Wayne, here's the headline...Crystal power Palmtop Nuclear Fusion Device Invented By Michael Schirber LiveScience Staff Writer posted: 27 April 2005 01:00 pm ET The nuclear reaction that powers the Sun has been reproduced in a pocket-sized device, scientists announced today. Researchers have for years tried to harness nuclear fusion to power the world. But its cousin, nuclear fission -- the breaking apart of atoms -- is the only method so far commercially viable. The latest invention is not in the same league as efforts to build complex commercial reactors. The new device creates a relatively small number of reactions, and requires more energy to operate than it produces. The Real Deal (AP) - Previous claims of tabletop fusion have been met with skepticism and even derision by physicists. In one of the most notable cases, Dr. B. Stanley Pons of the University of Utah and Martin Fleischmann of Southampton University in England shocked the world in 1989 when they announced that they had achieved so-called cold fusion at room temperature. Their work was discredited after repeated attempts to reproduce it failed. Fusion experts noted that the new UCLA experiment is credible because, unlike the 1989 work, it did not violate basic principles of physics. "This doesn't have any controversy in it because they're using a tried and true method,'' said David Ruzic, professor of nuclear and plasma engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "There's no mystery in terms of the physics.'' -- Associated Press But the configuration is so small and simple that its creators think it may inspire unforeseen applications. "I certainly find it interesting that you can heat a cubic centimeter crystal in your hand, then plunge it in cold water and it will cause nuclear fusion," Seth Putterman from the University of California Los Angeles told LiveScience. Putterman's lay description greatly oversimplifies how the compact apparatus works. Specifically, Putterman and collaborators heat a pyroelectric crystal, lithium tantalite, from minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit to plus 45 in a matter of minutes. This generates an electrical charge -- 100,000 volts -- across the tiny crystal, which is housed in a chamber filled with deuterium gas, a heavy form of hydrogen. The high voltage is focused onto a needle-thin tip, which strips electrons from nearby deuterium nuclei and then accelerates them at a solid target containing deuterium. When two deuterium nuclei collide together at high speed, they fuse to form helium. The Sun also fuses atoms in thermonuclear reactions that create light and heat. The byproduct of the newly discovered lab reaction is a particle called the neutron. The scientists detect about 1,000 neutrons per second. Because neutrons are so penetrating, Putterman said that a hand-held neutron source might one-day be used to do geologic surveys or to look into cargo containers for nuclear devices. "Current neutron generators are extremely cumbersome," Putterman said. "They are about as big as a dentists X-ray machine, so you canÂt carry them into the field." Pyroelectric crystals could also provide a beam of ions for use as a microthruster in a miniature spacecraft. The research is described in the April 28 issue of the journal Nature.

Still have SO much to consider and decide on, but wanted to say that I've now decided to stay over for two nights so will have a bit more time, and also reserved a room at the Salisbury on 57th Street, a very short stroll from Central Park. The hotel is older (right next to the Calvary Baptist Cathedral; I believe the hotel building is actually owned by the church), and a bit shabby -- but in that way it reminds me of places I've stayed in London. As I was perusing the hotel's website and considering a very decent sale rate of $120 per night for a king room, the site suddenly changed and showed a dropped price of $48 (!) for the last king room available on my chosen arrival night. I hopped on that like a cat on a paper bag! So, while not the most glamorous accommodation in the city, the location is amazing. I'm really excited, but truly overwhelmed at the choices I now have to make as to what will fill my time. My friends have not fully committed to staying over, but I suspect they will. Even if they don't, I'm going to have fun!

Update: my installation of the second fan went very well, it works (with its own remote) very well. The intermittent status of the first one still exists, however. Here is the situation: yesterday, fan #1 was working fine (remote could control the fan and its light). I turned off the power and installed fan #2. The instructions from MinkeAire say that I need to change the communication frequency between the remote and the fan, by moving one dip switch within the remote (not clear that it was in the remote, but there are no switches in the receiver). To do that, I need to press "stop" on the remote within one minute of turning on the power and hold it for 10 seconds, which I did and it worked. So then, I had two fans with two remotes in the same room, on the same circuit. I left them both running for the evening as we were watching TV. Because the light bothered my wife, I tried to turn off the light on the fan near the TV, and it didn't respond. I tried the remote for the other fan and it worked fine. At the end of the evening, I turned off the power switch (which is my planned method of operation) and, of course, both stopped. This morning, I thought that maybe the first fan had "forgot" the communication, so I tried resetting it using MinkeAire's instructions. I did that, and now both fans work, but on the same remote. So now I have two problems: the fan's individual remotes don't control them separately and, perhaps, fan #1 may be still acting up. Because it's Independance Day, I assume neither the mfr. or dealer will be open to support calls, so I'm going to call one on Monday. Should I call the dealer (Hansen Wholesale Fans) or MinkeAire? If you have read all this, thank you!

Lea the storms missed us here. There was wind damage in about 4 locations, 3 in Ohio, and 1 fairly far north of here. We got a hint of rain. between the time I decided to go out and get the pulled onions and when I actually got out there. I think we got about 1/100" We need rain bad here. Good news is we're in the middle of 6 days in a row no hotter than the 70's. The city closed all the pools. I got a letter from my health insurer approving "Removing and Replacing your single lead Defibrillator". I only bring this up because I jokingly said they R&R'd my pacemaker not knowing how up I am on current terminology.