Wednesday, June 23, 2004

nano silicon carbide wires nano trees. these nano silicon carbide wires about one thousandth the diameter of a human hair were grown from tiny droplets of a liquid metal (Gallium) on a silicon surface. the growth of the structure can be controlled by changing the temperature and pressure of the growth process. see more pictures here. [via] [btang phlog] 10:13:43 PM

News From the Cigarette Trust News from the Cigarette Trust Soemtimes it's not what oligopolies get the government to do, but what they get them not to do. Like not to use antitrust laws. The US Federal Trade Commsiion gave a green light to the merger of  the #2 and #3 cigarette companies, R.J. Reynolds and British-American Tobacco (Brown & Williamson). RJR is the maker of such brands as Camel and Winston, while B&W sells Lucky Strike and Kool. This decision was unanimous, in spite of the recommendations of the commitee's legal staff that the merger would break antitrust law. Thenewly merged company will own 32% of the US market. Philip Morris (Altria), manufacturer of market leader Marlboro, owns a 50% market share. Together with current #4 Lorrilard, the top three manufacturers will control over 90% of the market. Reynolds managed to press its point that in the light of growth by off-brand and generic cigarette markers, the market remains competitive. Expectation was that, at the least, the new company would have to sell off some of its competing brands, such as menthol cigarettes Salem (Reynolds) or Kool (B&W). But there were no conditons imposed. Not only that, but the deal will be tax-free for stockholders of both companies. The cigarette companies have their troubles, with law suit liabilities, higher taxes, and decreasing US use. But the more they can eliminate competition while filling shelves with nominally different brands, the easier their job. And the bigger the remaining companies, the more likelihood that the next time government policy is made (and smoking is a major area for government policy), the more power they will have to get special treatment. Plus, the easier it is for them to determine costs by specifying whatt they will pay the farmers.  A political decision, not a legal one. [Oligopoly Watch] 10:10:51 PM

electron beam tomography on mediaburn electron beam tomography. electron beam tomography produces very beautiful scans of the inner body that resembles old medical drawings. it takes just a few minutes and can even evaluate blood flow and other physiology. Gordon Gould posted his recent scans of his chest area. [via] [btang phlog] 10:07:10 PM

Three Color Photographs Three color photographs using natural digital grain: A 532nm laser shines through an etalon. Twigs are flashed at dusk. (This is a color picture.) Cheezy fake flowers under UV illumination. [101-365] 10:02:18 PM

RSS in Government Government RSS Feeds. One of the cooler bits of network tech is RSS ("really simple syndication" is probably the most common defintion), which is a way of distributing updated site content to subscribers. For people who read a lot of websites over the course of the day, RSS is a life-saver. Most blogs (including WorldChanging) have RSS feeds, and an increasing number of news outlets do, too. But any website that publishes regularly updated information can provide an RSS feed. RSS in Government is a site dedicated to collecting and promoting the use of RSS feeds by government agencies, whether local, state, federal, or international. The main site page mixes general RSS and blogging news with specific updates on government-related RSS feeds. [unmediated] 8:14:48 PM

Part 2: CNET Report on South Korea Business: An industry stalwart is reborn - Part 2 of South Korea's Digital Dynasty. Once known for cheap products, Samsung has undergone a complete upscale transformation and is driving its country's recovery. [CNET News.com] 7:34:21 PM

Criticism of George W. Bush's Foreign Policy ABC News article on the new book Imperial Hubris. 7:19:14 PM

Konarka Technologies Start-up promises bendy solar cells. Konarka Technologies pulls in more VC funding and sets a delivery date for its dye-based solar cells. [CNET News.com] 6:10:39 PM

Notes on High Temperature Superconductivity Superconductor maglev. Super conductor demonstrating the Meissner magnetic levitation effect: A samarium-cobalt magnet floats above a handmade disk of YBa2Cu3O7.X, a high temperature ceramic superconductor. These are easy to make providing you have access to the chemicals, a muffle furnace and a press of some sort: Obtain some yttrium oxide, barium carbonate and copper oxide. The pellets weigh about two grams each. Mix them in the proportion of one mole of yttrium to two moles of barium to three moles of copper. Grind the solids togeter in a mortar and pestle until you have a fine powder. Put the powder into a crucible and cook it for four hours between 900°C and 1000°C. Take the mixture out of the furnace and grind it back into a fine powder. Put the powder into a press or pile it into the center of a brass washer about a millimeter thick. If you use a washer, set it on a piece of copper sheet, and put another piece of copper on top of it. Whack it hard and square with a hammer once. Slide the washer onto a ceramic planchette, that is, a small tile. Carefully remove the copper and the washer from the disk. If the disk falls apart, try again with a bit more powder. Put the panchette into a 'muffle' furnace and heat the disks quickly as close to 1000°C as you can get, but do not exceed this temperature. Cook the disk for 24 hours or so with the furnace's door open so that air can circulate freely. Slowly reduce the temperature of the furnace to room temperature over six hours or so. The disk is now ready to use. Put the disk on the bottom of a styrofoam cup and poured a amall bit of liquid nitrogen onto it. (I get LN2 from Praxair where it's about twenty bucks a gallon.) Carefully set a samarium cobalt (or other high gauss) magnet onto the cold disk. It should float like the one shown above. CAUTION: Handle the chemical carefully, since they are toxic (especially barium carbonate) and prolonged contact with liquid nitrogen will cause frostbite. I probably don't need to tell you that the thousand degree muffle furnace is very hot and will burn you if you touch it, but I will. Here are alternate instructions to make YBCO from Colorado Futuresciences. [101-365] 7:17:14 AM

CNET Report on South Korea Nation: Techno-revolution in the making - Part 1 of South Korea's Digital Dynasty. South Korea has launched the equivalent of a space program in technology, with an aggressive strategy in consumer electronics. [CNET News.com] 7:14:31 AM

E-mail From Democracy For America Dear Gary, A year ago today, over five thousand Americans stood in Burlington, Vermont and together declared that the time had come for real change in America. Together we changed the politics in this country and moved the Democratic Party in a new direction. I will always be grateful for your participation in that process. What is next? I still believe that every American, regardless of party, must come together in common purpose and for the common good to save and restore all that it means to be an American. And today I ask you to renew your commitment to our mission to unite and empower people everywhere: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/contribute Every day I will continue to take on George W. Bush's Washington: narrow-minded ideologues, divisive policies, and the Republican principle that "if you're rich you deserve it, and if you're poor you deserve it." I will continue to fight for health care for every American, investment in our children, equal rights under the law, fiscal responsibility, and a foreign policy consistent with American values. Our new organization, Democracy for America, will allow us to continue to fight for these important issues. But more importantly, it will support candidates at every level and rebuild a sense of community that strengthens the voice of the people. The beginning of our movement was financed not by millionaires called 'Rangers' and 'Pioneers' but by those who call ourselves, simply, Americans. And now we are building a political organization -- not one that wields the power of lobbyists and corporate interests, but the power of millions of people who seek change: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/contribute Too many Americans have stopped participating, stopped voting, and stopped believing that they can change America. And too many in our party have become paralyzed by fear of being criticized by determined opponents and a compliant media. But you have the power to reclaim our nation's destiny -- to bring hope back, rid Washington of the politics of money and give Americans a reason to vote again. Today I rededicate myself to the belief that together we have the power to pass down to our children the America we were taught to believe in. Join thousands of other Americans by making a contribution today, the one year anniversary of the day we began our quest to return high moral purpose to the United States of America: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/contribute Together we have already done so much. And together we have the power to do so much more. Thank you. Governor Howard Dean, M.D. 7:09:41 AM

Watson Lake Watson Lake, Prescott, AZ [101-365] 6:55:59 AM