Author: Dave

In the last month or so I have posted a couple of pieces on government interference with industry. One post contained this quote from Thomas Edison: “Any extension of the Government into business affairs — no matter what the pretense and no matter how the extension is labeled — will be bound to promote waste…

Scientific American looks at the radiation risks of living near a nuke plant vs. living near a coal fired plant. Their conclusion: the coal plant is more dangerous. How dangerous? Not very. Dana Christensen, associate lab director for energy and engineering at ORNL, says that health risks from radiation in coal by-products are low. “Other…

Control Engineering asks the provocative question: is manufacturing in decline in the USA? Boston, MA – The keynote address at Aberdeen’s first annual Manufacturing in the 21st Century Executive Summit served as a stronger wake-up call for attendees than the free coffee. During this session, best-selling author Michael Treacy highlighted the dramatic evolution of workplaces…

The scientist has a lot of experience with ignorance and doubt and uncertainty, and this experience is of very great importance, I think. When a scientist doesn’t know the answer to a problem, he is ignorant. When he has a hunch as to what the result is, he is uncertain. And when he is pretty…

Over at Volokh Conspiracy there is a discussion about Chanukah’s influence on the global warming problem. Of course the warmists and deniers are having at it. Brian K says in response to another comment: i’m not going to hold my breath Another warming denier. If you believed in warming you would be holding your breath.…

Moma Bear left a comment at IEC Fusion Technology blog with a link to Gizmag – Emerging Technology which features gadgets and science/technology news. I found articles on a miniature photonics modulator and super computer performance from a single low power chip most interesting. This one on a real flying carpet would make Ali Baba…

The Volokh Conspiracy is having a discussion of women in combat. Here is my 2¢. I remember reading where being a woman in combat had a number of positive effects (in the current environment). They connect with the females in the population better. Very helpful when fighting an insurgency. They also shame Iraqis who are…

The New York Times has an article on the new Congressional mandate to raise average vehicle mileage standards from 27.5 mpg to 35 mpg. We have been here before. The standards have usually turned into perverse incentives. SUVs were the result of discontinuing the station wagon, because the station wagon was a passenger vehicle. Perversely…

By now you have probably heard about the ringers at the CNN debate. If not Glen Reynolds has a few links to get you started. Eric also has some help. The short version: The Democrats had party activists asking questions for the Democrat’s debate and they had party activists asking questions for the Republican’s debate.…

Even The New Republic notices. Campaigning for his wife this afternoon in Iowa, Bill Clinton threw an asterisk over his position on the Iraq war: “Even though I approved of Afghanistan and opposed Iraq from the beginning,” said Clinton, “I still resent that I was not asked or given the opportunity to support those soldiers.”…

Good news for Democrats. Something like 100,000 American troops will be leaving Iraq over the next few years. Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, quietly announced that the American and Iraqi governments will start talks early next year to bring about an end to the allied occupation by the close of Mr. Bush’s presidency. The negotiations will…

The Europeans have some of the highest gasoline taxes in the developed world. Certainly higher than in America. And yet…. In common with the rest of the world, Europe is now having to face up to the fact that a cheap and plentiful supply of oil and other fossil fuels has led to a long…

“Fuck it,” I say. “Fuck it,” agrees Ware. That settles it. I’m going back in. You know things are not right with the world when you share a spiritual moment with a damn journalist. But there it is. Mick Ware and I are standing on the street, digesting the finality of the option we’ve just…

High Technology meets low art. More Zeusaphone music. “This Tesla coil was built and is owned by Steve Ward. Steve is a EE student at U of I Urbana-Champaign. He and Jeff have been going to Teslathons, which is where they met.” You can find out more at Zeusaphone. Just some good old American geeks…

Yes it is very taxing to make a buck. Unless you use taxing to make a buck. Then it gets easier. From Bloomberg. Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) — When Senate Environment Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, Republican Senator John Warner, the nation’s largest environmental groups and General Electric Co. join forces to push a U.S. cap on…

I just got an e-mail from one of my friends at Jewcy repeating in full and providing the url for this article trashing Thanksgiving because of the destruction of the Native Americans. Let me quote a bit of this noxious screed. After years of being constantly annoyed and often angry about the historical denial built…

Engineering is scientific in that it compares results to theory and adjusts accordingly. However, in engineering it is not always the theory that gets adjusted. I was having a discussion with Gerald Browning at Climate Audit about engineering vs science. Two related but very different disciplines. Which brought up this polemic (thankfully short) from me.…

The KOS Kids are going to show the wingers how supporting the troops is supposed to be done. Today, I’m calling all kossacks with an invitation to show the wingers how to walk the walk by supporting the troops with some good old fashioned care packages. It’s a great way to support those men and…

If things are still going well in Iraq by the beginning of next summer or a little earlier, expect all those Congress Critters who didn’t support the war to come out for more dollars for Veterans hospitals, college benefits, pay, and what not to cover for being on the wrong side. Victory will not be…

Eric says in a previous post: Hope you Dead haters will indulge me; I realize not everyone shares my tastes. Well I’m going to indulge you Eric – with more Dead. I note a tad belatedly that Eric has posted lyrics. Good idea. I Need A Miracle I need a woman ’bout twice my age…