Reasons for optimism over US particle physics - opinion - 08 June 2008 - New Scientist
Reasons for optimism over US particle physics
08 June 2008
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Shochet's presentation at the meeting
Office of High Energy Physics, DoE
MONTHS after US particle physics experienced brutal funding cuts, reasons for optimism are emerging. So concluded a panel of leading physicists at a meeting in Washington DC last week.
The panel was asked by the US Department of Energy to consider four possible funding scenarios - and how they would spend the money over the next decade. "We can't do everything we'd like to do, it can't all go as quickly as it should, but we can do a great deal," says physicist Mel Shochet of the University of Chicago.
Among the big losers in the cuts were those involved in the International Linear Collider, which was suspended in December. The panel added that the need for the ILC is not yet proven and so construction should not be guaranteed. "It is so expensive, you have to show that it is necessary," says panel chairman Charles Baltay of Yale University. Nevertheless, the panel concluded that the ILC will win back funding in all but the worst-case scenario.
Its recommendations will go to a DoE committee for approval.
Focus on America - Delve into the science and technology questions facing the USA in our special report.
From issue 2659 of New Scientist magazine, 08 June 2008, page 6
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Discovery News : Discovery Channel : Mars Phoenix Flunks First Big Dig
Discovery News : Discovery Channel : Mars Phoenix Flunks First Big Dig
Mars Phoenix Flunks First Big Dig
Bob Christie, Associated Press
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So Far, So Good... View More Images From Phoenix
June 7, 2008 -- The first sample of Martian dirt dumped onto the opening of the Phoenix lander's tiny testing oven failed to reach the instrument, and scientists said Saturday they will devote a few days to trying to determine the cause.
Photos released by the University of Arizona team overseeing the mission showed a scoopful of dirt sitting on and around the open oven door after being dumped by the craft's 8-foot robot arm. But none of it made it past a screen and into the tiny chamber, one of eight on the craft designed to heat soil and test gasses for signs of water or organic compounds that could be building blocks for life.
Nothing seems to be wrong with the dirt delivery by the lander's robot arm, said William Boynton of the University of Arizona in Tucson, who is overseeing the oven experiments. The dirt landed properly and instruments show a vibrator on the screen designed to help shake soil into the chamber was working.
However, an electronic eye positioned to detect dirt falling into the chamber didn't report any particles.
"We think everything is working correctly, although we don't really know for sure," Boynton said Saturday in a teleconference news briefing from Tucson. "We're a little bit concerned about this but we have some other things to check out."
The teams overseeing the experiments plan to spend the next several days going over possible reasons for the apparent failure, Boynton said.
It could be that the dirt is too dense or compacted to make it past the screen, which is there to allow only small particles into the oven. Or, it could be that incorrect readings from the vibrator made it look like it was working when it was not.
Even if this oven turns out to be unusable, the seven other ovens would be available for the mission's primary experiments.
In the meantime, scientists will turn their attention to using the arm's backhoe-like arm to take close-up photos of the surface and do additional digging.
Phoenix landed in Mars' northern plains on May 25 for a three-month mission. It is not a rover like some Mars missions, and its instruments cannot directly detect past or present life.
The $420 million mission is being overseen by the University of Arizona, with support from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
Mars Phoenix Flunks First Big Dig
Bob Christie, Associated Press
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So Far, So Good... View More Images From Phoenix
June 7, 2008 -- The first sample of Martian dirt dumped onto the opening of the Phoenix lander's tiny testing oven failed to reach the instrument, and scientists said Saturday they will devote a few days to trying to determine the cause.
Photos released by the University of Arizona team overseeing the mission showed a scoopful of dirt sitting on and around the open oven door after being dumped by the craft's 8-foot robot arm. But none of it made it past a screen and into the tiny chamber, one of eight on the craft designed to heat soil and test gasses for signs of water or organic compounds that could be building blocks for life.
Nothing seems to be wrong with the dirt delivery by the lander's robot arm, said William Boynton of the University of Arizona in Tucson, who is overseeing the oven experiments. The dirt landed properly and instruments show a vibrator on the screen designed to help shake soil into the chamber was working.
However, an electronic eye positioned to detect dirt falling into the chamber didn't report any particles.
"We think everything is working correctly, although we don't really know for sure," Boynton said Saturday in a teleconference news briefing from Tucson. "We're a little bit concerned about this but we have some other things to check out."
The teams overseeing the experiments plan to spend the next several days going over possible reasons for the apparent failure, Boynton said.
It could be that the dirt is too dense or compacted to make it past the screen, which is there to allow only small particles into the oven. Or, it could be that incorrect readings from the vibrator made it look like it was working when it was not.
Even if this oven turns out to be unusable, the seven other ovens would be available for the mission's primary experiments.
In the meantime, scientists will turn their attention to using the arm's backhoe-like arm to take close-up photos of the surface and do additional digging.
Phoenix landed in Mars' northern plains on May 25 for a three-month mission. It is not a rover like some Mars missions, and its instruments cannot directly detect past or present life.
The $420 million mission is being overseen by the University of Arizona, with support from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Monday, June 02, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
the first thing out of her mouth was "whats up with the mustache", not how are you, how is your pain, all mother could talk about was danas hd tv and how vivid the water was on it, and asked me what i was going to do in 2009, looking at my little mini tv with the dvd in it and rabbit ears, she didnt ask how was i, how was the pain, the "apartment is nice, looks like the 1960's"..we have heard good things about your neighbor and your landlord, like who the fuck has dana and nancy been talking too, my landlord is polish, doesntspeak a word of english, they only staid like ten minutes, both were hung over from a party last night, dana had her head in her hands the whole time, always looked away when i gave her eye contact
did you pay the irs asked nancy, did you get your credit right, no, how are you, how is your pain, no, HOW ARE YOU DOING, considering im broke, low on food, dana brought food she knew would make me sick, and for sure, i vomited for hours after eating it, and cried all day and still am crying, they dont give a fucking damn, i might understand the nursing h ome shit, but why the power of attorney shit, why did dana plan to open a checking account with her name on it, knowing, it seems, she had plans to institutionalize me and take over my ssa funds, what little there was, and it was all fucked up, i had to move into hotelswhere i ran out of f unds paying for food and room and board, dana had said i could live with her for two months and then it was an 'assisted living facitlity for me", i thought she was kiding, little did i know she and janice and planned all this far in a advacne, get david into a nursing home, get power of attorney over him, take over his life, lock him up in a shit smelling hole in the wall on park avenue in pinellas park florida called the arbors, should be called the inquisistion, they lied to me telling me i was baker acted and could not leave, i found out the tru th as i came out of the black out, or what ever really happened, all dana wanted was to lock me up in her hatred of me
such hatred, dana, carol, rod, and mom, she doesnt give a shit, "you should see danas high definition tele, the water was like ""right there""
they care about their dogs more then familiy, a dog they keep locked up in a cage casue it eats everything
that day it ate my medications
so sunday was the big visit, dana actdually came in , i know she was disappointed the place was clean, she cant baker act me, im sure when i have the big heart attack and strok dana will get her final wish, pull the plug doctors, i hated him all my life anyhow,
why i dont now, was it something i did , was it something i said, she threw me out of her home when i moved here in 1996, with no where to go, i had made a comment to her gay male friend that she was compulisive obessive and on meds, and mom drank herself to sleep, and of course, navie me, the friend went to dana and mom and told them, kicked me right out, told me i could sleep in my car, i think that was moms words back then
yesterday had nothing to do with visiting me, it was a spy misssion, we hate men, im a man, im david alan hughes, kill kill kill, we could not kill alan , father, we could not lock him up or get back at him, so im the dead meat
teri wont speak to me, told me after knowing me 53 years that i could not live with her after all after what ever dana told her the horrible things i had done on november 15. 2008, during a black out on xanax and grapefruit j uice, oh yeah, they say im a drug abusiser, it was not the meds, they say im bi polar, dana couldnot wait to get a pyscholgoist to get her lesbian hands on me and lock me up for good
why the hatered, i just dont get it, dana hates me so much, she bleeds her hatred for me in red
i gave dana a gift, for x mas candy from harry and david, then for her b day a gift from hallmark,
i got nothing, i spent over 100 bucks on mom for x mas, and i got 20 bucks
the hatered in my family , ive got to get over it and stop letting it bother me, the depression it brings on could be the death of me, i have it all planned out , a plastic bag over my head, chewing up my heart meds and eating all my pain meds and xanax and just going to sleeep for eternity
the wiccan in me does not want to give up
i want to give up, i bounce up and down, one minute im determined and love life, the stars, the night air, the next, i want to have died yesterday
i will never see either of them again, never
"how are you, how is your pain, how are ;you feeling?"
"david you should see danas high definition tv, the water was right there"
i have 22 bucks in my checking account, rent is paid andim applying for all the help i can muster, my stomach hurts all the time, im in pain twenty four hours a day, this is not life, this is hell
"david, you should seee dana hd........."
fuck family, even the cab driver said dana did me wrong, strangers see the truth, why cant my mother, my aunt, my uncle,
why did dana want power of attorty??
what was the motive of janice, danas ex, i dont get it, but i have the paperwork
with all their signitures, taking my life , my independence away from me,
why do they hate me so much???
i just dont get it, how am i going to get past th is shit
i fought for three years to get disability, won, and the fight has just really started, living on $825 per month, rent is $700, you figure
today walking to the store i thought about stepping out in front of t hat car,
jumping off that bridge, all i need it one plastic hood for my head
what is the point of fighting to live, when all their is is more pain, no money to get to the doctor, no money to even call my best friend in tampa
the psychic on park avenue saw obsticles, well she was fucing right, thats for sure, all i have are walls all around me, brick walls that want to crush me
tonight i wish i was dead
im going to have to cancel verizon and the tv cable, i canta afford it,
im barely gonna be able to pay the light bill, much lesss eat, and how the fuck am i gong to pay the copayments on the pain medications and the bu s or the cab to get to the doc , to the store, to the pharmacy, and james "doesnt feel comfortalbe letling me drive lawandas car, he had saidit was his car, that is so fu cked up,i was there for five years, then one day he tells me to leave, and all hell breaks lose, and yet he will wash my dishes, why, there is some kind of love there, or is it guilt
what happened to my dreams, to my ceramics, its all gone, the money is all gone, and all the gifts, no one thanked me, even teri bitched cause i sent her f udge, bitched that she was diabletic, since when?????
and ondt on word of thanks from her, from any of them, yet i still sent gift, and now my neighbor is and has screwedme to the max, where im broke
sure, on the outside it looks nice, but im dead on the inside, and if doc jackson retires, im going to lose my mind
there arenot enuff medication in the world to stop this pain
god kill me tonight, in my sleep, letme have one big h eart attack like papa
like papa
im ready
Monday, March 17, 2008
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
You might feel like your life has fallen into a bit of a dull routine lately. And you may want to start giving some thought to looking into some new job opportunities right now. You may be eager to try to find something that might offer you the chance for a little more fun or excitement.
If anyone tries to put any excessive demands on you today, you’ll probably want to do whatever you can to try to get out of any obligations you might have right now. And it’d probably be a good day for you to just stay at home, relax and enjoy the comforts of familiar surroundings.
If anyone tries to put any excessive demands on you today, you’ll probably want to do whatever you can to try to get out of any obligations you might have right now. And it’d probably be a good day for you to just stay at home, relax and enjoy the comforts of familiar surroundings.
You can rely on your powerful allies to lead you in the right direction, but don't expect anyone to sugarcoat what they tell you. If you must swallow a bitter pill of reality, then do it as gracefully as possible. Don't attempt to make things look better than they are, for whatever isn't working should be set aside. It's not a smart idea to waste energy on an outdated plan.
By Rick Levine
Monday, March 17, 2008
By Rick Levine
Monday, March 17, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
iGoogle
iGoogle: "[Tarot.com ] You may be surprised by the strength of your desires today, as the Aquarius Moon is zapped by reactive Uranus. Usually, you can override your feelings, allowing your intellect to rule. Now, however, your emotions cannot easily be suppressed, especially if you recognize what you need to do to get your needs met. Play with your cards on the table, for hidden agendas just won't work"
Friday, January 11, 2008
iGoogle
iGoogle: "You may feel more withdrawn because you don't want to waste energy on anything that's not essential now. Others could see you as impractical, but this isn't really the truth. It's just that you aren't sharing everything, so they don't know what's going on inside your head. Don't worry about what anyone else is thinking. Take care of what you must and get on with what's most important to you.
By Rick Levine
Friday, January 11, 2008"
By Rick Levine
Friday, January 11, 2008"
Thursday, January 10, 2008
iGoogle
iGoogle: "Being open to new information is truly exciting to you, and this could be even more important now with the Moon in your sign. An intelligent friend or associate may challenge you with different ideas that aren't entirely comfortable. Nevertheless, this is exactly the kind of stimulation you want. Questioning a concept is fine, but don't attack anyone verbally or you'll miss what you need to learn from the exchange."
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
iGoogle
iGoogle:
"[Tarot.com ]
The Moon has entered your sign to join intelligent Mercury, making your life somewhat noisier than usual. You will probably have lots of places to go and too many people to see. Communication is emphasized, so slow down your impulsive barrage of words just enough so you don't get yourself into a jam. Think everything through before you act on any one thought."
"[Tarot.com ]
The Moon has entered your sign to join intelligent Mercury, making your life somewhat noisier than usual. You will probably have lots of places to go and too many people to see. Communication is emphasized, so slow down your impulsive barrage of words just enough so you don't get yourself into a jam. Think everything through before you act on any one thought."
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
iGoogle:
"Remain open to your visions and dreams in order to turn this month into a fantastic one. Your imagination could prove richer than your idle speculations about reality now. You probably aren't as concerned about material wealth. For you, it's all about meaning, which might not come so easily. Persevering in your quest provides the best opportunities for growth.
By Rick Levine
Tuesday, January 8, 2008"
"Remain open to your visions and dreams in order to turn this month into a fantastic one. Your imagination could prove richer than your idle speculations about reality now. You probably aren't as concerned about material wealth. For you, it's all about meaning, which might not come so easily. Persevering in your quest provides the best opportunities for growth.
By Rick Levine
Tuesday, January 8, 2008"
Monday, January 07, 2008
iGoogle:
"Your feelings have run their course and may seem like they've returned to the cosmic recycling bin. Still, you are not yet ready to transition into what's next. Instead of planting a new crop of ideas in the garden of your imagination, think about the importance of the compost pile where today's garbage magically transforms into tomorrow's healthy soil. Be patient and allow the process to evolve at its own pace.
By Rick Levine
Monday, January 7, 2008"
"Your feelings have run their course and may seem like they've returned to the cosmic recycling bin. Still, you are not yet ready to transition into what's next. Instead of planting a new crop of ideas in the garden of your imagination, think about the importance of the compost pile where today's garbage magically transforms into tomorrow's healthy soil. Be patient and allow the process to evolve at its own pace.
By Rick Levine
Monday, January 7, 2008"