! Hopefully this bold move will inspire other countries (including the U.S.) to follow suit...

Cartoon Violence

2006-02-12T22:36:39Z

Here is a *brilliant* deconstruction of the present furor over the Mohammed cartoons:
http://www.slate.com//id/2135917/

'Unsportsmanlike' Self-Defense

2006-01-19T19:57:42Z

Apparently, Antonio Davis of the New York Knicks got ejected from a game yesterday for jumping into the stands. He did that not to start a brawl, but to protect his wife from an intoxicated fan. Steve Kerr of Yahoo! News wrote this article defending his ejection and likely suspension:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Aquy6V8PlI6DgoI0eWHAUGm8vLYF?slug=sk-davis011806&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I had something entirely different to say about it:

(Reply to Steve Kerr on 19 January)

You wrote in your recent article on Mr. Davis' ejection in Chicago:

"As for security, there is only so much that can be done at an NBA game to prevent this sort of thing from happening. The security force in Chicago reacted quickly and prevented any further escalation of the incident, but there is no way they can be everywhere at once. These things are going to happen, particularly with the sales of alcohol at the arenas, but it is up to the players to trust that league and arena security will handle any altercations, even if they include family members."

But you yourself have acknowledged that security, in this case, is wishful thinking. Why _should_ any responsible man -- especially a player whose family and friends are in immediate jeopardy -- entrust the safety of that family to league and area security, when security is notably absent? The facts, it would appear, speak for themselves. Security reacted quickly to Davis, not to the threat against his wife; and I seriously doubt they would have gotten there as quickly if he had gone through 'proper channels'.

Players have frequently been the targets of harassment and violence by obsessive and deranged fans. It should be obvious that a player's friends and relatives are at greater risk than most who attend league events. If security cannot be everywhere at once, the logical thing would be to place athletes' family members under heightened protection. Doing so would give the athletes greater peace of mind and enable them to focus their attention on the court, rather than on the stands. It would also prevent repeats of the sort of episode that we witnessed on Wednesday.

You cite the importance of precedent in supporting Mr. Davis' ejection and probable suspension. But giving league regulations greater weight than personal safety sets a far more dangerous precedent, in my view. Now hecklers and misguided fans who wish to distract players will know *exactly* how they can do so; so long as they leave the scene within a couple minutes, existing security arrangements allow them to do it with complete impunity.

Mr. Davis acted to protect his family without resorting to violence or needlessly argumentative behavior. That makes him a class act in my book, and a far better man than the 'ideal' league player who puts off the pressing needs of his own family. Something as basic as human safety should trump league regulations and legalistic arguments anyday. If Davis is suspended for even one day, I will have no further interest in watching or attending any future NBA events -- and I hope that other fans feel just as strongly as I.