Power and Control

Power and Control

A good deal of my ramblings are about power, energy, conservation and alternative energy issues. The blog cited above is by M. Simon of Rockford Illinois. His focus is on energy also, but with a focus on fusion energy. Of late, there is a renewed interest in nuclear power as it does not directly contribute to global warming. I heard a podcast debate between one of the early Greenpeace guys who went over to the dark side and a member of the British Green Party on this issue. The debate featuring Partrick Moore can be heard by clicking this link.

The Green response is that Moore ignores the huge carbon footprint left by nuclear power when the mining, transportation and disposal of the fuel is taken into account. This argument left me questioning my recent conversion back to supporting nukes, but I am not good enough at the Dismal Science of economics to really come to any conclusions.

Finally, it should be said that I am a space nut. Perhaps He3 (an isotope of Helium) will play a role in fusion. Indeed, this might be why China, Japan and perhaps India have begun moon exploration programs. My view on this is the more the merrier. To the Moon, to Mars and beyond!

I do believe, however, that nuclear fusion might be the answer. See the blog cited above for more info on this. A bigger question, however, is whether or not we need unlimited power. Could it be that our lives would be simpler and more satisfying if we simply conserved for the sake of conserving? Go top M. Simon's blog and start a discussion on this!

BBC News | SCI/TECH | Fusion power 'within reach'

BBC News | SCI/TECH | Fusion power 'within reach'

Is Fusion back in vogue? BBC says that the new approach to smaller reactors means Fusion is "within reach". Even if we could get cheap, clean, unlimited power, do we want to? Or is it better to scale down our lives strictly for it's own sake?

Harnessing the Weather | Natural Disasters | DISCOVER Magazine

Harnessing the Weather | Natural Disasters | DISCOVER Magazine

The Russians try. The U.S. DOD has tried. Private companies have tried. Maybe it is all part of the Alaska HARP Project that the conspiracy theorists worry about.