Switch it off: Eskom

TJ99 said:
Man-made fusion reactions exist that generate more energy than is required to sustain them?

Please, tell us more. If that was true it would be the biggest news of the century. Even the small steps made by Lawrenceville Plasma Fusion have been huge news and they're nowhere close to break-even.

Edit: Contained reactions of course, bombs don't count.
Click to expand...

Yup! Google it – too complicated to “tell you more”. It IS (IMO) the “biggest news of the century”.

It is so big that I may be losing my objectivity. I am guilty of pollyanne-esk opinions because I want it to be true. As other posters have pointed out: ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’

Things do look promising, however. If true, cheap, clean energy would lift the planet out of a buttload of crap. I really, really hope it’s true.
 
Packer said:
Yup! Google it – too complicated to “tell you more”. It IS (IMO) the “biggest news of the century”.

It is so big that I may be losing my objectivity. I am guilty of pollyanne-esk opinions because I want it to be true. As other posters have pointed out: ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’

Things do look promising, however. If true, cheap, clean energy would lift the planet out of a buttload of crap. I really, really hope it’s true.
Click to expand...
No it's not true. Some breakthroughs have been made but they are nowhere near extracting any energy. It's media sensation as usual.

Scientists discover some cell that might aid in the identification of cancer? Headline: SCIENTISTS CURE CANCER.

Decrease in the huge amount of energy needed to sustain fusion? Headline: FUSION POWER LIKE TOMORROW.

Two people die from Ebola? OBAMA CAUSES MASS EXTINCTION.

And so on. Journalists are at worst morons and at best exaggerate everything hugely.
 
f2wohf said:
The oil prices are dropping simply because the supply exceed the demand:
Click to expand...

+1

Shale oil has changed the market, it's weakening the power OPEC has to set the price and add to that OPEC might be allowing the price to drop to try and put it out of business. Apparently shale oil is not so economically viable below $80 so the word is that OPEC is pushing the price down to try and wipe them out.
 
TJ99 said:
No it's not true. Some breakthroughs have been made but they are nowhere near extracting any energy. It's media sensation as usual.

Scientists discover some cell that might aid in the identification of cancer? Headline: SCIENTISTS CURE CANCER.

Decrease in the huge amount of energy needed to sustain fusion? Headline: FUSION POWER LIKE TOMORROW.

Two people die from Ebola? OBAMA CAUSES MASS EXTINCTION.

And so on. Journalists are at worst morons and at best exaggerate everything hugely.
Click to expand...

Sounds like “The lady doth protest too much.”

You have a point however, but I am resting my opinions on the ‘Skunk Works’ of Lockheed Martin making this announcement (together with videos etc.). They have credibility and it would be easy to disprove if untrue – the onus would be on them to prove fusion tech viable to all the scientists longing to take them down. Unless they were confident of fusion, they wouldn’t put themselves in a position of potential embarrassment (too much to lose). So while I concede that technical journalists can be sensationalistic, this is not a lone scientific crackpot.
 
Packer said:
Sounds like “The lady doth protest too much.”

You have a point however, but I am resting my opinions on the ‘Skunk Works’ of Lockheed Martin making this announcement (together with videos etc.). They have credibility and it would be easy to disprove if untrue – the onus would be on them to prove fusion tech viable to all the scientists longing to take them down. Unless they were confident of fusion, they wouldn’t put themselves in a position of potential embarrassment (too much to lose). So while I concede that technical journalists can be sensationalistic, this is not a lone scientific crackpot.
Click to expand...

Did you actually see what they are saying? Very vague and no actual data. They don't say, we can achieve this efficiency etc, merely that they have a reactor design that could work. There are plenty of those, and all of them so far use VASTLY more energy than they produce.

Normally, if someone says they’re doing well in fusion, they would quote some data, ‘We got a temperature of x and a confinement of y,’” he said, referring to how long a reactor can hold the heat of a reaction before it escapes. “There’s no such information.
Click to expand...

http://defensetech.org/2014/10/16/scientists-skeptical-of-lockheeds-fusion-breakthrough/

Remember we've been promised atomic powered planes that can stay in the air indefinitely since the 1950's or 60's. We're still waiting. Of course they will be super-optimistic, they are looking for more support, probably funding.
 
Packer said:
Sounds like “The lady doth protest too much.”

You have a point however, but I am resting my opinions on the ‘Skunk Works’ of Lockheed Martin making this announcement (together with videos etc.). They have credibility and it would be easy to disprove if untrue – the onus would be on them to prove fusion tech viable to all the scientists longing to take them down. Unless they were confident of fusion, they wouldn’t put themselves in a position of potential embarrassment (too much to lose). So while I concede that technical journalists can be sensationalistic, this is not a lone scientific crackpot.
Click to expand...

I'm watching the video on Lockheed's website and I note the reserves they put:

"We try to control fusion"
"We think we can get a prototype in 5 years"
"Test the concept to see if it really holds the promise it appears to"

The lawyers went by there to draft the speech :D
 
And in other news...

Oil oligarchs on golf courses planet wide are panicking and debating how they can unload their oil shares before Lockheed Martin’s breakthrough in fusion power becomes common knowledge. The rest of the world is laughing as they scurry for cover.

Arab countries who imported skills during the good times (instead of investing in education) are facing the prospect of disappearing into a sand dune in a few years time. Ahmed’s Carpet Emporium and Mohammed’s Camel Racing School have received unprecedented investment.
 
f2wohf said:
I'm watching the video on Lockheed's website and I note the reserves they put:

"We try to control fusion"
"We think we can get a prototype in 5 years"
"Test the concept to see if it really holds the promise it appears to"

The lawyers went by there to draft the speech :D
Click to expand...

Well of course (duh).

"We try to control fusion" = that’s what they do – try and control fusion.
"We think we can get a prototype in 5 years" = this is guesswork 5 years into the future. I would be more worried if they were categoric about this.
"Test the concept to see if it really holds the promise it appears to" = of course they must test the concept. That’s why it’s called **proof-of-concept**.
 
I would hazard a guess that the oil obliarchs on the golf course are probably showing each other the Lockheed Martin video [EDIT]on their diamond encrusted, 24-carat gold iPhone6+'s[/EDIT] and ROFLMAO-ing
And then for the next few days the one guy sees the other guy and goes "Prototype" ... and they both ROFL.
And the next time the one guy goes "Fusion" and they both ROFL.
And the next time the one guy goes "high beta?" and the other guy goes "high beta" and then the first guy goes "high beta" and they both go "wahahaha" then they both ROFL.

basically, like we were all doing a few weeks ago with Chicky Lamba... "I'm a Desperado"
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X