Limitless Power From Graphene And Brownian motion

Quote:

Physicists Build Circuit That Generates Clean, Limitless Power From Graphene The idea of harvesting energy from graphene is controversial because it refutes physicist Richard Feynman’s well-known assertion that the thermal motion of atoms, known as Brownian motion, cannot do work. Thibado’s team found that at room temperature the thermal motion of graphene does in fact induce an alternating current (AC) in a circuit, an achievement thought to be impossible. In the 1950s, physicist Léon Brillouin published a landmark paper refuting the idea that adding a single diode, a one-way electrical gate, to a circuit is the solution to harvesting energy from Brownian motion. Knowing this, Thibado’s group built their circuit with two diodes for converting AC into a direct current (DC). With the diodes in opposition allowing the current to flow both ways, they provide separate paths through the circuit, producing a pulsing DC current that performs work on a load resistor. Additionally, they discovered that their design increased the amount of power delivered. “We also found that the on-off, switch-like behavior of the diodes actually amplifies the power delivered, rather than reducing it, as previously thought,” said Thibado. “The rate of change in resistance provided by the diodes adds an extra factor to the power.”

They haven't actually got to step two: harvesting this energy.
I especially like the idea that if no current were flowing the resistor
would cool down.

The phenomenon of the undecided (and 3rd party) voter

In this time of strife particularly, and this near a consequential election, it astonishes me that there can be any meaningful number of voters who have not settled on a candidate. The differences between the Presidential candidates is about as stark as it is possible to be, excepting that both are old white men.

Do these people live principally under rocks? Or do they have some mental condition whereby the decision-making process is badly impaired, having them straddling fences all their lives? Or do they revel in the power derived from being avidly sought after as a highly valuable commodity?

Whatever the nature of these strange creatures, the maddeningly frustrating phenomenon of their professed indecision confounds me.


Ancillary to this, at least in these perilous circumstances, is the puzzling third party supporter. In any sense one cares to survey the political scene, the US has but two parties. It should be taken as emblematic that the vainly placed votes for other than the Big Two is practically the definition of insanity. (As in the old saw about doing the same dumb thing over and over and expecting a different result.) And even more so for the write-in, where one might as well not bother at all for the good it'll do. Aside from deriving some spurious satisfaction at having voted one's 'principles.' Right.

In the hurly-burly world of politics, where practicality is (or should be) the necessary driver, unicorn-seeking idealists are too rare to exert meaningful effect. Their *real* impact is to steal votes where close-run races are concerned. It most certainly was the case in '16. I hope not this time round!

In 2020, these idealists who look to the backwater of the political scene should seriously consider giving their vote to Biden/Harris, in order to ensure the thwarting of a precipitous plunge into authoritarianism. Clinging to their ideals and principles in these parlous times runs the risk of a worse state of affairs than supporting an otherwise hated but better place from which to continue the fight. A headstrong push for significant (much less radical) change could be their--and the nation's--undoing. Patience is the watchword in a polarized populace of several hundred millions, and especially where a general conservatism (by the standard of other western nations) is the norm.

Trump and Melania test positive test positive for Covid 19

Both test positive for covid. Can't say I'm surprised.

FBI Warns of Right-Wing Mass Destruction Terrorism

https://www.thenation.com/article/po...cist-boogaloo/

From the memo:

Quote:

“significant increase of violent social media posts of several boogaloo adherents in Texas which … indicate a propensity toward violence and acquiring weapons that cause mass casualties, used by a small number of attackers.”

and they may have police help in pulling them off.

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...macists-police

If you're liberal and aren't armed, you need to make friends with ones who are.

Best argument for banning flag burning?

I went looking for good arguments for banning flag burning. The argument is mostly that people really care about it as a symbol for them.

But the more people really, really, really care about this thing that is so symbolic, the more clear it becomes that burning it is a symbolic act of speech communicating something.

1) is anti flag burning one of the worst cases of special pleading?

2) what is the best argument you can come up with for banning flag burning?

UK holders of .eu Domains to lose them

Here's a Brexit Bonus I didn't know was coming. Years ago I registered my own domain, it has my websites, such as they are but more importantly my family email addresses because it's a simple firstname@surname.eu, what could be better. As I'm self employed it's my personal & work email, used for everything.

Well, I've just got an email telling me I'm losing it thanks to the ongoing **** show that is Brexit. Bloody marvellous.

Anyone else here from the UK with a .eu might want to check their elligability.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eu-domai...ady-for-brexit

No bread in Subway sandwiches, rules court in Ireland

According to a court ruling in Ireland, the stuff they wrap the filling with in Subway does not count as bread.

Quote:

The Irish Supreme court has ruled that the bread served at Subway – a US sandwich food chain with branches in more than 100 countries – cannot be defined as bread. Under Ireland’s Value-Added Tax Act of 1972 it cannot even be defined as a staple food, according to the Irish Independent, because it contains too much sugar.