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Are all of our problems solved?
Old 10-06-2011, 02:09 PM   #1
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Are all of our problems solved?

I'm surprised we haven't been hearing about the Italian cold fusion demonstration I just read about on SLashdot. Yeah, I know, we've been here before. Nevertheless, if the Italians actually deliver on their "claims to fuse hydrogen and nickel into copper, with no radioactive by-products, to produce copious amounts of heat, inexpensively, with a 1 megawatt plant scheduled to come on line later this month" well -- wow!

Is it different this time?
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Old 10-06-2011, 02:18 PM   #2
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Is it different this time?
Who was it posting a comment a couple of days ago that a sudden and dramatic technological discovery comes along once in a while that completely changes the game?

However...before I start celebrating I'm going to wait and see if this guy's claim he's developed a means that "could provide for all of the world's energy needs reliably, cheaply, cleanly, and safely" can be demonstrated to actually work.
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Old 10-06-2011, 02:35 PM   #3
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They laughed at Pons and Fleischmann too.


Oh wait. They were right to do so.
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Old 10-06-2011, 02:40 PM   #4
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Who was it posting a comment a couple of days ago that a sudden and dramatic technological discovery comes along once in a while that completely changes the game?.
P.T. Barnum?

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However...before I start celebrating I'm going to wait and see if this guy's claim he's developed a means that "could provide for all of the world's energy needs reliably, cheaply, cleanly, and safely" can be demonstrated to actually work.
No, no! The time to invest is NOW, before everyone see's it work
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Old 10-06-2011, 02:54 PM   #5
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Old 10-06-2011, 03:03 PM   #6
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They laughed at Pons and Fleischmann too.


Oh wait. They were right to do so.

+1 You are SO right.
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Old 10-06-2011, 03:24 PM   #7
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Who was it posting a comment a couple of days ago that a sudden and dramatic technological discovery comes along once in a while that completely changes the game?
True, but then Steve Jobs died.

I think someone in Italy needs to focus on a dramatic financial discovery so it doesn't follow Greece....
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As long as we are wondering about impossible things
Old 10-07-2011, 07:09 AM   #8
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As long as we are wondering about impossible things

In the "bigger than cold fusion" category, Charles Krauthammer (who usually POs me on political topics) has a very good piece in today's Washington Post on CERN's faster than light nuetrinos that have the entire scientific community quaking in their boots. He really captures the earth shaking dimensions of the findings (if true). They are highlighted by his opening joke and concluding lines:

“We don’t allow faster-than-light neutrinos in here,” says the bartender.
A neutrino walks into a bar.

- Joke circulating on the Internet...


...But there must be some error. Because otherwise everything changes. We shall need a new physics. A new cosmology. New understandings of past and future, of cause and effect. Then shortly and surely, new theologies.


Why? Because we can’t have neutrinos getting kicked out of taverns they have not yet entered."
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:21 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by donheff View Post
In the "bigger than cold fusion" category, Charles Krauthammer (who usually POs me on political topics) has a very good piece in today's Washington Post on CERN's faster than light nuetrinos that have the entire scientific community quaking in their boots. He really captures the earth shaking dimensions of the findings (if true). They are highlighted by his opening joke and concluding lines:

“We don’t allow faster-than-light neutrinos in here,” says the bartender.
A neutrino walks into a bar.

- Joke circulating on the Internet
...


...But there must be some error. Because otherwise everything changes. We shall need a new physics. A new cosmology. New understandings of past and future, of cause and effect. Then shortly and surely, new theologies.


Why? Because we can’t have neutrinos getting kicked out of taverns they have not yet entered."
Circulating here on 9/23/11 at 4:38 PM. http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...-20756-28.html post 2779

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Originally Posted by Nords View Post
Geek humor I wish I'd thought of first:

"We don't allow faster-than-light neutrinos in here," said the bartender. A neutrino walks into a bar.

Particles Found to Travel Faster than Speed of Light: Scientific American
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:23 AM   #10
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Circulating here on 9/23/11 at 4:38 PM. http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...-20756-28.html post 2779
Now the big question: Did it arrive here before it left HI?
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:25 AM   #11
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Circulating here on 9/23/11 at 4:38 PM. http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...-20756-28.html post 2779
See? The ER Forum has it's own portal into tomorrow. I wonder if my ISP will charge extra for our use of faster-than-light neutrinos.

I wish I could get tomorrow's stock market report right now . . .
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:39 AM   #12
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Now the big question: Did it arrive here before it left HI?
By "here" do you mean Texas? Not sure it's reached there yet. Can't comment further (political joke opportunity)

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See? The ER Forum has it's own portal into tomorrow. I wonder if my ISP will charge extra for our use of faster-than-light neutrinos.
Well, if your ISP is anything like mine they'll charge even before the faster-than-light neutrinos arrive...
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Old 10-07-2011, 07:42 AM   #13
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By "here" do you mean Texas? Not sure it's reached there yet. Can't comment further (political joke opportunity)
The theory must be true. I knew you were going to post that before you actually did!
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Old 10-07-2011, 08:48 AM   #14
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Circulating here on 9/23/11 at 4:38 PM. http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...-20756-28.html post 2779

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nords
Geek humor I wish I'd thought of first:

"We don't allow faster-than-light neutrinos in here," said the bartender. A neutrino walks into a bar.
I laughed when I saw that first posted. But when I went to repeat it, I realized it doesn't 'work'.

If the neutrino traveled faster than light, than he/it would be at the bar ahead of the light. So the bartender could not see the neutrino until after he/it got there. So it doesn't make sense, but it isn't funny the other way either.

OK, I know, it's a joke. But geek jokes have to stand up to geek analysis, because that is what we do.

Anyhow, the cold fusion links I read were shockingly un-scientific 'it got very hot'? My skepticism is ratcheted up a notch, and the air is getting pretty thin up here.


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Old 10-07-2011, 09:03 AM   #15
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OK, I know, it's a joke. But geek jokes have to stand up to geek analysis, because that is what we do.

-ERD50
That was my reaction also, sorta huhn? But maybe the neutrino drifted into the future so the bartender saw it before it arrived?
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Old 10-23-2011, 02:32 PM   #16
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Here's a recent news story for those interested in the seemingly-faster-than-light neutrinos affair.
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The OPERA collaboration, which made headlines around the world last month when it announced that it had apparently observed neutrinos traveling faster than the speed of light, has decided that it will carry out a new set of very precise measurements in order to check its controversial result.
Faster-Than-Light Result to Be Scrutinized - ScienceInsider
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Old 10-23-2011, 02:53 PM   #17
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Many also did not take Nikola Tesla seriously.
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Old 10-23-2011, 08:24 PM   #18
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Many also did not take Nikola Tesla seriously.
True. Where would we be today without his broadcast energy system?
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Old 10-24-2011, 08:31 AM   #19
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True. Where would we be today without his broadcast energy system?
Shhhhhhh.

For years, I've been powering my house with it, for free.

The trick is in the receiver.
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Old 10-24-2011, 02:45 PM   #20
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...... Italians actually deliver on their "claims to fuse hydrogen and nickel into copper, with no radioactive by-products, to produce copious amounts of heat, inexpensively, with a 1 megawatt plant scheduled to come on line later this month" well -- wow!

Is it different this time?

Can't give any details until after the patent is issued.
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