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.

That's correct cwnwv. Lindsey my book covers artists who passed away between 1959 and 2009. Have over 400 entries and as of now 31 photos. If I get these it will put me over 40. Some photos are harder to get while some families are grateful that their loved ones are being remembered. a perfect example is the widow of Cornelius Bumpus. You probably don't recognize the name but he was the sax player for the Doobie brothers. SamKaren your resident DJ

archie123, my drainboard is 16 inches long. The standard for Stonemasters is 18 inches but I wanted to preserve some flat countertop next under the corbel shelves and they were quite flexible. It is about 16 inches front to back but I did not specify that, I think they decide that depending on the sink measurement. Many people get the runnels which are prettier but I wanted the smooth drainboard of ease of cleaning. I thought I would mostly use the Stages sink shelf for drying things but that shelf does not slope down at all and there is always a ittle water on it unless I wipe it off , so this integral drainboard in the soapstone is my most used drying area. Also, that sink including the raised shelf has become my most often used prep area so the integral drainboard adds even more functional real estate. I use this very low profile drying rack from Ikea which easily stores in the sink out of view if needed. BTW the templater mentioned that Kohler dxf files were very accurate and they trusted them. Mags438, the sink is I think my favorite thing! You are too funny. tea4all, the corbel shelves are already holding our most used bowls and mugs. The bottom edge of my cabinets are 19 inches from the countertop with an integral 1 inch hollow area underneath for undercounter lights etc. I designed the shelves to have the bottom 7 inches below that bottom edge of the cabinets (12 inches above the countertop) and 7 inches front to back. I drew the corbels poorly but asked Dutchwood to make the top part 13 inches front to back. tapering down to the 7 inches front to back for the shelves. The shelf thickness is 3/4 inch thick, the thinnest that the cabinetmaker was comfortable with. My upper cabinets are 15 inches deep so the 7 inch corbel shelf depth still allows the undercounter lights (mounted towards the front under the cabinets) to not be blocked by the shelves. I designed the shelves i because I wanted to have easy access to my most used items yet get things off the countertop. The height was determined by the location of my preexisting outlets and switches which also happened to be the right height that my coffeemaker could fit under (just) when not in use. I do pull the coffeemaker and rice cooker out from under the cabinets when in use because of the steam that they generate. I will eventually post a picture of the corbel shelves in use. Here is a link that might be useful: Ikea Boholmen dish drainer

Your kitchen will be VERY dark. Take away the "very", and I agree. Your other two bedrooms are very, very small. Again, take away the adjective, and I agree. My girls' bedrooms are each 12x12, and they're comfortable rooms -- but you should decide just how much furniture you expect them to hold. My daughter who's still at home has a double bed, a double dresser w/ mirror and two bookcases (one tall, one wide). In the other room, we have a queen and no dresser ... this room has held a queen + two dressers in the past, and it was tight with those three large pieces. You say it'll be years 'til you build ... so your kids'll be teens /possibly be out the door by the time you build. These rooms are not large, gracious suites, but they are adequate. I'd add windows to the "blank" walls in the kids' rooms; light from two directions is always a good thing. I would add a pocket door to this "wing" of the house so the children (or guests in the future) can "close it off". This would also allow you to "close it off" to save on heating /cooling once the children are out of the house. The bath is cramped. A person will essentially stand on the toilet to use the sink. I wonder if you could steal from the front porch /push the closet forward ... so you could have a larger, more comfortable bath with a larger vanity /better storage ... I drew in a shower instead of a tub for no particular reason. Grill deck seems strangely far from the kitchen. Yes, that is a problem ... with a screened porch on the side, I think I'd lose the rear porch /go with a deck or patio instead across the back. Traffic pattern from the non-master bedrooms to garage and/or laundry seems like it takes you right through kitchen and dining room, which I wouldn’t like. Yes, I don't think you have enough space between the kitchen and the dining room. I'd extend the dining room out a bit. Here's what I'd do with this plan: - Extend the dining room out so you have space for a comfortable pathway. - Redo the garage entry so you have a multi-purpose room to the right as you enter ... on the right wall /wall shared with the garage you'll have a small coat closet and the washer/dryer (venting won't be bad ... run the hose down the edge of the garage /only one bend) ... across from this wall you'll have a long wall of pantry shelving ... you'll have a door between the laundry and the master closet, which is relocated towards the center of of the house. - The master bath is now on the corner, allowing it to have windows on two sides ... and you have a nice linen closet that didn't exist before ... or you could extend the shower and/or tub to really huge proportions. - You'll lose the French doors in the master bedroom, but I'd let the master "poke out towards the back", allowing for windows on three sides, and I'd place the head of the bed in the middle of the back wall. Overall, I think this layout has the beginnings of a good empty-nester plan.