There was no mention of computers in any class.

Just one data point.

In ~1988 I purchased my first Desktop PC, an Apple. I really liked it. In 1991, when the Power PC came out, I purchased one. NONE of the peripherals for my previous computer (except the keyboard IIRC) were compatible because the connectors were changed.

I vowed, then and there, that I would never buy an Apple product again. I have never regretted it.

In 1979, during the energy crisis, I was involved in a project to retrieve natural gas from shale oil using dynamite to separate the shale layers between two holes which were drilled about a mile apart. (No water was involved.) A fire was started in the shale oil in one of the holes, and air pumped in to keep it burning. The natural gas produced by the heat was driven towards the other hole where it was pumped to the surface. The natural gas was about 2% in the air pumped up. This was a closed system in that the holes were lined with pipe which was capped, and had access ports to perform the detonation and admit the air at one end, and the recovery of the gas-containing air at the other.

I was involved in developing a method to analyze the air to determine the yield, using mass spectrometry, and then measuring it. The project was abandoned when the energy crisis ended.

As to whether this was safer than the current method, it may be because it is a more closed/confined system. That said, the possible problems caused by the heat and/or the explosion have not been studied.

I've been keeping track of all the spam I have received in a GOOGLE Document.

The mail is from four accounts and has been pre-filtered by the ISPs, which probably skews the data. So, for what it's worth, here it is:

Spreadsheet Graph

They are built into the bumpers, and beep when you approach an obstacle, slowly at first, and faster as you get nearer. They are automatically engaged when engaging reverse.

These are a less expensive alternative to cameras.

I just purchased one of these as my first smart phone. It cost ~$150 from Newegg. I have a basic AT&T phone plan with no extras. The phone comes with several apps and GPS.

I slipped in the SIM card, and it worked right off the bat. It connected to my home network (encrypted with hidden name) easily, and connected to the Internet without problems.

I had an older Nokia phone, and the Nokia OVI Suite software (free) connected to it, and I synced my contacts with my computer. Then I connected the new one, and uploaded the contacts.

My AT&T plan does not include connection to the Internet, so I will need a Hot Spot for access when away from home.

Overall, for the price, it is a bargain.

I'm a Ph.D. Chemist who has done some water purification studies. One difficulty is the build-up of particulate matter on/in the filter which slows down (eventually stops) flow through the filter.

This problem can be addressed with the use of two filters in parallel, one of which is being back-flushed while the other operates. With the current types of filters, the system eventually plugs due to micro particulates. Perhaps this Graphine filter is immune to plugging, and merely flushing the surface will clean it.

As you may have surmised from previous posts, it holds out the possibility of a limitless supply of potable water. What a boon to mankind!!

I earned a Ph.D in Chemistry in 1966. My thesis involved a new (at that time) scientific instrument, a mass spectrometer. After I graduated, I got a job with the Dow Chemical Company in the Chemical Physics Research Lab running their new high resolution mass spectrometer. I had never seen one before. It was the start of a magical career for me.

I am a living pioneer (almost 73 years old). I have done things no-one had done before. I have received the recognition of my peers in the form of publications, invitations to speak at scientific meetings in the US and Europe, and served on a committee for the Government of Canada (invited by the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health and Welfare) to assess the impact of dioxins in that country. I was the only US citizen on the committee.

All this was in the area of the detection and quantification of Dioxins in the environment, animals (including humans), and in chemical processes. I have developed methods (with others) to measure organic compounds at levels never before achieved at the time (water: 1-5 parts per quadrillion; human and bovine milk: 10 parts per billion; human fat: 20 parts per billion;...).

The intangible rewards have been infinitely gratifying and satisfying. The monetary compensation was enough to live comfortably (but not extravagantly). My pension and Social Security benefits allow me to enjoy my 'golden years' and still leave a legacy to my children.

Since all vehicles have both an odometer and a fuel gauge, a simple microprocessor can measure miles traveled and fuel consumed from the signals to the car's gauges. The gas tax at the gas pump can then be eliminated, and paid along with the mileage tax.

One effect of this is a reduction of gas prices. That's a damn fine sales point for the legislation.

VOTE FOR MONITORING; LOWER GAS PRICES!!!