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Worms

Journal Journal: Darn kids! Get off my planet! 7

Journal by tuxette

the grey-haired greens

A poll for the UN World Environment Day last year found pensioners are the most eco-friendly age group in the UK: over 90% recycle their litter, four out of five take showers rather than baths and 79% use low-energy light bulbs.
Power

Submission + - A timetable for nuclear fusion

Submitted by IAmTheRealMike
IAmTheRealMike writes: This article offers an in depth but readable review of the current state of fusion research, along with a timetable for the future, a description of what still needs to be figured out and a fascinating look at what it'd take to scale up to worldwide commercial generation levels. Executive summary, by 2100 if all goes according to plan fusion might be able to generate 30% of Europes present day demand. The delay is largely due to tightly limited tritium supplies. Whilst a sustainable fusion reactor will produce tritium, it would do so only in small amounts so a reactor would take 2-3 years to produce enough tritium to "give birth" and start another one. It looks like even with the most optimistic assumptions, by the time Tokamak based fusion can meaningfully contribute we will likely be deep in the midsts of an energy crisis.
Space

Submission + - Comet McNaught Visible in Broad Daylight

Submitted by AbsoluteXyro
AbsoluteXyro writes: As the amateur astronomers among us already know, Comet McNaught has been gracing the early morning and late evening skies... as it approaches the Sun, some estimate it has the potential to become 40 times brighter than Venus, or a magnitude of -8.8! In fact, it has recently been reported at SpaceWeather.com that Comet McNaught is now visible in broad daylight! From the article: "It's fantastic," reports Wayne Winch of Bishop, California. "I put the sun behind a neighbor's house to block the glare and the comet popped right into view. You can even see the tail."
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - Fed Head: Wage Gap Undermines Free Trade Support

Submitted by
theodp
theodp writes: "The widening gap between rich and middle-class Americans is undermining political support for free trade in the US, warned Tim Geithner, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of NY. Geithner said it was 'not enough to explain that globalisation is inevitable' and protectionist policies were self-defeating. His comments were made amid growing concern in US political and business circles over the risk of a populist backlash against free trade."
Programming

Submission + - Lisp and Ruby, sitting in a tree...

Submitted by
sdelmont
sdelmont writes: "The developers of Rubinius, an experimental Ruby interpreter inspired by SmallTalk, have been discussing the possibility of adding a Lisp dialect to their VM. Pat Eyler collected some ideas and opinions from the people involved and it makes for some interesting reading. For many, Ruby already is an acceptable Lisp, and the language itself started as a perlification of Lisp (even Matz says so) so it is perhaps fitting and might help explain why the whole idea feels right. Now, if someone added support for VB and gave it the respect it deserves, the world would be a better place."
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Out of Africa 36ky ago - in Europe 45ky ago

Submitted by
Wizardess
Wizardess writes: "Left hand meet right hand.

On January 12, 2007 Science Daily published an article about a find that was major support for the "Out of Africa" modern human evolution scenario. This can be found at 'Out Of Africa' Theory Boost: Skull Dating Suggests Modern Humans Evolved In Africa.

But wait, on the same day Science Daily also published an article dating the earliest evidence yet found of modern humans in Europe at 45,000 years ago. This one can be found at Earliest Evidence Of Modern Humans In Europe Discovered: Artifacts May Date Back 45,000 Years.

Now, how does a skull dated as 36,000 years ago prove the out of Africa scenario when human activity has been detected in Europe 9,000 years earlier?

As I said, left hand meet right hand. I guess that's the peril of web publishing in too big a hurry.

{^_^}"
Technology (Apple)

Submission + - Memory Infinite, USB Storage

Submitted by
zola89
zola89 writes: "Memory Infinite has a USB male connector at one end and a female connector at the other, providing an "add up" concept for USB finger discs. By connecting one Memory Infinite with another to add up the storage capacity, the user won't waste the old storage capacity when getting a larger one."
Sci-Fi

Submission + - Scientists prepare to move Doomsday Clock forward

Submitted by antikarma
antikarma writes: The keepers of the "Doomsday Clock" plan to move its hands forward next Wednesday to reflect what they call worsening nuclear and climate threats to the world. The symbolic clock, maintained by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, currently is set at seven minutes to midnight, with midnight marking global catastrophe. The group did not say in which direction the hands would move. But in a news release previewing an event next Wednesday, they said the change was based on "worsening nuclear, climate threats" to the world.
Announcements

Submission + - Exxon to Cut Ties w/ Global Warming Skeptics

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: It seems Exxon has finally pulled its head out of the sand. According to this article [msn.com], Exxon Mobil Corp. "...has stopped funding groups skeptical of global warming claims...", and has engaged in talks regarding the reduction of greenhouse gasses. I know the /. crowd feels that major corporations can do no good, especially big oil, but this does seem to be a step in the right direction. The article also mentions that Exxon is forced to follow the Kyoto treaty in nations that abide by those regulations, and it is inefficient to have differing environmental standards by region.
Education

Submission + - Global Warming Only a Theory, Says School Board

Submitted by
BendingSpoons
BendingSpoons writes: "A Seattle school board has placed a moratorium on screenings of "An Inconvenient Truth", having found its subject matter too controversial. Echoing the language of the evolution debate, the school board found that students must be told that global warming is only a theory and presented with an opposing viewpoint. The ban was prompted by the complaints of a parent: "'Condoms don't belong in school, and neither does Al Gore. He's not a schoolteacher,' said Frosty Hardison, a parent of seven who also said that he believes the Earth is 14,000 years old. 'The information that's being presented is a very cockeyed view of what the truth is. ... The Bible says that in the end times everything will burn up, but that perspective isn't in the DVD.'""
Space

Submission + - Brightest Comet in 30 Years Visible in SOHO Images

Submitted by anthemaniac
anthemaniac writes: The brightest comet in 30 years is now entering the field of view of the SOHO spacecraft, and it's simply stunning. Many skywatchers were frustrated because Comet McNaught was about as bright as Jupiter but it was so low on the horizon that it was very hard to spot. Now it's easy to see without even going outside. Next up: Folks in the Southern Hemisphere will get a good look at the comet starting Sunday.

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