David Hornik, famous as the VC at August Capital who made some of the first true web 2.0 investments, is actually a lawyer. And a good one. Not to mention a Harvard Law School grad. (Who now teaches at a business school.) He has the go-to post on the web 2.0 trademark controversy, in which a conference promoter (CMP) sent a cease-and-desist letter to an Irish non-profit with a plan to hold a conference using the term “web 2.0” in a manner that CMP believed violated their rights. Equally important, to be sure, is Tim O’Reilly’s summation/apology post (CMP works with O’Reilly on the huge conference with the relevant name.) The NYT piece, by Sara Ivry, is also good.
My view: this issue is another example of IP-law-gone-silly. And I agree with David when he writes:
“… I believe Intellectual Property needs to inform business decisions, not dictate them. Entrepreneurs should never take on risks that they don’t understand and appreciate fully. But that is not to say that entrepreneurs should never take on risk — they should just choose to take on that risk after fully exploring its scope. In some cases that risk is Intellectual Property risk (will my ability to enforce my trademark be diminished by my failure to enforce it in this instance?). In other cases that risk is pure business risk (will my long-time supporters turn on me if I enforce my trademark in this instance?). Or perhaps a mixture of the two.
“I am quite certain that had CMP fully appreciated the potential business risk of sending a Cease and Desist letter to it@cork, they would not have done so. More importantly, I am certain that if Tim O’Reilly had had the opportunity to consider and comment upon the risks of such aggressive trademark enforcement by CMP, he would have urged them to think better of it. But, alas, whoever ultimately made the decision to crack down on the use of the ‘Web 2.0’ service mark (I suspect it was a lawyer, not a business person) did not fully consider the ramifications of doing so and the result of that action have reverberated throughout the blogsphere.”
The big distinction here is between having IP rights (separate conversation: debating the merits of whether the scope and duration of the rights are too big) and seeking to enforce them — in every instance — against others who may possibly be infringing them. That’s where business people should call the shots, not the lawyers. The point is not that you shouldn’t have IP rights, nor that you shouldn’t ever enforce them. It’s that there’s an art to know when to press your case and when to use other tools at your disposal to get your way, whatever that might be — or even to make the decision to look the other way, or to give away your rights to embrace the community’s embrace of something to which you have the rights.
As an aside: likewise, what do you think that the PR firm in the Lance Dutson case in Maine would give for a do-over? Or Diebold? Alas, no mulligans in IP law (and related) enforcement matters.
John Palfrey 
On March 19, 2003, The United States, together with some militarily insignificant but politically important Coalition Forces, premiered Gulf Wars Episode II.
The premise for the highly anticipated Mini-Series was Iraq’s possession or inevitable possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction which were indicated to be nuclear bombs capable of killing 2,000,000 people. Recently in the series, however, Weapons of Mass Destruction were redefined as being old degraded chemical artillery shells, which were once capable of killing 200 people.
The first season premiere of Episode II was named Shock and Awe, and was eagerly watched on small screens around the world. Within days, the victorious Coalition Forces arrived unopposed in Baghdad to the cheers of the defeated Iraqis.
The destruction of Baghdad, the thousands of Iraqis killed, the looting and chaos which followed, was then renamed Operation Iraqi Freedom. The mission was accomplished and the final installment was filmed on an aircraft carrier.
The original Mini-Series was extended by the emergence of Iraqi gorilla resistance fighters which were called Terrorists, and were somehow connected with the Saudi/al-Qaeda sponsored 911 attack in speeches by President Bush. Episode II was then renamed The War on Terror in Iraq.
By June 25, 2006, Saddam Hussein had not yet been sentenced for torturing and murdering thousands of Iraqis. Saddam has proposed that he should be sentenced to return as President of Iraq and straighten out the mess.
In an interesting twist of the plot, dozens of U.S. troops are being investigated, prosecuted, detained in shackles, and jailed for mistreating terrorist prisoners and killing some Iraqis. U.S. troops in The War on Terror installments are only permitted to be killed and wounded without going nuts.
The Episode II Series will be renewed indefinitely, or until the U.S. goes to war with Iran and/or North Korea, or until Bush leaves office, or until The United States of America is bankrupt…
OR, Until the Insurgents simply stop all attacks, road-side bombings, suicide bombings, car bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, beheadings, etc. and allow the U.S. to victoriously end the occupation and democratization of the hopelessly sectarian Muslims in Iraq.
James Conklin (R)
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The Iraq War Made Easy:
The War to Disarm Saddam Hussein of WMD
The War to Force Regime Change in Iraq
The War to Establish Democracy in Iraq
The War to Fight the Terrorists in Iraq
The War to Achieve Victory in Iraq
The War called Operation Shock & Awe
The War called Operation Iraqi Freedom
The War called Mission Accomplished
The War called Protecting Our Freedom
The War called Coalition Fighting in Iraq
The War called The War on Terror in Iraq
The War called Insurgency in Final Throes
The War called Progress Being Made in Iraq
The War called Staying the Course in Iraq
The War called A New Way Forward in Iraq
The War that Discovered no Biological Weapons
The War that Discovered no Nuclear Weapons
The War that Destroyed Iran’s Natural Enemy
The War that Became an Occupation of Iraq
The War that Disregarded Theocratic Islam
The War that Spawned Hatred of the USA
The War that Emboldened Syria and Iran
The War that Multiplied the Misery in Iraq
The War that Neglected Sectarian Strife
The War that Diluted The War on Terror
The War that Cost $400,000,000,000 ++
The War that Divided the United States
James T. Conklin
Al Gore has accused Bush of not admitting his mistakes. Al Gore will not admit the 11 inaccuracies and deceptions in his film: An Inconvenient Truth (sic). Jim Conklin
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The decision by the Government to distribute the film An Inconvenient Truth has been the subject of a legal action by Stewart Dimmock. The Court found that Gore’s film was misleading in 11 respects.
In order for the film to be shown to students, the Government must amend the “Guidance Notes to Teachers” and make it clear that:
1. The Film is a political work & promotes one side of an argument.
2. Teachers must (under law) make this clear to their students.
3. The 11 inaccuracies must be specifically explained to students.
The inaccuracies are:
The film claims that melting snow on Mount Kilimanjaro is evidence of global warming. The Government’s expert conceded that this is not correct.
The film suggests that evidence from ice cores proves that rising CO2 has caused temperature increases over 650,000 years. The Court found that the film was misleading: Over that period the rises in CO2 lagged behind temperature rises by 800 to 2,000 years.
The film uses emotive images of Hurricane Katrina and suggests that this has been caused by global warming. The Government’s expert had to accept that it was “not possible” to attribute one-off events to global warming. (The past two years have had the least Atlantic hurricanes of any two-year period in ten years. 18 hurricanes were predicted and there were 9. Only one touched the USA.)
The film shows the drying up of Lake Chad, and claims that this was caused by global warming. The Government’s expert accepted that this was not true.
The film claims that a study showed that polar bears had drowned due to disappearing arctic ice. Gore had misread the study: In fact, 4 bears drowned because of a particularly violent storm.
The film states that global warming could stop the Gulf Stream and put Europe into an ice age… Evidence showed this was a scientific impossibility. (What! Global warming will cause an ice age? Catch 22)
The film blames global warming for species losses including coral reef bleaching. The Government could not find evidence to support this claim.
The film suggests that the Greenland ice covering could melt causing sea levels to rise dangerously. The evidence is that Greenland will not melt for millennia.
The film suggests that the Antarctic ice is melting. Evidence showed that the Antarctic ice is increasing.
The film suggests that sea levels could rise by 7 meters (23 feet) causing the displacement of millions of people. The evidence is that sea levels are expected to rise by about 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) over the next hundred years.
The film claims that rising sea levels has caused the evacuation of some Pacific islands. The Government was unable to substantiate this. The Court observed that this appears to be a false claim.
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NUCLEAR ENERGY IS NEEDED NOW
The facts are these:
1. The most practical energy sources are oil and gas.
2. World oil and gas production is near its peak… now.
3. World oil and gas consumption is increasing rapidly.
Do NOT waste time and money on low density energy sources such as sun, wind, and waves. A simple economic analysis, energy output analysis, duty cycle study, weather data, life cycle study, energy source density analysis, area requirement calculation, energy-to-build requirements, etc. all demonstrate the obvious and gross impracticality of meeting the present and future energy demands with “renewable” energy sources.
Nuclear fission is the only practical energy source in the absense of unlimited supplies of crude oil and natural gas.
Engineers, not politicians, are needed to brainstorm the energy problem:
How about using underground fission reactors to eliminate horizontal shielding, terror attacks, airplane attacks, etc.?
How about a fission reactor design 100 feet long and 2 feet in diameter, which is located 1000 feet underground in a bore hole?
How about a packaged fission reactor design which is bare bones and small… just to produce open cycle steam heat for cities.
How about an underground nuclear fission heating/shock device to open up low-production oil fields and increase production levels.
How about a very inefficient nuclear fission device? Yes, inefficient. So what, if it solves major form-factor, cost, maintenance, safety problems, etc.
Can anyone see where we need to go? NEW CONCEPTS are required in the design, size, shape, location, materials, applications, shielding, protection, simplicity, practicality, and cost of nuclear fission energy sources. There are plenty of engineers available to handle the details.
THE HEADLINES FOR 18 CLIMATE CHANGE WARNINGS:
See: http://www.saveportland.com/Climate/index.html
1895 Geologists Think the World May Be Frozen Up Again.
1912 Prof. Schmidt Warns Us of and Encroaching Ice Age.
1922 Penguin: Seen as Ice Age Harbinger.
1923 Menace of a New Ice Age to be Tested by Scientists.
1923 Explorer to Determine Wheather New Ice Age is Coming.
1932 Melting Ice Caps to Raise Seas and Flood Continents.
1932 This Cold, Cold World.
1952 Temperature Was Higher by 10 Deg. in 1950 than in 1900.
1954 Are Winters Getting Warmer? Yes in East. No in West.
1959 Arctic Findings Support Theory of Rising Global Temps.
1969 Expert Says Arctic Ocean Will Soon Be an Open Sea.
1970 Colder Winters Held Dawn of New Ice Age.
1973 Brace Yourself For Another Ice Age.
1974 Another Ice Age?
1974 Expanding Arctic.
1975 Unusual Warmth Will Give Way to a Time of Colder Climate.
1975 Climate Change: Chilling Possibilities.
1975 Major Cooling Widely Considered to Be Inevitable.
THE SCORE:
11 Predictions of Global Cooling
5 Predictions of Global Warming
2 Predictions of Both
Most of the above climate change warnings came from “scientists”…
not from self-promoting politicians like Al Gore who has a degree in “Government”.
What is the U.S.A. doing in Iraq?
The U.S.A. bombed Iraq.
The U.S.A. invaded Iraq.
The U.S.A. occupied Iraq.
The U.S.A. destroyed the military in Iraq
The U.S.A. declared “Mission Accomplished” in Iraq.
The U.S.A. discovered no W.M.D. in Iraq.
The U.S.A. captured Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
The U.S.A. instigated regime change in Iraq.
The U.S.A. established democracy in Iraq.
The U.S.A. rebuilt infrastructure in Iraq.
The U.S.A. continues fighting in Iraq.
The U.S.A. requires “Victory in Iraq”.
Did Bush forget to demand that Iraq surrender?
TROUBLE HERE ON EARTH
Well, either you’re closing your eyes
To a situation you do not wish to acknowledge
Or you are not aware of the caliber of disaster indicated
By the presence of radical Islam here on Earth.
Ya got Islamic jihad brewing, my friend, right here.
I say, jihad brewing right here on planet Earth.
Jihad with a capital “J”
And that rhymes with “A” and that stands for Ahmadinejad!
People, you’ve got radical Islam here on Earth.
I say, radical Islam right here on planet Earth.
Islam with a capital “I”
And Islam starts with “I” and that stands for Iran!
August 28 at 5:00 AM, I awoke with the anticipation of observing a total eclipse of the Moon. A brilliant shaft of moonlight was streaming into my bedroom from thirty degrees of elevation in the Western sky. The silver moonbeam painted a bright inversed trapezoidal silhouette on the opposite wall.
I laid in my bed and contemplated the significance of this inevitable, impending, and rare astronomical event. If I waited in bed until 5:43 AM, then got up and did not see anything… then I would have seen a total eclipse of the Moon.
I went back to sleep.
My Years As A Rocket Scientist and The Sprint Missile
Sprint Missile, Part 0… Forward
Science students enjoy stories about old engineering projects. This is the story of the Sprint Anti-Ballistic Missile System (ABM), circa 1961-1970.
The Sprint development program took place 40 years ago. Like the Apollo moon rocket (in the space age), nothing like the Sprint has ever been built since.
Note that in the 1960’s: there were no push button telephones, cell phones, fax machines, pocket calculators, integrated circuits, personal computers, etc. There were mechanical desktop machines which could only add, multiply, and divide.
We had an IBM digital computer which occupied a room the size of a 3-bedroom house. The IBM computer had less capability than a 486.
Engineering calculations were made with a slide rule, which gave a 3-digit number. The decimal point had to be estimated by the engineer.
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Sprint Missile, Part 1… The Background
Someone once said: “If you want peace, prepare for war.”
In the 1960’s we did not talk a lot about war, but the people in the defense industry (military-industrial complex) assumed that thermo-nuclear war with the USSR was most likely inevitable. It was very scary to think about. The number of nuke weapons was unbelievably large… there were nuke artillery shells, nuke torpedoes, nuke depth-charges, nuke air-to-surface missiles, nuke anti-radiation ASM’s, nuke short range surface-to-surface missiles, nuke short range ballistic missiles, long range multi-warhead ballistic missiles, etc.
The USA prepared for thermonuclear war in the 1960’s. It was the golden age of rocket propulsion and weapons development. There were all kinds of weapons systems being built at the same time: There were the Nike Zeus ABM, Sprint ABM, Minuteman, Poseidon, Pershing, Titan, and even the Apollo moon program and all of them were going balls out between 1960 and 1970. It all ended about 1970. Then came the lay-offs. I got laid-off on July 18, 1969… 2 days before we landed on the moon. Rocket Scientists (Propulsion Engineers) were not in much demand after that. I got a job in Sewer Rehabilitation.
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Sprint Missile, Part 2… The Concept
The Nike Zeus ABM was intended to intercept ICBM warheads far out. But, there were decoys and chaff deployed out there. If the Zeus missed, we needed to wait until the decoys burned up during re-entry… then the radar could discern which one was the warhead.
The only way to destroy an incoming warhead is with a nuke.
The Sprint had a small 1 kT W-66 enhanced radiation thermonuclear warhead. The 1 kT warhead was equivalent to 2,000,000 pounds of TNT. It was enhanced with a very high neutron flux which would mess up every object in the area.
The “Bloody Nose” concept is as follows: It is better to take a punch in the nose than an axe in the head. The longer you wait, the better chance of a hit, but the closer the intercept, the more overpressure you receive from your own defensive warhead.
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Sprint Missile, Part 3… The Speed
The entire Sprint Missile System design and operation was driven by speed. Every missile system function from the pre-launch check to the target intercept was allotted and timed in milliseconds.
It took about one second to do the pre-launch spin-up and check-out. Umbilical connectors under the nose cone provided the interface. Before launch, the entire missile and warhead was checked, two on-board gas generators were ignited and pressurized to 1000 psi, first stage thrust vector control (TVC) and second stage hydraulic control systems and actuators were pressurized and tested. The missile was told the direction and the angle of elevation that it would assume during first stage ignition.
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Sprint Missile, Part 4… The Launch Command
Linear explosive shaped charges under the thick reinforced plastic Sprint silo door pulverized the door with an outward blast. The silo door vanished.
Explosive actuators disconnected the umbilical connectors and retracted the electric cables. The umbilical cables were captured and restrained against the silo wall. The missile nose cone slammed down over the umbilical connectors on the missile to protect them during the flight.
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Sprint Missile, Part 5… The Launch Requirements
Before the Sprint first stage ignition, the missile had to be launched from the silo to four feet above ground level. The Sprint was ejected from the silo in less than a second with a velocity over 200 feet per second.
There was a limitation, however, which made the launch very complicated. The launch eject acceleration could not exceed 92 g’s on the missile. The missile weighed 7,700 pounds which meant that we could not push on the aft skirt with more than 708,000 pounds of force… It had to be done very precisely.
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Sprint Missile, Part 6… The Launch Eject
The Sprint missile was 27 feet long and 4.5 feet in diameter. It sat on a domed piston inside a 10-foot high launch tube (gun barrel). Beneath the piston, sat the Launch Eject Gas Generator. The LEGG was my project.
The gas generator was made of 2-inch thick steel. The cover was held on with 30 1-inch bolts. Upon ignition, a black powder igniter plus the burning propellant grain raised the chamber pressure to 5,000 psi. Steel diaphragms on 8 radial exhaust nozzles burst. Gas pressure under the piston accelerated the missile up the launch tube. As the piston reached the top of the launch tube, 4 heavy lead weights chopped into the piston and stripped it off from the base of the missile.
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Sprint Missile, Part 7… The LEGG Internal Ballistics
Many interdependent variables determined the performance of the gas generator and the resulting missile acceleration during the 0.2 second LEGG burn time.
The variables were igniter function, igniter weight, chamber volume, propellant volume, propellant weight, gas weight, burn rate, burn time, chamber pressure, burst pressure, throat area, and flow rate; all of which resulted in piston pressure vs. time and hence missile acceleration.
In the 1960’s, we used an analog computer simulation program to analyze and determine the performance variables with respect to time after t zero.
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Sprint Missile, Part 8… The Analog Computer
With an analog computer, the variables in a program are represented by voltages with respect to time. An analog computer is an assembly of simple electrical components, primarily resistors, capacitors, and integrators. Each program has a “patch board” upon which the operator plugs in the components and the interconnecting wires to make up the “program board”.
Every program variable has an initial value at t zero. Initial values are voltages which are set into the computer using variable resistors called “pots”. When the program is started, all the variables begin changing with respect to time. The operator uses an ink chart to display how any particular variable changes with time.
An analog computer simulation program combined with many hours of test runs can enable an engineer to determine the sensitivities of the variables and start assigning initial values until the desired result is obtained on the computer. We sometimes worked from 4 PM to 12 PM when the computer was available.
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Sprint Missile, Part 9… Build and Test
After computer simulation, the LEGG was built and tested. That is when we learned what things do not perform as they were simulated on the computer.
So, it’s back to the computer with a little more knowledge and do it over again.
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Sprint Missile, Part 10… The LEGG Propellant Burn Rate
The two Sprint solid propellant rocket motors used double-base propellant.
Double-base solid propellant consists of fibrous nitro-cellulose and nitro-glycerin, each containing oxygen and fuel in the same compound. The term double-base originated from the application of these mixtures as gun powder.
Somewhat milder ammonium perchlorate (AP) from Aerojet General was chosen for the Launch Eject Gas Generator solid propellant. I served as the Martin resident engineer during the LEGG development at Aerojet in Sacramento.
Analog computer simulation indicated that a faster than obtainable propellant burn rate was required. First, dozens of holes were drilled thru the propellant “grain” (chunk of solid propellant). The holes increased the burning surface area and hence the effective propellant burning rate. But, that was not enough.
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Sprint Missile, Part 11… Increasing Burn Rate
Solid propellant burn rate can be increased by mixing in short aluminum fibers. The fibers which are perpendicular to the burning surface conduct heat and increase the local rate of combustion causing microscopic coning around the fibers and effectively increasing the burning surface area and the burning rate.
Mixing in aluminum fibers was not enough. The LEGG grain needed the fibers to be perpendicular to the burning surface. But, how could that be done?
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Sprint Missile, Part 12… Fascicular Casting
In order to greatly increase the AP propellant burn rate, aluminum fibers were mixed into the wet propellant and pushed thru a plate with hundreds of small holes. Fascicles resembling spaghetti were allowed to hang down until they stretched and fell into the grain casting mold.
As the fascicles stretched, the aluminum fibers were oriented longitudinally within the fascicles. The fascicles fell into the mold and piled up in a horizontal orientation. The grain casting cooled and coalesced into a solid mass of propellant with most of the aluminum fibers in the horizontal plane.
When holes were drilled thru the propellant grain, most of the fibers were perpendicular to the burning surface, and the burning rate was very greatly increased.
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Sprint Missile, Part 13… First Stage Ignition
As the Sprint was launched from the silo and reached a height of 4 feet, four Thrust Vector Control (TVC) triple pintle valves in the first stage exhaust nozzle injected many gallons of liquid freon into the nozzle as first stage rocket motor ignition occurred. The missile kicked over to the desired direction and angle.
First stage burn time was 1.2 seconds during which several thousand pounds of propellant were burned producing 650,000 pounds of thrust. The missile was gone in 1.2 seconds.
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Sprint Missile, Part 14… Second Stage Ignition
At first stage burnout, the first stage motor was explosively cut away from the missile and the second stage motor was ignited. Hydraulically controlled air vanes guided the Sprint to the intercept and the warhead detonation.
The Sprint had a ceiling of 100,000 feet and a range of 25 miles. Flight time was less than 15 seconds. Speed exceeded Mach 10, which at sea level is 11,000 feet per second or 7,500 miles per hour.
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THE OLDEST PROFESSION
For thousands of years, one profession had enabled certain people to have power over others and live in comparative luxury without toiling in the fields like the common people. In 1543, this profession had absolute power.
What is The Oldest Profession?
The Oldest Profession is Religion!
It started thousands of years ago with Medicine Men, Witch Doctors, Sayers, Oracles, Profits, Priests, Kings, and Popes. Whoever talked directly to God was God’s representative and had power over others.
3775 years ago, King Hammurabi of the Babylonian Empire had about 300 laws carved on an 8-foot diorite stone pillar. King Hammurabi claimed he received his laws from God. The stone pillar had a carving of the King standing before God to receive the laws. (Found in 1901 by Jacques Jean Marie de Morgan)
3300 years ago, God gave Moses another set of laws. The Bible says: “… the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.” Moses wrote this part of the Bible. After Moses got rid of the Golden Calf worshipers, Moses became the leader of the Jews.
2000 years ago, Jesus Christ claimed to BE God, and was called the King Of The Jews. Christ was competition for the religious establishment of the time, and was tortured and crucified.
In modern times, religion became a money business… Jim and Tammy Bakker, Jimmy Swaggert, Benny Hinn, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton are a few.
Beijing, China makes Washington, DC look like a slum.
Actually, DC is a slum. I was five in 1940 when horseshoes were still being sold at a hardware store on Wisconsin Avenue. DC was a slum in 1940. DC was a slum in 1958. DC is a slum in 2008.
DC was chosen by George Washington and designed by L’Enfant in 1791 with circles and diagonal avenues so cannons could fire down the streets at the invading Brits who burned DC down in 1812 anyway. DC is land-locked by rivers and is totally inadequate as a modern city and the capitol of a 1st world country. The USA does not need to use 150-year old buildings forever.
Why isn’t the USA smart enough and rich enough to say: scrap the old US capitol and build a good functional modern city somewhere in the sunbelt.
I would put The Donald in charge. Trump would buy up a huge area in AL, MS, AR, OK, TX, NM, or AZ and lay out a modern city… Starting below ground with all utilities and transportation… With streets designed for 18-wheelers instead of 2-horse carriages… With an accessible airport, etc. Trump would pay for the entire new capitol city by selling off the surrounding real estate.
WAKE UP AMERICA!
FIGHTING THE ETHANOL HYPE
There are many problems with producing ethanol. One problem with ethanol is basic to all the alternative energy sources except nuclear: Ethanol provides no net energy.
Prof. David Pimentel at Cornell Univ. estimates that it takes about 1.3 gallons of oil to produce 1.0 gallons of ethanol. Add to that the fact that ethanol has about 60% of the heating value of oil. Add to that the fact that a cold engine will not start on ethanol.
Even if Pimentel is off by 50%, oil is only being traded for ethanol with zero net energy gain plus a lot of disadvantages and cost factors.
James T. Conklin, P.E.
THE GOVERNMENT INVENTED HIV
Rev. Jeremiah Wright angrily told his flock: “The government lied about inventing the HIV virus (sic) as a means of genocide against people of color.”
The congregation was standing, clapping, and cheering. People came up and slapped the Reverend on the back in their excitement. Was the congregation happy to hear that the government had lied? Or, were they happy because the government had failed in its “genocide against people of color”?
HIV was first recognized (invented) on December 1, 1981. The Surgeon General was C. Everett Koop. The R&D may have been performed during the Jimmy Carter presidency. In any case, it was another government program gone wrong.
The first time that most people learned about HIV and AIDS was when Rock Hudson died from AIDS in 1985. Soon after that, about two hundred white male homosexuals started dying of AIDS in San Francisco.
James T. Conklin
USA 193… THE GOVERNMENT REPORTING WAS ALL WRONG.
Before the shoot, a government rep said that the USA 193 shoot-down attempt would be made “just before the re-entry”. WRONG!
On January 29, an AP story quoted a U.S.A.F. general as saying that contingency plans were being made since intact pieces of USA 193 “might re-enter into the North American area”. WRONG!
A government rep said that the Navy was going to
“shoot it down into the ocean”. WRONG!
SPACE-DEBRIS EXPERTS, including NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, said that some of the debris from USA 193 could be blasted higher into space, where it would circle the Earth on a path close to the space station and communication satellites that are even higher. IMPOSSIBLE!
The intercept was made on February 21… 32 days ago.
USA 193 debris remains in the original orbit.
James T. Conklin
DOE WASTING TIME AND MONEY
“The Energy Department will be doing research on wind turbine blades, to find the most efficient designs.”
DOE “Research” on wind turbine blades? How about doing some DOE research on Conestoga Wagon wheels? Conestoga wagon wheels suck. With modern advances in expensive composite materials, rubber, aluminum, titanium, etc., Conestoga Wagon wheels could be greatly improved.
Err… But why not spend time and money on something which would actually help solve the energy and transportation needs of 2008?
James T. Conklin
BUSH PULLOUT TIMETABLES
In 2004, it was: “Progress is being made in Iraq.” In 2005, it was: “We must stay the course in Iraq.” In 2006, it was: “When the Iraqis stand up, we’ll stand down. In 2007, it was: “We must have a Troop Surge to give the Iraqis the time they need.” In 2008, it is: “There is no chance that troop levels will drop to 100,000 by the end of the year.” In 2009, it will be: “The height of irresponsibility would be to pull out of Iraq now.” In 2010, it will be: …
When you find yourself in a deep hole, stop digging and kill Muqtada al-Sadr.
James T. Conklin
HOW TO TERRORIZE THE USA PARTS 0 TO 27 OF 30
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 0, Sleeper Cells
“Sleeper Cells” are a load of crap. End of Part 0.
I call this Part 0 because Sleeper Cells do not exist. They are a figment in the imagination of the news media and DHS. Soon after 9/11, we were told that the recorded messages from Usama bin Laden were being examined to see if they contained secret instructions to sleeper cells. Baloney! One thing is obvious: The sleeper cells in the USA have been sleeping for five years.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 1, Terrorist Cells
To date, “Terrorist Cells” have done nothing in the USA.
Terrorist Cells are wannabies like the three “Chicago Terrorists”. Look at them. Their names are Marwan, Wassim, Mohammad. Could they be MUSLIMS? These idiots should be arrested at the airport on general principals.
Terrorist Cells are wannabies like the seven “Miami Terrorists” who are illiterate African losers with a clubhouse in a warehouse and wanted boots. These idiots should be put in jail on general principals.
The DHS was very proud and boastful about busting the “London Terrorists” It is now becoming apparent (but we will not be told) that the twenty-three London Terrorists were a long way from blowing up ten airliners. At last report, only “bomb making equipment” has been found.
Like most losers who never accomplish anything… Terrorist Cells spend their time getting ready to get ready. Terrorist Cells are groups of people living with or near each other in the same city and having meetings. Terrorist Cells are obvious and are likely to get busted.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 2, Terrorist Cell Size
The chance of a “Terrorist Cell” being busted is proportional to the square of the number of terrorists in the cell. For example:
A 1-man Terrorist Team has 1 chance of being busted.
A 2-man Terrorist Team has 4 chances of being busted.
The 3 Chicago Terrorists had 9 chances of being busted.
The 7 Miami Terrorists had 49 chances of being busted.
The 23 London Terrorists had 529 chances of being busted.
Each man in a cell has 1 mouth, 2 friends, 2 siblings, 2 parents, and 2 neighbors; all of who know something about his lifestyle and what he doing. In addition; leadership disputes, planning arguments, personality clashes, and chicken-outs are inevitable and become more and more likely in large groups.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 3, Real Terrorists
A Real Terrorist knows what he is going to do. He knows how to do it. He has the intelligence to do it. He has the means to do it. He has the identity to do it. He has the appearance to do it. He knows when to do it. And, He DOES it!
The USA is fortunate that Muslim terrorists want to be terrorists, but they are not Real Terrorists. Muslim terrorists have little of what it takes. They need to live and work with other terrorists.
Contrast the 23 London Terrorists with 23 Real Terrorists… each living, planning, preparing, and executing autonomously. That would pose 23 separate, undetectable, and real threats.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 4, Terrorist Teams
Get thee some men who are stout-hearted men. Start thee with ten, who are intelligent men, and you’ll soon terrorize the entire USA and emasculate the DHS by driving it nuts.
Each man will be a Real Terrorist. Each man will have an apparently legitimate identity, a separate residence, a valid driver license in his state of residence, a bank account and Visa. The men will not be suicide bombers; they will operate independently and continuously. They will work 5 days a week like anyone else. Job number one is: Do not get caught.
Form 6 Teams: Two 1-man autonomous teams, and four 2-man compatible autonomous teams. Each team will operate from a different area of the country. Each man will have a mediocre 1 or 2 bedroom apartment in a separate building or complex where the neighbors do not pay attention. Each man will be friendly but aloof. Each man will not have a girlfriend or boink anyone who knows his name or address. Each man may have a vehicle; one vehicle will be the team vehicle. Each man will know nothing about the location or the specific activities of the other teams, although Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC will update them daily.
The 2-man teams, although higher risk, can do much more with their vehicle. They can drive 500 miles in 10 hours, take 2 hours for meals, take 2 hours for a job, and return 500 miles in 10 hours… All within 24 hours and each man can have 8 hours sleep on the road. The 2-man teams can do many jobs from a moving vehicle, at night, with little chance of being observed. That is the key to job number one: Nobody will see the teams in action.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 5, Faux Terrorism
DHS and Emergency Response Teams always over-react to every little possible threat with cover-your-ass mentality. So far, the ERTs have had nothing to do.
A bomb threat note in an airplane seatback pocket can divert a flight and shut down an airport runway for 5 hours. A suspicious package can shut down and evacuate an airport for hours. A surplus WW-2 bomb casing or practice grenade can shut down an interstate for hours. A telephone threat can cause a government agency, tunnel, bridge, or office building shut-down and evacuation. Telephone threats are safe and easy; as are notes, packages, and fake ordnance like a bundle of fusees attached to an alarm clock… a classical comic strip dynamite bomb.
A false report about a “white van” being used by the “DC Snipers” repeatedly shut down interstates and main roads around Washington for hours at a time. Think of the thousands of cars wasting gas and time while baking in the sun. The Teams will occasionally call in sighting reports of the terrorists (themselves) with a location and description of their vehicles.
Everybody in DHS and any ERT has a mentality that amounts to paranoia and results a in huge inconvenience to the public. Every ERT should have one person who can make the call and say “forgetaboudit” without fear of criticism.
The six teams will each do one or two faux terrorist jobs every day while they are on the road. The locations will be carefully considered so as not to reveal the home base or direction of travel.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 6, Non-Lethal Terrorism
The news media devoted 4 hours a day to report all the unknown information available about someone who did not murder a 6-year old who was killed 10 years ago. TEN YEARS AGO… That is not news. That’s history. The news media needs to get a life. Think how the news media will react when there are 12 acts of faux terrorism and 12 acts of real terrorism every day.
The terrorist teams do not need to kill people in order to drive the USA totally nuts. A team can start several forest fires every day. A team can snipe at the windows of tall office buildings unseen from a mile away. A team can shoot holes in oil pipelines, gas pipelines, water treatment tanks, power sub-stations, transformers, refineries, etc… All unseen and unheard from the inside of a moving vehicle.
The 1-man teams will use ATVs and snowmobiles to go after pipelines in remote areas like Alaska. The 2-man teams will be able to derail one train every day 300 miles apart.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 7, The Team Vehicle
The 1-man teams can use almost any ubiquitous dull looking sedan. The 2-man teams will be sleeping while traveling on the road and need a large ubiquitous SUV. A van would be practical, but a van is too large, obvious, and easy to describe.
Consider the GMC XL with 3-row seating and 137 cubic feet of cargo space. A dark color without conspicuous adornments and eye candy is required. No red, yellow, or white colors. Get a dark blue, green, olive, or black color which will show dirt and mud spatter and look old and ugly, but can be washed and look new. Get the best tires available, but no big chrome wheels which can be identified.
The Team Vehicle (TV) should be new and shopped, purchased, and owned by only one man. No vehicle maintenance problems can be tolerated. If the team is working with cash, one man can buy a used low mileage vehicle from a private owner or used car lot where cash payment is welcomed. Buy a good reliable low-mileage vehicle for your family.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 8, The Team Garage
Each team will own, rent, or have access to a small garage and shop area in which to modify the Team Vehicle and build special equipment. The garage will be looked at and leased by only one man. The garage and its location must be such that two men can work unobserved and undisturbed, during certain times of the day, without creating any suspicion whatsoever.
Workbenches, hand tools, micrometer, soldering iron, glue gun, portable drill, power drill, power saw, chop saw, small band saw, 4-inch bench belt sander, half-inch drill press, high speed bits, tapered step drills, wood bits, hole saws, reamers, tap set, wood glue, silicone calk, silicone grease, silicone adhesive, plumbers adhesive, household adhesive, contact adhesive, epoxy adhesive, epoxy metal, masking tape, duct tape, drywall screws, fastening hardware in sizes #6 #8 #10 & 1/4-20, and the knowledge to use them are basic.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 9, Vehicle Modification
Before starting Team Vehicle modification, get the entire aft window glass tinted medium dark. Have the front window glass tinted, but be well within the legal requirements to be able to see the driver from the outside. Avoid over-dark or reflective window tinting; that makes a vehicle look obvious and mysterious. It is better to have a moderate window tinting and install black semi-transparent curtains on the inside.
Make the vehicle difficult to identify as to model and year. The rear of the vehicle will be seen from up close at every stoplight. Nothing can look out of the ordinary. Remove dealer stickers.
Remove any big shiny model nameplate (like “DENALI”) from the rear of the vehicle. Manufacturer’s ornamentation is usually stuck on with a thin adhesive rubber pad. When new, the appliqué can be slowly removed without damaging the paint (use WD-40). Remove the large shiny “GMC” logo from the grille; or, mist it with flat black spray paint so that it does not stand out like an advertisement.
Prepare the Tactical Compartment (TC). First, remove the second and third row seats. Remove all the hinged storage compartment covers. A huge volume of storage space will be revealed. Do not pile the discarded seats and compartment covers beside a dumpster near the garage. Muslim terrorists get busted because they are both obvious AND stupid.
Build a full-length flat floor with longitudinal 2×4 and 3/4 plywood. Cut the floor and/or make hinged or removable panels to access the various storage spaces. Paint all the floor edges with flat black paint so they do not show when the doors are opened. Cover the floor with bonded dark gray carpet. Have custom dark plastic cushions made to cover the entire floor for comfort in such a way that they can be easily lifted or moved to gain access to the storage areas.
Run a 1/4 inch Tygon vacuum hose with a small plastic shut-off valve from the engine to the TC. Install a black semi-transparent pull-aside curtain behind the front row seats to darken the TC.
Do not use any license plate frames or covers which look like they are intended to obscure the plate and could result in a pull-over. Do not cut any holes or firing ports in the vehicle body which could be detected when the TV is parked. Obtain spare taillight and plate lamps. Inspect all the lights frequently. Carry jumper cables, towing strap, and two cans of Fix-A-Flat in Ziploc bags.
The teams will always be analyzing anything that could attract attention to the vehicle or to themselves. The Team Vehicle (TV) must look like it is owned and used by a typical blue collar working man. Wet the vehicle and drive it on a dusty road. The Team Vehicle is now ready.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 22, Attack Timing
Timing of attacks will have two criteria evolving from Job #1. The teams must not be observed performing an attack. The timing of an attack must not be anticipated by the DHS and FBI based on the timing of past attacks.
A faux attack, such as putting fake explosives on an interstate, is best performed before dawn when traffic is low, headlights reveal proximate vehicles, and the morning rush hour traffic will be disrupted for maximum effect.
Incendiary attacks to start wildfires will best be performed in bright daylight when the visibility of fire is minimal and witnesses in the vicinity can be seen.
Long range gun attacks on buildings and infrastructure from the Team Vehicle are best performed soon after dark in moderate traffic so that the TV will be difficult to identify due to darkness and when there are other vehicles on the road. Early morning attacks (2 AM to 5 AM) are risky if the TV is the only vehicle in sight. Train derails are set up under the cover of night in isolated areas.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 23, Forest Fires
Forest fires are easy to start and are destructive. In 4 years, the USA has had more forest fires than ever before. Ironically, the New Mexico fire was set by the Park Service, and two of the fires were set by deranged firemen.
2000
NM: Fire started by National Park Service raged out of control, destroying 235 structures, evacuation of 20,000 people. Burned 47,000 acres.
Spring, USA: The most destructive forest fire season in U.S. history. 7,200,000 acres burned nationwide, double the 10-year average. States hit: AK, ID, MT, NM, and OR.
Summer, USA: 6,500.000 acres burned nationwide, double the 10-year average. States hit: AK, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA, and WY.
2002
USA: Fire destroyed 137,760 acres and 600 structures, the worst wildfire in CO history. In AZ, the 85,000-acre Rodeo fire, the worst in AZ history, merged with the Chediski fire, destroying 468,638 acres and 400 structures. Large wildfires also burned in AK, CA, UT, Or, and GA.
2003
CA: 15 fires burned for two weeks, forcing more than 80,000 to evacuate and burning 800,000 acres. 15,500 fire fighters battled the blazes that killed 24 people and destroyed 3,640 homes. The Cedar Fire in San Diego, burned 200,000 acres and was the largest fire in CA history.
2004
AK: Wildfires in burned 5,000,000 acres, worst year in history for AK.
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When conditions are dry, some teams will set several forest fires per day.
The most efficient and diabolical method of igniting forest fires in dry conditions is to use 50-cal incendiary rounds which can ignite fires at over 1-mile from the road. The rounds can be fired from the Team Vehicle while driving at speed.
For fires close to the road, fusees, Roman candles, and sparklers can be thrown from the moving vehicle. Sparklers stuck thru an orange throw well.
Standard accelerants as gasoline, kerosene, diesel, ethanol, methanol, or Stereo in a plastic bottle or Ziploc bag can have delayed ignition using a slow fuse made from yarn soaked in potassium nitrate, or moist tissue paper rubbed with black powder, twisted, and dried.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 24, Gun Attacks
Gun attacks only make small holes. A bullet, however, is a Weapon of Mass Distraction in this paranoid and over-reactive USA. Every shot-out window and leaking potable water tank will become a crime scene and require a full investigation.
Glass-walled skyscrapers, power plants, power sub-stations, transformers, water plants, water tanks, oil tanks, oil pipelines, gas pipelines, refineries, tank farms, tank trucks, tank cars, office buildings, government buildings, etc. These targets can be hit just after dark from the moving Team Vehicle with one window down only 3 inches from over a half-mile away… silently and unobserved.
Six teams can make 60 holes and cause 60 investigations per day.
How To Terrorize The USA – Part 27, Airplane Attacks
The Stinger is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, guided missile system which enables one man to destroy low-altitude jet aircraft. The Stinger is a “fire-and-forget” weapon having a passive infrared seeker, a range of 8 Kilometers, and altitude ceiling of 10,000 feet.
The Team will procure an innocuous truck with an 8-foot high body for use in a single attack. A step-van or small rental truck are ideal. Working unobserved, and not at the Team Garage, cut out the roof of the body and drop it inside. From inside the truck, the Stinger operator has a clear 8-foot by 10-foot overhead view.
James T. Conklin
THE ART OF WAR
Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War over 2,400 years ago. It is the first book about military strategy in the world. Sun Tzu has influenced the military men who have successfully conducted war for two thousand years.
Bush and Rumsfeld did not follow the advice of Sun Tzu. They botched the War in Iraq* at a terrible cost to the USA.
Sun Tzu wrote:
“No nation has ever benefited From a protracted war.” The War in Iraq is a protracted war.
“If victory is slow, Men tire, Morale sags. Protracted campaigns Strain the public treasury.” We have men who are tired. We have morale that sags. We have caused a devastating strain on our treasury. Victory in Iraq will be a Pyrrhic Victory in Iraq.
“In War, Better take A state Intact Than destroy it.” We irreparably destroyed the state of Iraq.
“Better take An Army, A regiment, A detachment, A company Intact Than destroy them.” We disbanded them.
“One can know Victory And yet not achieve it.” How did Sun Tzu comprehend the War in Iraq?
James T. Conklin
SOLAR ELECTRIC POWER
Headline: IBM Shows Off Cost-Effective Solar Cell
Do not understand that to mean that solar cells will ever provide significant electrical energy.
The problem with sunlight is that sunlight is very low-density energy when it is on, and it is on (overhead) only 8-hours per day over 40% of the planet. Sunlight provides a small amount of energy per unit area during a small amount of the time. Invent a solar cell which is 100% efficient at 10% of the cost, and you will not provide a significant amount of electrical energy at a reasonable cost.
Non-engineers simply have no concept of energy, energy requirements, and the fundamental difference between temperature and heat (compare with voltage and watt-hours).
The article says that IBM relies on water and a liquid metal surface to take excess heat away from the photovoltaic chips. “… they have been able to reduce the heat of concentrator solar cells from 3,000 degrees to 185 degrees.”
Overlooking the misnomer, the implication is that about 94% of the energy must be removed from the process as heat. i.e.: The process is less than 6% efficient.
James T. Conklin
EVIDENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING*
“The Arctic ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot, according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from Consul Ifft, at Bergen, Norway. Reports from fishermen, seal hunters and explorers, he declared, all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard-of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met with as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes. Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the gulf stream still very warm. Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared. Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic, while vast shoals of herring and smelts, which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds.”
*US Weather Bureau, 1922.
There was evidence of Global Warming in 1922.
There was evidence of Global Cooling in 1924.
There was evidence of Global Warming in 1933.
There was evidence of Global Cooling in 1975.
There was evidence of Global Warming in 2005.
There was evidence of Global Cooling in 2008.
James T. Conklin
My Stimulus Payment
I got a letter from the IRS which said STIMULUS PAYMENT (in red) on the envelope. I was so excited. I opened the envelope…
THERE WAS NO CHECK! There was a letter on ridiculous 7.6 by 11-inch paper titled: Understanding Your Economic Stimulus Payment (in red).
I was so glad to have the United Stated Government write me a letter and explain the following to me:
“What You Need To Do” “You do not need to do anything.”
I feel unstimulated.
James T. Conklin
Hydrogen From Distilled Water Scam
I am appalled that so few people are capable of making even a high school level analysis of this process. Thousands of gullible people, politicians, and suckers are getting excited about making hydrogen fuel from distilled water and thereby satisfying all of man’s energy requirements.
Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGR9JNH90_4
First: Distilled Water contains no chemical energy. It is ALWAYS necessary to put more energy into H2O to produce H2, than the H2 thus produced will give back when combined with O2 to produce H2O again. Duh!
Second: Note that the video demonstration lasted 5 minutes during which the electric power input to the water was 10 Amps at 12 Volts = 120 Watts. The result was enough H2 to make two “pops” when ignited.
Third: Note how much energy was put into the water?
120 Watts = 0.16 Horsepower
120 Watts = 5,311 Foot Pounds/Minute
In 5 Minutes, the electrical energy was (5)(5311) = 26,555 Foot Pounds.
That is enough energy to lift 1,000 Pounds up 26.5 Feet. Try doing that.
Try holding on to two 60-Watt light bulbs for 5 Minutes. No more hands.
Fourth: A gallon of distilled water weighs 8.3 pounds and costs about $1.
How much energy is required to make 8.3 pounds of distilled water?
(8.3 Pounds) (212-72 F deg) = 1,162 Btu sensible heat, plus
(8.3 Pounds) (970 Btu/Pound) = 8,051 Btu latent heat
= 9,213 Btu total heat
= 7,163,108 Foot Pounds
That is enough energy to lift 1000 Pounds up 7,163 Feet (1.35 Miles).
Fifth: After spending 26,555 Foot Pounds of electrical energy to make H2, and 7,163,108 Foot Pounds = 7,216,218 Foot Pounds of heat energy to make one gallon of distilled water…
How much H2 has been manufactured?
H20 is 2 parts by weight of H2 and 16 parts by weight of Oxygen. Thus water is 2/16 = 1/8 = 0.125 = 12.5% H2.
One gallon of H2O has (8.3 Pounds)(.125) = 1 Pound of H2 fuel.
One gallon of gasoline is 6.5 Pounds of hydrocarbon fuel.
It is necessary to destroy 6.5 gallons of distilled water at a cost of (6.5)(7,216,218) = 46,905,417 Foot Pounds of energy to make the rough equivalent of one gallon of gasoline… Helloooo!
Hydrogen From Water … The Absurdity
Water is 12.5% Hydrogen fuel by weight.
Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon.
Water contains 1 pound Hydrogen fuel per gallon.
Gasoline is 100% Hydrocarbon fuel by weight.
Gasoline weighs 6.5 pounds per gallon.
Gasoline contains 6.5 pounds Hydrocarbon fuel per gallon.
Therefore: If a pound of Hydrogen gives the same mileage as a pound of gasoline, a car with a 25 gallon gasoline tank would require a 162 gallon water tank (1,349 pounds of water).
In addition: Four times as much energy is required to decompose water to obtain Hydrogen than Hydrogen produces when burned to make water.
1953 … U.S. COINS WERE 90% SILVER,
and I was a senior in high school.
After graduation in June, I got a job in at the Dial Auto Body Shop in Bethesda, Maryland. I was making $0.75 an hour.
In those days bumpers, fenders, and body panels were screwed or bolted on. I was the guy who removed the damaged body parts for repair or replacement… on my back, on the floor, under the car, with liquid-wrench and road dirt falling in my face.
There was no A/C in the shop and it was June, July, and August. The shop had 15 employees, one toilet, and one sink. Every morning, I changed into the same unwashed filthy thick hooded sweatshirt (to protect me from grit, scrapes, cuts, bumps, and burns) in the tiny 4 by 6-foot black bathroom which was never ever cleaned. The only thing clean in that bathroom was the toilet paper. The Lava soap was black.
I am so happy to have had that job at the body shop… because by September, I had decided to go to college. It took me 5 years to get a BSME degree.
During the 5th year, I was married and making $0.90 per hour working part time for the University of Maryland. Fridays were fun because we bought a carry-out chicken dinner (~$0.90) to share and a 6-pack of Schlitz (~$0.90) and played bridge with friends in our $85 per month apartment with all utilities included.
Life was good in 1958.
FUELING UP WITH E85
Ethanol has only about 64% of the energy (by weight) of gasoline. A Dodge Durango which gets 14 MPG on gasoline and 10 MPG on E85 suffers a 29% loss in fuel mileage.
A Dodge Durango which switches from E85 to gasoline and goes from 10 MPG to 14 MPG, obtains a 40% gain in fuel mileage. Therefore, the price of gasoline should be 40% more than the cost of E85 for the same miles per dollar.
FALSE HOPE EQUALS WASTED TIME
T. Boone Pickens is running TV adds. Pickens is promising to “End our dependence on foreign oil.” He is advocating windmills. Pickens’ blather is giving false hope to the naive masses. The U.S. will soon suffer from its delay in developing nuclear power and drilling for oil.
Pickens will accomplish little, while wasting valuable time.
Now hear this: ONLY OIL can power our planes, trains, automobiles, boats, ships, trucks, construction equipment, military vehicles, emergency power sources, flood control pumps and sewage lift stations. Wake up America!
THE (FORGOTTEN) WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001. The stated purpose of the invasion was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy al-Qaeda, and remove the Taliban regime which had provided support and safe harbor to al-Qaeda.
It is now 2,473 days later. The U.S. has not achieved the stated purpose of the War in Afghanistan. We are between “getting nowhere” and “loosing” the War in Afghanistan.
The Administration and the Congress are unable to discern the forest because it is obscured by 2 trees. I will describe two characteristics of the forest:
1. The U.S. can bomb, invade, and occupy a Muslim country. We can not convert Afghanistan into a non-theocratic democracy. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are dedicated to reproduce, kill people, and die without end because they are obeying GOD. A minority can win because they vote with bullets.
2. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban have taken refuge in “The remote tribal areas across the Pakistan boarder.” After seven years of fighting, they are not low on arms and ammunition because they are BEING SUPPLIED with arms and ammunition… probably thru Pakistan and possibly even by Russia.
Trust the United States government?
Monday, hundreds of people waited in line at the IndyMac Bank in Pasadena to get their money out of the bank. The people were told that the FDIC would insure their funds from loss up to $100,000 per account. Not many of the people had more than $100,000 in the IndyMac Bank.
Question: Why did hundreds of people wait in line at the IndyMac Bank to get their money out of the bank? Answer: Because the people mistrust the United States government.
How do I mistrust thee? Let me count the ways.
I mistrust thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I mistrust thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I mistrust thee freely, as men strive for right;
I mistrust thee purely, as they turn from praise,
I mistrust thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I mistrust thee with a mistrust I seemed to lose
With my lost saints -I mistrust thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! -and, if God choose,
I shall but mistrust thee better after death.
A Question For Al Gore
NYC Port Authority traffic counts revealed that 70,000 trucks per day traverse the New York City’s bridges and tunnels. 100% of those trucks run on gasoline and diesel fuel. 100% of the food consumed in NYC is delivered by those trucks.
Picture the equanimity of 8,085,742 New Yorkers, after 4 weeks, with only 25% of that food arriving in New York City in only 25% of those trucks.
Please explain how 6 hours of sunshine and 12 hours of wind per day are going to quell the food riots and anarchy in New York City.
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN CANNOT BE WON!
After 2,479 days of War in Afghanistan, the U.S. is between “getting nowhere” and “losing” the War in Afghanistan.
The reason: The U.S. has not identified the enemy in the War in Afghanistan.
The Taliban and Al-Qaeda (living in the remote tribal areas along the Pakistan boarder) would have run out of ammunition and RPGs five years ago. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda have all the assault rifles, machine guns, ammunition, and RPGs that they can carry.
There are no weapons and ammunition factories in the remote tribal areas along the Pakistan boarder. There are probably no RPG factories in Afghanistan. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda (who don’t have a word for toilet paper) are not manufacturing their own guns, ammunition, and RPGs in the remote tribal areas along the Pakistan boarder.
I can’t say with certainty what country is providing weapons to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. I can state with certainty that some country is.
Sunday’s Report From Afghanistan
U.S. forces killed 9 Afghan police officers.
U.S. forces may have killed 1 NATO soldier.
NATO forces killed 4 civilians, probably more.
Summary: The U.S. team killed 14 friends and 0 enemies on Sunday.
Question: How many enemies were made in Afghanistan on Sunday?
THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN CANNOT BE WON!
Wolf Blitzer interviewed the new Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani. Blitzer asked Gillani directly: Are you going to go after Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda in northwest Pakistan?
Gillani answered: “The militants are equipped with the most sophisticated weapons in the world.”
Gillani’s reply was code for the answer “NO!”
Gillani’s reply also reveled that he knows that Russia is supplying arms and ammunition to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in northwest Pakistan.
On “Global Warming”
“Farmer’s Almanac predicts below-average temperatures for most of the U.S. this winter.” (1) What? Isn’t Global Warming going on?
Al Gore states that Global Warming is going on, and that “There is no debate about that.” Al Gore says that Global Warming is an impending man-made disaster. Gore has concluded that Global Warming is caused by man-made carbon dioxide emissions (which include breathing) by means of an esoteric process in the Earth’s atmosphere.
CO2 is a tiny component of the Earth’s atmosphere… 0.0384%. There is one pound of CO2 in 260 pounds of air. If mankind were to double the CO2 content of the Earth’s atmosphere, the CO2 concentration would remain tiny.
Al Gore laments that the Arctic Ocean (North Pole) sea ice has been melting. Gore claims that the Arctic sea ice is melting because of Global Warming. However, Antarctic (South Pole) sea ice has been forming at a record rate: “2007 showed the largest positive anomaly of sea ice in the southern hemisphere since records have been kept starting in 1979. And, 2008 is currently on pace to surpass last year’s record.” (2)
North Pole, sea ice is melting. South Pole, sea ice is forming at a record rate. Do the math: Global Warming plus Global Cooling equals Global Nothing.
So… Why is Arctic Ocean sea ice melting?
1. Think like a Mechanical Engineer: Heat energy (not temperature) is required to melt sea ice. 144 Btu is required to melt one pound of ice at 32°F and form one pound of water at 32°F. 144 Btu is the latent heat of fusion of water. The latent heat of fusion melts the ice without a change in temperature.
2. Think like Sea Ice: I am a large inaccessible area of sea ice near the North Pole. My average thickness is 11 inches. I have only two sides… air is above me and the Arctic Ocean is below me. I receive a little radiant heat transfer from the Sun above me during half of the year. I receive a little convective heat transfer from the air above me on occasions when the air temperature is over 32°F. I receive convective heat transfer from the ocean below me 24-7-52 when the water temperature exceeds 32°F.
3. Think like the Arctic Ocean: The sea ice above me tries to keep me at about 32°F. The ocean floor below me contains vents and volcanoes issuing lava at 2000°F which heats me at a rate which is unknown to Al Gore because I am inaccessible and covered with ice. (3) (4)
4. Think like a Frozen Shrimp: I am a frozen shrimp. I am almost like a piece of ice. It takes 4 minutes to cook me with 212°F water. It takes over an hour to cook me with 212°F air. Cooking me with hot air is so slow that it makes me stink. Nobody with any sense cooks frozen shrimp with hot air.
5. Think like a Mechanical Engineer: The convective heat transfer coefficient of water is between 50 and 100 times greater than the convective heat transfer coefficient of air. Therefore, about 75 times more heat can be transferred to sea ice from the ocean below than from the air above under the same temperature differential. (5) I cook frozen shrimp with boiling water because water has 75 times the convective heat transfer rate of air.
Arctic Ocean sea ice melting is a paradigm for Occam’s razor. (6)
On “Global Warming” … Dr. Hansen was wrong.
Now comes the plaintiff, Dr. James Hansen, who has claimed for 20 years that there is a “Global Warming Time Bomb.” In 2003, Hansen wrote a paper called Can We Defuse the Global Warming Time Bomb.
How credible is Dr. Hansen now?
How credible has Dr. Hansen been?
Evaluate Hansen’s dire predictions:
In 1988 (20 years ago) Hansen predicted the effect on Global Warming due to man-made CO2 in a presentation to Congress.
Hansen ‘A’ (red triangles) is Temperature if man did not control CO2.
Hansen ‘C’ (yellow dots ) is Temperature if CO2 stayed at 1988 level.
It is now 20 years later: HANSEN’S CURVE ‘A’ WAS WRONG!
HANSEN’S CURVE ‘B’ WAS WRONG! HANSEN’S CURVE ‘C’ WAS WRONG!
Dr. Hansen’s “Time Bomb” predictions were ALL wrong. Hansen’s predictions were too high. The 12-month average (red curve) has been constant for 5 years and is now heading down (cooling). Where is the Global Warming?
Think like Earth’s Atmosphere: I am the Earth’s Atmosphere. I am huge. I weigh over 11,025 quadrillion pounds (11,025,000,000,000,000,000 pounds). 78% of me is Nitrogen (N2), and 21% of me is Oxygen (02). I have existed in various forms and compositions for 4,500,000,000 years. The humans learned to fly in me only 105 years ago. I have been temporarily affected by volcanoes and meteor impacts over millions of years; but in the end, I behave exactly as I damn well please. I look down on the puny humans, and I rain on their audacity in believing they can control me.
The Stock Market Can Become Obsolete
Today, as I sat in the Doctor’s office for 50 minutes past my appointment time, I read the current issue of Kiplinger Magazine.
This is savvy financial advice? Kiplinger recommends retiring on 4% of your life savings in the first year and increasing that amount by 3% every year to cover inflation. The czar of financial wisdom discerns 3% inflation. Helloooo!
Next, I looked at Kiplinger’s 100 best ETF’s to use for investments. ALL 100 ETF’s had a net annualized 1-year LOSS. The losses were ~15% to 20% with some up to 30% LOSS! Helloooo! 0% gain trumps any loss.
As I write, stock averages are down ~3% across the board. Helloooo!
All Financial Planners claim that Stock Market investments always have been and always will be the best way to invest for retirement. I claim the Stock Market will become obsolete and is a stupid way to save for retirement. Common stock will only lose money for investors in the future. The reason is that the companies have forgotten that their purpose is to pay dividends to the investors. Their purpose has become to pay huge incomes to their officers including multi-million dollar severance packages to CEO’s who screw up. Think MER.
So you think the Stock Market can’t disappear? Think again.
For 5,000 years, the only way to shave was to use a knife. How else could it ever be done? Who, today, buys a straight razor?
For 3,000 years, the only way to navigate a ship was with a compass. How else could a ship navigate? Today, GPS locates a ship within 100 feet.
For 2,000 years, the only way to get around was on a horse. How else could man ever travel or fight a battle? Who, today, buys a horse?
For 120 years, the only way to take a picture was with a film camera. How else could a picture be taken? Who, today, buys a film camera?
For 100 years, the only way run an office was with typewriters. How else could letters be written? Who, today, buys a typewriter.
For 50 years, the only way to communicate during disasters was with amateur radio operators. Who, today, buys a ham radio?
The obsolete list is long, and the list is growing.
The Stock Market is next. If you don’t believe me…
Shave with your knife, ride to work on your horse, take pictures with your Brownie, write me a reply on your Underwood, and CQ K6KA on 10-meters and leave a voicemail, text message, or fax.
Compressed Natural Gas – The Inconvenience Truth
Natural Gas is getting a lot of hype from T. Boone Pickens. When people discern the true cost and inconvenience of Compressed Natural Gas, they will not remain enamored with CNG.
Natural Gas (0.72 grams/liter) has half the density of air, which makes it an impractical vehicle fuel. When energy sources have low density (like sun, wind, and waves) the equipment required to handle it is large, heavy, and expensive. Compare a 20 gallon gasoline tank to a 3,000 psi CNG tank large enough to run a car 400 miles.
Another disadvantage with CNG is that considerable energy is required to compress Natural Gas. The gas must first be compressed to force it into the tank. When gas is compressed, gas gets hot. Heat is transferred as wasted energy. The gas inside the tank must also be compressed to the final pressure. The gas inside the tank gets hot. More heat is transferred as wasted energy.
Converting an internal-combustion engine to operate on Natural Gas costs: $1,500 for the kit + $3,000 for the tank + $1,500 labor = $6,000.
A home compressor is being marketed which can compress enough Natural Gas to 3,000 psi in 14 hours to run a car 200 miles… half the range of 20 gallons of gasoline. The compressor (100 pounds, 240 volts, 800 watts) does not have a published price. Regardless of the total cost, CNG does not translate into either convenience or a road trip.
STOP! LOOK! and LISTEN UP! … The Bailout is a disaster.
Fannie, Freddy, AIG, and Investment Banks may have known something about mortgage investing. Their objective, however, was to make Millions for the executives at a loss of Billions to the shareholders. The CEO of WaMu was paid ~15 Million for 3 weeks of employment… One Million dollars per day!
Bush, Paulson, Bernanke, and Congress (BPBC) know nothing about mortgage investing. None of them have actually done it. I have been doing mortgage investing (profitably) for 30 years. Who you gonna call?
BPBC want 700 Billion for the Bailout because Dr. Bernanke says that 700 Billion represents 5% of 14,000 Billion in Mortgage Backed Securities which will default.
BPBC has it all wrong… 100% backward. The 700 Billion in defaulted mortgages may be worth more (per mortgage) than the 13,300 Billion in 30-year mortgages which are held to maturity. To wit:
1. The 13,300 Billion in mortgages are yielding about 6% after servicing.
2. The CPI is a government lie. The actual rate of inflation is now 12%.
3. The actual rate of inflation will go to 18% or more as a result of uncontrolled government spending such as the 700 Billion Bailout. The government is going to print most of that money.
4. A defaulted $150,000 mortgage can be foreclosed. $90,000 can be recovered. 100 ounces of gold at $900 per ounce can be purchased with the proceeds.
5. A performing $150,000 mortgage yielding 6% pays $900 per month for 360 months… A payout of $324,000 over 30 years. This is roughly equivalent to receiving a lump sum of $162,000 after 15 years.
6. A $900 ounce of gold today will be worth $10,800 after 15 years at 18% average real inflation.
7. The defaulted mortgage is worth $1,080,000 in gold after 15 years.
8. The performing mortgage is worth $162,000 in cash after 15 years.
The defaulted mortgage is worth 6.6 times the performing mortgage.
Do not believe Bush, Paulson, Bernanke, and Congress.
Stupid is as stupid does.
THE BAILOUT
Paulson, Bernanke, and Congress plan to purchase Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) from banks assuming that 5% of the mortgages are toxic. Everyone is oblivious to the fact that the remaining 95% of those mortgages may become even more toxic within six years. To wit:
Mortgages in default may be worth more than performing 30-year mortgages because net mortgage yields are now at half of the actual inflation rate of 12%.
A performing $150,000 mortgage will yield $8,620,000 in 30 years if the payments are invested at the 18% predicted actual inflation rate.
Foreclosure of a $150,000 mortgage will recover $90,000. The $90,000 proceeds invested at the 18% predicted inflation rate will yield $12,900,000 in 30 years.
A defaulted mortgage will become worth more than a performing mortgage in six years. A defaulted mortgage will be worth $4,284,000 MORE than a performing mortgage in 30 years:
VALUE OF $150,000 MORTGAGE VS. VALUE OF $90,000 FORECLOSURE PROCEEDS
Mortgage yield is 6% after servicing. Cash flow invested at 18% predicted inflation rate. .30 annual payments analyzed for simplicity.
Spread sheet not accepted by the post.
WHERE IS THE FOCUS?
Why is it that most Democrats are focused on environment? Why is it that most Republicans are focused on abortion?
Answer: People are both ignorant-of and incapable-of discerning the multitude of serious problems. Concern for environment and abortion is equivalent to jerking off in the bathroom.
If I were to carve a totem pole representing the serious problems facing the USA today, I would run out of pole long before getting to environment and abortion.
Examples: An attack on Iran is inevitable. Russia is getting touchy and is in bed with Iran. The U.S. is incapable of concluding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The free world has gotten tired of the U.S. wars and the USA itself. The U.S. is incapable of staying-out-of and spending-money-on other people’s problems. The U.S. economy is tanking. Our solons were ignorant of it, ignored it, and/or facilitated it. Massive inflation is inevitable due to the out-of-control spending and the printing of money. Nuclear war is probably inevitable. There is enormous dissatisfaction with our government and our corrupt political process. Dishonesty, lying, omission, ignorance, and the changing of positions by solons has become the norm. It is not beyond comprehension that some states may want to secede from the USA in order to govern themselves and their borders properly.
Were these problems confronted by Bush in his State-Of-The-Union address? No! Bush called for a congressional investigation into the use of steroids by baseball players.
WE GOT TROUBLE RIGHT HERE IN THE USA
Well, either you’re closing your eyes, my friends
To a situation you do not wish to acknowledge
Or you are not aware of the caliber of Disaster indicated
By the existence of ineffective Government in the USA
Ya got Government ineffectiveness brewing right here
I say, ineffectiveness brewing right here in the USA
Yes, ineffective Government with a capital “G”
And that rhymes with “D” and that stands for Disaster!
People, you’ve got dishonest and ignorant Politicians
I say, dishonesty and ignorance right here in the USA
Yes, ignorant Politicians with a capital “P”
And that rhymes with “D” and that stands for Disaster!
Let’s get real here. Has the U.S. governemnt ever been an ethically and morally correct government? Sometimes they get caught and are like a deer caught in the headlights.
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