A Place to Stand: 22/04/2007

A Place to Stand

Comments from Scotland on politics, technology & all related matters (ie everything)/"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."Henry Louis Mencken....WARNING - THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS HAVE DECIDED THAT THIS BLOG IS LIKELY TO BE MISTAKEN FOR AN OFFICIAL PARTY SITE (no really, unanimous decision) I PROMISE IT ISN'T SO ENTER FREELY & OF YOUR OWN WILL

Saturday, April 28, 2007

CO2 NEGATIVE POWER

Another Jerry Pournelle link. This is about enthusiasm he had expressed in the late 70s & early 80s for an ocean thermal power system. This uses the heat differential between surface waters & deep ocean. Since deep ocean water is at about 4C everwhere in the world it is really only suitable for equatorial areas. Even there the heat differential means it doesn't give much power per gallon but the ocean is a big place. One side effect is that because nutrients tend to sink to the bottom of the sea deep ocean water is fertile & when brought into sunlight blooms plankton.

On Global Warming and CO2

I reread part of your Step Farher Out from mummbelty mumble years ago & saw your support of ocean thermal power generators which, by using water from the sea bottoms bring nutrients to the surface & stimulates plankton growth. I was struck by the similarity to the geritol solution of cutting CO2 by using iron solution to stimulate plankton growth.

Does this mean that we have a method of making power which is CO2 negative? Has there been either progress or serious glitches since then?

Neil Craig

There were tests near Hawaii. The system works, and ought to be tried; one problem is transport of the resulting energy. It's idea for islands, of course.

I really need to get A Step Farther Out back in print. There's a rough version of Two Steps Farther out as well. What I don't have is time.

// posted by neil craig @ 2:24 pm 0 comments

PROFESSOR LIVIU LIBRESCU

I posted on Chaos Manor is reply to discussion on the Virgina Tech massacre. A previous poster had listed a number of cuases of this nutter to one of which I replied

Of the various factors involved in the V Tech massacre
"3. Avoid the sort of publicity for such events that the perpetrator would have wanted and is likely to encourage copy cats. Fat chance " seems to be the one uniquiely relevant to the modern world.
Our instant worldwide communications system clearly does encourage these killings. The cure of ending it would be far worse than the disease.
However I suggest that in a really healthy society the media would be more interested in the heroism of men like Professor Liviu Librescu,
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1176152816138&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
I can think of no better way to die than respected at 76 saving ones pupil's lives.
It is also worth pointing out that if open borders allowed the killer in they did the same for the Professor.

Neil Craig

I do not believe that either of those came here under an open borders policy. Otherwise I agree.

// posted by neil craig @ 2:18 pm 0 comments

Friday, April 27, 2007

COMMENTS

// posted by neil craig @ 3:15 pm 0 comments

ALL JOCK TAMSON'S BAIRNS

Last night we were out putting up posters in central Glasgow. I was up a lamppost (near the Maltman in Union St) & there was a beggar on the pavement asking for money whom we were studiously ignoring.When our eyes met he said "Its OK mate, I don't mean you. You're working same as me"

PS Sorry I haven't been on for a few days. Blogspot have been revamping & I was locked out. Damn.

// posted by neil craig @ 3:03 pm 0 comments