Jewish twins may have solved hydrogen conundrum

Two high school students, twin sisters Shilpa and Shweta Iyer may have found an inexpensive material that can be mixed with molybdenum to make an inexpensive catalyst replacing platinum in water electrolysis. The students tested familiar materials from everyday life, and discovered that soybeans made good catalysts when mixed with molybdenum.

They worked with their class in the discovery, under the supervision of James Muckerman, Wei-Fu Chen. Muckerman, Chen, and colleagues at Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York, have successfully produced a catalyst made from molybdenum – an abundant transition metal, around 1500 times cheaper than platinum – and ground soybeans.

evolgen.com

Carbon and nitrogen from the soybean proteins combined with molybdenum to make molybdenum carbide and molybdenum nitride, respectively. ‘Molybdenum carbide itself is active but not stable in acidic solution, while molybdenum nitride is corrosion resistant but not suitable for hydrogen production. Synergy between the two gave a stable composite material,’ explains Muckerman. The cheap and easy to prepare material has excellent long-term durability and it catalyses hydrogen production at efficiencies comparable to a platinum catalyst.

‘Platinum-free catalysts are powerful tools for generating molecular hydrogen as a sustainable fuel source,’ says Henrik Junge, an expert in electrocatalysts for hydrogen production at the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, Rostock, Germany. He also wonders if other precursors could be used to generate the catalyst. ‘This would avoid discussions about the competitive usage of biomass for food versus chemical feedstocks.’  source

Molybdenum is  mined extensively in the United States. And, as for the soybeans,  I, for one, would be most likely be willing to forgo tofu and soy milk in order to have the cheap, safe, and abundant energy source of the future.

Better living through chemistry, indeed.

Quote of the day

Today’s QOTD appears in an article in NRO by Mr. John Fund, on the differences between right and left in so-called polite circles.

“Conservatives think liberals have bad ideas and liberals think conservatives are bad people.”

There’s a lot of truth in that statement.  But it makes you wonder why so many of we conservatives continue to tolerate intolerable behavior from the left.

Although I don’t spend a lot of time in those particular polite circles, for me it’s fairly simple.  I neither want nor require their approval.  Nor do I give their policy ideas much value, other than the broad nature of political thought on representative democratic governance to which we, as citizens surely subscribe:

1. The rule of law
2. The peaceful transfer of power through elections
3. Judeo-Christian ethics and morals
4. Personal liberty, and personal responsibility.

When behavior falls outside of these commonly accepted parameters, our options can be described as falling within one of three boxes four boxes:  the soap box; the ballot box; the jury box; and the cartridge box.

And, that’s a fact.

eta:  jury box

Memorial Day: Honoring And Remembering Our Fallen Heroes

Today is not the day for thanking our veterans, that is for all the other days of the year. Today is a day for remembering those who gave their lives in service to this country.

Of the few faces of the men I have known who were killed in conflict while in the military, they are forever the young men I remember. They never experienced the ravages of time, that is the burden for those of us who have lived on. As it is with the millions of others, from every branch of the military, buried in graves all over the world.

It is our duty to honor and remember their gift to us. We owe them not only that, but all that we have.

*Cross posted at Urban Grounds*

What is the difference between the mentally ill and muslims?

The most recent incident in Londonstan makes it clear.  Bernie’s description removes all doubts:

sodahead.com

Is there a group more delusional, more in need of therapy than Muslims who believe their religion is tolerant and promotes peace? As for their so-called Prophet, who can read of his life and not call him a murderous, Jew-hating, child-molesting, rapacious, violent, savage, barbaric, womanizing, and illiterate thug? Yet they hold him up as the model human being to be emulated.

There is a difference between the two types of mental illness. Those who hear voices telling them to kill are correctly called mentally ill and can be treated with drugs and therapy and be kept in places where they will not harm anyone. Muslims however are, for the most part, not correctly diagnosed as dangerous and subsequently are not treated with drugs and therapy and sadly are not kept away from the rest of society for our protection.

There are those in our country that believe we can treat Islamic illness with kindness, welfare, education scholarships, citizenship and all the other benefits our country has to offer and they will not place bombs in public places as in the case of the Tsarnaev brothers. I don’t know which is crazier: believing that Muslims are no threat to western culture or having a tooth removed by a Muslim dentist.

original article courtesy of Planck’s Constant.

Thursday Open

In the end (it doesn’t even matter, does it Mrs. Clinton?)

Why Won’t My Keyboard Button Thingamajig Work?

SwampMan was complaining loudly to himself. “This button USED to work, but NOOOOOOO. It doesn’t work now. It hasn’t worked for a long time through different computers, and I’d like to know why the hell not!” STABSTABSTABSTABSTAB at the button because physical abuse always makes electronic things work.

“Did you look it up online?” I asked, rudely interrupting his soliloquy cuss session.

“No. What good would that do? It has been a long time since that thing worked.”

“So I heard. Is it your new keyboard?”

“No, damnit. The button hasn’t worked for YEARS. This is a new keyboard.”

“So, what version of Windows you got?”

“Windows XP.”

Ah, yes. He’d ordered a refurbished computer for his shop because he wanted to keep XP; his house computer also has XP. It makes moving things back and forth easier. I’d been typing into the search engine while we were speaking and had the answer in about ten seconds. “Well, there’s your problem right here. That button doesn’t work directly with XP.”

SwampMan muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “bullshit”.

“Humor me. Hit the button, then press start, then all programs, then accessories….”

He stabbed the keys with unnecessary vigor following my directions, then there was a muttered “Well I’ll be a (very rude and offensive expletive)!”

Ah, apparently we were successful in our endeavor.

“Isn’t it interesting”, I continued, “what we find out if we actually look it up?”

More muttered rude words. Not to worry, though. Tomorrow he’ll probably be saying something like “Isn’t it INTERESTING how much money we can save if we do not hit things with a hammer when they malfunction?” to me, unless he recalls in time that his knees have been malfunctioning for years.

Ah, well. He may still be a little aggravated at me from earlier today. He was worrying aloud about the CNC not working with the new (refurbished) computer, mentioned how he had checked settings several times, and was just about to start checking all his connections to make sure he had power to all of them.

“Oh!” I remarked helpfully, although he had not asked for any. “Did you check to see if you have enough RAM?”

He actually rolled his eyes at me. “What, do you think I’m stupid? Of COURSE!”

“Did you reconnect everything to see if it worked with the old computer again after you got everything disconnected and reconnected to the new computer and it didn’t work?” I’m definitely not a repairman, and I am lazy, so I like to make sure that what I’m putting forth a lot of effort and brainwork into is actually the problem.

He blinked. “Well, no….”

“It’s just me, but I’d like to make sure that the computer or a cable isn’t the problem first before I go tearing things down.” SwampMan likes to tear things down. Well, so do I, but all that is left are teensy little molecule-sized pieces when I do it. He actually takes things apart and puts them back together in working condition, and I just gaze at him adoringly because he’s my hero.

“I never even thought of THAT because everything is supposed to be new. Good idea!”

It turned out that it was a dead parallel port in the refurbished computer. SwampMan throws NOTHING away because he may need it someday. He’s got eight or so old computers sitting around to strip parts out of. He’s very happy that he gets to tear down things after all.

NCAA Football: The Countdown Begins

By my reckoning, the 2013 season begins in 105 days.

There are already early predictions being made as to which teams and players will be the best, which I don’t care about. Too much can happen between now and 31 Aug, not to mention injuries once the season actually begins.

Trends are always interesting to watch, though, and in this current era of BCS football, Bama is the current dynasty.

As an OU Sooner fan the finish to the 2012 season was immensely unsatisfying. While many programs would dearly love a 10-3 record and a share of the conference championship, for Sooner fans not competing for a national championship for the second year in a row is frustrating.

Championships are won through good recruiting, coaching and fan support. OU’s recruiting has not been as strong on defense as in years past. This off season has seen a renewed energy in that regard, along with the highest turnover in assistant coaches since Coach Stoops became the head coach in 1999. The following recruiting video reflects that energy and emphasis.

In contrast, OU’s most bitter rival the UT Longhorns, are presenting themselves in a much different light.

Considering the UT athletic department has the highest revenue(and expenditures) of any D-I university, admitting they went away, but are back now must have been bitter grass to graze on.

The Hill of Death

The Battle of Champion Hill, May 16, 1863.

About 25 miles west of Jackson, major portions of the battlefield remain preserved, including the Coker House, complete with bullet holes in the door and cannonball holes in the sides.

“Grant’s crown of immortality was won, and the jewel that shone most brightly in it was set there by the blood of the men of Champion Hills…Six thousand blue and gray-coated men were lying there in the woods, dead or wounded, when the last gun of Champion Hills was fired.”
~ Major S.H.M. Byers, Fifth Iowa Infantry.

I haven’t been back down there since they refurbished the Coker House.  I need to plan a trip and take the grandkids real soon.

Happy Mother’s Day!

There is no love like a Mother’s love. It just isn’t possible.

Mother’s are Mighty.

Unfolded out of the folds of the woman, man comes unfolded, as is always to come unfolded,
Unfolded only out of the superbest woman of the earth, is to come the superbest man of the earth,
Unfolded out of the friendliest woman, is to come the friendliest man,
Unfolded only out of the perfect body of a woman, can a man be formed of perfect body,
Unfolded only out of the inimitable poem of the woman, can come the poems of man—only thence have my poems come,
Unfolded out of the strong and arrogant woman I love, only thence can appear the strong and arrogant man I love,
Unfolded by brawny embraces from the well-muscled woman I love, only thence come the brawny embraces of the man,
Unfolded out of the folds of the woman’s brain, come all the folds of the man’s brain, duly obedient,
Unfolded out of the justice of the woman, all justice is unfolded,
Unfolded out of the sympathy of the woman is all sympathy;
A man is a great thing upon the earth, and through eternity—but every jot of the greatness of man is unfolded out of woman,
First the man is shaped in the woman, he can then be shaped in himself.

Walt Whitman-Unfolded out of the folds

*Cross posted at Urban Grounds.*

Another Tale From The SYM: Murderous Rage

The following event had been long forgotten, awakened now because of the murderous Jodi Arias.

The year was 1973, it was the dry season and in Angeles City it was warm, dry and dusty.

A call came in to the desk sergeant about a welfare concern for a dependent wife of an enlisted USAF serviceman. The airman had tried calling her from his new assignment for three days, where she was to be joining him soon, and he couldn’t get in contact with her. The young woman was Filipino and lived in a small apartment in an area of town that G.I.’s seldom ventured into or resided in.

The SYM was the junior partner on the unit that got called to investigate. Arriving at the small apartment building, the two burly USAF Security Policemen drew a lot of attention and a small crowd quickly formed as they inquired where the apartment was. One or two people in the crowd said they knew her, knew she was leaving for the “States” and that they hadn’t seen her in a few days, thinking she had left. Another person stated they had noticed a foul smell coming from her apartment.

As the SYM and his partner approached the apartment, there was a foul aroma, an aroma that is unmistakable, it was the smell of a dead and decaying human body. The partners noticed an insect trail going in and out of the apartment under the door.

The SYM‘s partner quickly radioed in that the local police needed to be called before anyone attempted entry, while the SYM tried to make contact with the owner/manager of the apartments.

When all necessary personnel were in place, and a glob of Mentholatum applied to each nostril, they entered the apartment and were exposed to a fresh Hell they couldn’t have ever prepared themselves for.

The apartment windows and door had been closed, there was no air conditioning, no fans and no ventilation. Insects were everywhere. As they entered the bedroom the source of the smell, as they had expected, was grotesquely on display on the bed. Signs of a struggle were all around. The murdered woman was on her back, stabbed twenty four times with a large kitchen knife, with the final stab burying the knife to the handle in the middle of her chest. What little blood that didn’t drain from her tiny body provided sustenance for many of the insects, she was covered in maggots and the blood that had drained out onto the floor had separated. Her arms and hands, also cut, were reaching upward in a cruel display of her desperate attempt to live.

While this brutal murder was now the jurisdiction of the Angeles City PD, the USAF was involved in providing investigative assistance so the murderer could be found.
This included the involvement of the OSI(Office of Special Investigations), basically FBI trained USAF personnel. The young agent sent to the murder scene was there to acquire fingerprints from the crime scene, and as it was soon revealed, was completely unprepared for the task.

As he began applying ink to the murdered woman’s fingers, he asked for assistance in bringing her hands down to roll onto the finger print boxes. The SYM and his partner, having never taken finger prints, looked at each other in shock and then asked the agent if he should just bring the paper up to her fingers? After all, the rigor in her tiny body was obvious. The agent then became angry and demanded we help him do it his way…they refused. At this point, the agent angrily attempted to bring her hand down by holding her fingers, at which time a few of her fingers snapped off in his hand. The look of horror on his face was both justified and hysterically funny. As he ran out of the room to vomit, everyone else found some much needed release from the gruesome scene, with all of us laughing loudly.

A few days later the desk received a phone call from the Angeles City PD, that the murder suspect had been identified, located and arrested. The very young man, approximately eighteen years old, had worked for the murder victim as a house boy, performing cleaning tasks and helping get her belongings packed for her new life in the U.S. In his statement, the victim had discovered her most valuable jewelry was missing and confronted the young man. Although he had stolen the items, his honor was questioned and in a fit of rage attacked her with the kitchen knife.

Even without the murderer’s confession, having seen the brutality of the attack on this young woman, the SYM now knew what murderous rage looked like.

Arizona, you gotta be kidding me

I heard on the telly that the trial of murderess Jodi Arias has already cost the state of Arizona $1.7 million after some 4 months.

What is wrong with these people?

 

 

 

Defcad Liberator, Benghazi, and Cleveland

The Defcad Liberator —
The dawn of the Wiki weapon, the 3-D printable pistol.

Here is the free download …

https://mega.co.nz/#!JplQVDDQ!Qi8kflIn8kMZl0hK96YW1h7RIc9vz2SfErzB-7qRV-0

Benghazi hearings start tomorrow …. is this be the beginning of the end of the Obama Regime, or will Hillary Clinton fall on her sword?   Fat Chance of that, I think.  Besides, it probably won’t be necessary.

All but the alternative media will give these hearings a full-throated yawn, as the strange abduction/recovery story out of Cleveland will occupy the 24-7 cable news cycle until the hearings are over.

You know I’m right.

The Blues is Alright

I grew up in Jackson, MS aka the Crossroads of the South, the home of MALACO Records and their homegrown label, Chimneyville Records.

King Floyd’s “Groove Me” was a huge hit for the label in the early 70’s, and it was kind of cool to know that R&B hits were recorded just down the street, and even cooler to say one of your friends played background horns for King Floyd, or Jean Knight’s “Mister Big Stuff”, Little Milton’s “The Blues is Alright”, and my personal favorite — any of a half dozen tunes from ZZ Hill including this nugget “Someone Else Been Stepping In.”

—

The magic behind Malaco, the “Creole Beethoven”,  passed away almost two years ago. RIP Wardell. You made a difference