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.

You are absolutely correct. I don't process my dills. I make sure the jars are as hot as can be by using the dishwasher on the sani cycle and then placing them in a 150-200 degree oven while I can them. This assures a very crisp pickle. However , many people are uncomfortable with this so I tell them to process as you would any pickle in a vinegar brine solution. When I posted the recipe on AllRecipes it went viral with great reviews. Somewhere along the way AllRecipes modified the recipe to add a hot water bath...from that point on there were many complaints that the pickles were not crisp. I don't advocate that anyone use the original recipe but this is about my 40th year plus making them this way. For anyone interested here is the "Cadillac" version of the recipe that I( posted several years after the one Ann posted. Mrs. Jack's Dills Here is more information about Dills than you ever wanted! I have no idea what exactly makes these pickles so good so I am religious about following the steps to the tee! I make these a bushel at a time, each bushel yields about 50 jars. If using less than a bushel you can usually count on between 6-8 dills(cukes) per 1 quart jar, depending on size. Use 3" to 4" cukes that have just been picked. I get mine at the market and always insist on cukes that have been picked that morning or the day before at the earliest. Place the cukes in ice cold water (I use my bath tub!!) and add a bag or two of ice to the water. The cukes should stay in the ice water for a minimum of 2 hours but no more than 8. Refresh the ice as required. I make the brine in great big batches using this ratio: 2 cups white vinegar 6 cups water 1/3 cup coarse pickling salt For each jar of dills you will need 2 nice size garlic cloves peeled and cut in half (4 pieces) and two dill florets. Use the dill heads not that fluffy stuff! So if you are doing a bushel....that is 50 jars so you need 100 dill florets and 100 garlic cloves. Leave the cukes whole. Now here is where the canning police and I part ways. This is how I do it and have for 30 years but it is not according to the guidelines . You'll need to make your own choice but I am convinced this is why they are so crisp. I sterilize my jars using the sani cycle of the dishwasher (you could boil the jars instead) When they are really hot, almost at the end of the cycle I place them in a oven at 150 degrees to keep them good and hot. Make the brine and bring the brine to a full and rolling boil. Place the rings and lids in a large saucepan with water and bring them almost to the boil. Then turn down but keep them hot. Place the cukes, garlic and dill in the hot jars. I do garlic, dill, cukes, garlic, dill. Pour brine over the cukes. Only do 2 jars at a time, leave the rest in the oven to keep them hot. Wipe the rim really well, this is critical to sealing, and place lid and ring on and screw to finger tight. Let sit 6-8 weeks before eating! Here is what I think is most critical: Fresh cukes Ice bath Boiling hot brine Very hot jars Clean rim So as a recap of ingredients 1) Make the brine in the quantity you need , just keep making it 2) Count on 6-8 medium size cukes to a jar 3) 2 large florets of dill to a jar 4) 2 large size garlic cloves, cut in half, ( 4 pieces) per jar

I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. The recipe is online, just not credited to Kremezi. Hosted at gourmet.gr, a site which also reviewed her cookbook (which is how I found out the exact wording of the recipe title). So I change my post from a request to a recipe recommendation. The soup is brothy, not like the lentil soup I usually make, which is why I like it. Lentil Soup with Pasta and Mint (Fakes me Pastoula ke Diosmo) Info: Cuisine: Greek Course/Dish: Main Course Main Ingredients: Beans Serves: 4 Ingredients: 4 cups water 1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed 1 bay leaf 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped red onions 1/2Â1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or pinch of crushed red pepper flakes 3 cups Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock Salt 1/3 cup stellini, small orzo or other tiny pasta shape or 2/3 cup crushed vermicelli Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus a few leaves for garnish Extra-virgin olive oil Sweet Greek vinegar, such as Kalamata vinegar, or balsamic vinegar Instructions: In a large pot, combine the water, lentils and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaf. Wipe out the pot with paper towels. Heat the oil in the pot and sautι the onions with the Aleppo pepper or pepper flakes over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and saute for 1 minute. Add the reserved cooking liquid, the stock and salt to taste, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Return the broth to boiling, add the pasta, increase the heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding a few grindings of black pepper. Stir in the mint. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle oil and a little vinegar over each serving and garnish with the mint leaves. Based on a traditional recipe from Astypalaia, an island of the Dodecanese Here is a link that might be useful: duh

Do you have a dehydrator, Barb? That's how I make both zucchini and cucumber "chips" - LOTS of them..... They are a dehydrated food staple at our house, along with apple slices. Do you have a cutting mandolin? That's the easiest way to slice zucchini evenly. The even thickness of each slice will help you have an evenly-dried chip. How to dehydrate zucchini: Select slender, immature zucchini - before seeds form inside. Wash, trim off ends, and cut into 1/8" thick slices. Give the slices a "bath" in a mixture of 1 t. citric acid to 1 qt. water. You could also use Fruit Fresh in water. This will help prevent bacteria growth, add back a little vitamin C, and prevent browning from oxidation. After the citric acid treatment, I toss the slices into my salad spinner for a gentle spin to remove a lot of the water from the "bath". Place on the trays in a single layer. Dry at 120-130°F until crisp. How long depends on how large and how thick the chips are, but up to 12-18-hours. Be sure to rotate the trays once during drying time. Once crispy, remove the trays from the dehydrator and allow the chips to cool (30-60-minutes) to room temperature. Remove chips from the trays and store in canning jars with lids. CAUTION: Don't let the chips set for a long period of time after they have cooled because they will quickly begin to reabsorb moisture from the air and become sticky and limp. Don't jar them while they are still warm from the dehydrator, either, because they can continue to expel moisture that can cause the chips to get moldy. You can also LIGHTLY sprinkle the zucchini with spices. I like to use some of the Mrs. Dash salt-free mixtures. I make potato and sweet potato chips in the microwave using a Mastrad Chip Maker: http://www.organizeit.com/mastrad-chip-maker-trays.asp?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BingPLA NO oil or fat! When using a microwave chip maker, it's important to keep like-sized slices on the tray when microwaving them, so use the smaller end pieces together, and then use the larger center cuts together on one tray. Don't crowd the tray. When done, I place the chips on a rimmed cookie sheet and place them in the oven with the light on, to make sure they stay crispy before serving them. I usually make them in the morning and leave them in the oven until needed for lunch or supper. One large potato is more than enough for 2-people for us for several meals. Because they don't have all the salt and oil, you don't eat as many as you would regular store-bought chips. -Grainlady