Bill USA
Bill USA's JournalQuantum leap in lasers brightens future of quantum computing
http://www.spacemart.com/reports/Quantum_leap_in_lasers_at_Dartmouth_brightens_future_for_quantum_computing_999.htmlDartmouth scientists and their colleagues have devised a breakthrough laser that uses a single artificial atom to generate and emit particles of light. The laser may play a crucial role in the development of quantum computers, which are predicted to eventually outperform today's most powerful supercomputers.
The study appears in the journal Physical Review B.
The new laser is the first to rely exclusively on superconducting electron pairs. "The fact that we use only superconducting pairs is what makes our work so significant," says Alex Rimberg, a professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth. Superconductivity is a condition that occurs when electricity can travel without any resistance or loss of energy.
"The artificial atom is made of nanoscale pieces of superconductor," says Rimberg.
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Commercial scale production of ethanol from wood waste & other vegatative matter attained by INEOS
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/01/business/energy-environment/company-says-its-the-first-to-make-ethanol-from-waste.html?_r=0After months of frustrating delays, a chemical company announced Wednesday that it had produced commercial quantities of ethanol from wood waste and other nonfood vegetative matter, a long-sought goal that, if it can be expanded economically, has major implications for providing vehicle fuel and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
The company, INEOS Bio, a subsidiary of the European oil and chemical company INEOS, said it had produced the fuel at its $130 million Indian River BioEnergy Center in Vero Beach, Fla., which it had hoped to open by the end of last year. The company said it was the first commercial-scale production of ethanol from cellulosic feedstock, but it did not say how much it had produced. Shipments will begin in August, the company said.
The process begins with wastes — wood and vegetative matter for now, municipal garbage later — and cooks it into a gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Bacteria eat the gas and excrete alcohol, which is then distilled. Successful production would eliminate some of the “food versus fuel” debate in the manufacturing of ethanol, which comes from corn.
“Biomass gasification has not been done like this before, nor has the fermentation,” said Peter Williams, chief executive of INEOS Bio.
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WaPo factchecker is a GOP Toady. He attracts a lot of TP Nutjobs. It would be nice if some rational
.. people would provide more critiques of his GOP friendly 'Factchecker'..
Obama’s claim that the GOP has ‘blocked every serious idea’
He gave Obama three Pinnochios for his statement. In his column he 'forgot' about the fact that this year the Repugnants have been obstructing the Highway Trust Fund bill - without replenishment this will cost about 700,000 jobs. The GOP - since this is not a tax cut for wealthy people - want 'offsets' to cover the cost of replenishment of HTF. GOP Proposed offsets: stopping mail deliveries on Saturdays, tax cuts for corporations repatriated foreign profits (an old standby of the Corporate Lobbyist Party).
Kessler also forgot that the GOP this year has continued its opposition to extending Unemployment Benefits to long term unemployed - unless 'Offsets' are found - (preferably cuts to programs helping the poeple most hurt by the GOP's Trickle Down - Deregulation disaster.
It would be nice to see more vigorous criticism of this toady from rational people. there are too many screwball comments on there from TP psychos.
The Democrats need to have a poll taken to show how misinformed the public is by M$M
given the number of polls and the popularity of the Job Approval Rating as a be-all and end-all rating - I am very frustrated by the fact that these polls are taken without any effort to include questions to establish how well or badly informed the people are who are answering the questions.
Here's a good example of a poll with an idiot question - that is a question of little to no value:
Quinnipiac, in my mind, has established their poll developers are no more intelligent than the people taking their polls.
I think it's time the Democrats paid to have a poll taken to get a measure on how much or how little people know and how well or badly the M$M are doing at informing or misinforming the public (and potential voters).
I'll even offer some suggested questions:
a) "Obama's leadership"
b) President Obama's "inability to get things done"
c) Anybody saying: "Our top priority is to make Obama a one term President".
d) Any individual or group using the filibuster as a tactic.
e) What's a filibuster?
Q 2: If you answered "a" to Q1, If you had to put a number on it, how many times have you heard President Obama's "leadership" or lack thereof discussed on television?"
a) one time.
b) two to twenty times
c) over twenty less than one hundred
d) one hundred times or more
Q3: If you answered 'a' for question 1: On any of the occasions when you heard President Obama's "leadership" discussed on television, in how many of those discusions did you hear the word 'filibuster' mentioned?:
a) zero
b) one out of ten discussions
c) five out of ten discussions
d) more than five out of ten discussions
e) ten out of ten discussions
Q4: If you answered "b" to Q1, If you had to put a number on it, how many times have you heard President Obama's "inability to get things done" discussed on television?"
a) one time
b) two to twenty times
c) over twenty less than one hundred
d) one hundred times or more
Q5: If you answered 'b' for question 1: On any of the occasions when you heard President Obama's "inability to get things done" discussed on television in how many of those discussions did you hear the word 'filibuster' mentioned?:
a) zero
b) one out of ten discussions
c) five out of ten discussions
d) more than five out of ten discussions
e) ten out of ten discussions
Question 6. If you answered "d" to Q 1, what party did you hear identified as using the filibuster?
a) Democrats
b) Republicans
c) Block Party
d) Frat Party
Question 7. If you answered 'c' to question 1, do you recall who made that statement?
a) a Democrat
b) a Republican
c) Rep. Nancy Pelosi
d) Senator Mitch McConnell
d) Capt. Kangaroo
Q 8. Thinking of what political events you've seen/heard covered on television since President Obama was elected, what of the following have you heard reported/discussed:
a) Whether President Obama has a valid birth certificate.
b) That Obama is a Muslim.
c) Any individual or group using the filibuster as a tactic.
d) That President Obama is a member of a church that wants to destroy America.
Q9: Have you ever heard it reported/mentioned on television that "the filibuster" had been used by some individual or party?
a) Yes
b) No.
Q 10: If you answered "Yes" - how many times would you say you've heard the word "filibuster" mentioned on television since President Obama was elected?:
a) Several times
b) a couple of times
c) Never heard it mentioned
d) What's a filibuster?
Q 8: Where do you get most of your news?
a) ABC World News Tonight
b) CBS Evening News
c) NBC Nightly News
d) PBS Newshour
e) CNN
f) FoxNews Network
g) MSNBC
These questions are just for starters. If anybody has ideas for other questions, I would be interested in reading them.
... oh, and another suggestion: [font size="3"]Please email the WH andor Congressmen to tell them the Democrats need to have a poll taken to shed some light on what facts people know and what disinformation/lies they think are fact - and where do they get their (dis)information from.
... then we can have the very necessary conversation on how badly informed the public is and who is responsible for this sorry state of affairs - it's not ALL Faux News' fault. This will help put some of these polls results (as mentioned above) in perspective[/font]
A simple response to the Ayatollah Roberts Court ruling for employer-Lordship over Serf-Workers..
I think ANY employer should be allowed to deny any particular part of the coverage provided under Obamacare to the Lord-Employers' Serf/workers.
As a result any such employer action denying any aspect or kinds of coverage legally provided to their employees by ObamaCares - all affected employees will be given the opportunity (having been denied any part of the legally available coverage under Obamacare) to make the free election to be covered by Medicare.
Go ahead Obamacare hating partisan-employers. Hack away at Obamacare --- and watch the Single Payer system grow. 
'Ayotollah' Roberts decrees workers are not free citizens but serfs of their employer Lords
.. in their Hobby Lobby encyclical, the Ayatollah Roberts and minions again decreed that American shall burn down its mistaken venture into this sordid democratic society and shall be returned to the God ordained & preferred system of Corporate Feudalism. In the 21st century version of this society Corporations (and any employer) and the uber Wealthy are the new Lords. Anyone who works for a paycheck is by definition a serf - owing fealty to his Lord-employer. accordingly, it is entirely proper for Worker- Serfs to be told what behaviors their Lord-Employers will deign to tolerate. The concept of a free and independent person, being 'endowed by his Creator with inalienable rights" is a false, heretical concept cooked up by 18th Century radicals such as Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson - which is repugnant to God, the Grand Ayatollah Roberts and your Lord-Employers. This idea that serfs can somehow, make up their own minds on matters of personal conduct and actually rule themselves is dangerous nonsense.
It is entirely in keeping with God's plan, for Corporate/Employer Lords to tell their Serf-Workers what they shall be allowed to do and what activities will be proscribed by their Lords. Note, that such constructions as "governments of and by the people" (in time) shall not be allowed to assert/protect any fictional rights of man (i.e. Serfs) in the face of edicts by the Ayatollah or declarations by any of the Corporate/employer Lords of the Corporate Feudalist state.
eventually, wayward Serfs will realize this is a better system as the Lords and of course, the Ayatollah, will look out for you all - as they know better than you what is best for you.
[font size="+1"]Thank you, Ayatollah Roberts - for saving us from Democracy[/font]
In Hobby Lobby ruling, the Supreme Court uses a ‘fiction’
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-in-hobby-lobby-ruling-the-supreme-court-uses-a-fiction/2014/06/30/37663c72-009b-11e4-8572-4b1b969b6322_story.html
Mitt Romney said it, and on Monday the Supreme Court upheld it: Corporations are people, my friend.
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In its last day in session, the high court not only affirmed corporate personhood but expanded the human rights of corporations, who by some measures enjoy more protections than mortals — or “natural persons,” as the court calls the type of people who do not incorporate in Delaware. In 2010, the court ruled that corporations are people for the purposes of making unrestricted political contributions. Now, the court has decided that some corporations have religious beliefs, just like other people.
“The purpose of extending rights to corporations is to protect the rights of people associated with the corporation, including shareholders, officers, and employees,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the much-anticipated Hobby Lobby decision. “Protecting the free-exercise rights of closely held corporations thus protects the religious liberty of the humans who own and control them.”
Alito’s ruling notably did not protect the rights of people employed by Hobby Lobby. They can now be denied contraceptives they were supposed to receive as part of their employee health plan — because the craft chain’s owners object to certain forms of birth control required under Obamacare. In an oral statement from the bench, Alito argued that those who say corporations are “just a piece of paper” are making a “dangerous” argument and would turn religious executives “into second-class citizens.”
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E.J. Dionne Jr.: Supreme oligarchy - a great piece on the political based Roberts court
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ej-dionne-jr-supreme-oligarchy/2014/04/06/823f15ea-bc2e-11e3-9a05-c739f29ccb08_story.html(emphases my own)
An oligarchy, Webster’s dictionary tells us, is “a form of government in which the ruling power belongs to a few persons.” It’s a shame that the Republican majority on the Supreme Court doesn’t know the difference between an oligarchy and a democratic republic.
Yes, I said “the Republican majority,” violating a nicety based on the pretense that when people reach the high court, they forget their party allegiance. We need to stop peddling this fiction.
[font size="3"]On cases involving the right of Americans to vote and the ability of a very small number of very rich people to exercise unlimited influence on the political process, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and his four allies always side with the wealthy, the powerful and the forces that would advance the political party that put them on the court. The ideological overreach that is wrecking our politics is now also wrecking our jurisprudence.[/font]
The court’s latest ruling in McCutcheon et al. v. Federal Election Commission should not be seen in isolation. (The “et al.,” by the way, refers to the Republican National Committee.) It is yet another act of judicial usurpation by five justices who treat the elected branches of our government with contempt and precedent as meaningless. If Congress tries to contain the power of the rich, the Roberts Court will slap it in the face. And if Congress tries to guarantee the voting rights of minorities, the Roberts Court will slap it in the face again.
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Daily Kos post on Dionne's piece: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/07/1290223/-E-J-Dionne-on-Supreme-oligarchy
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