Random Thoughts, Random Places

Paul Wagenseil, writing for Fox News online, says, “Yes, I DO want a nuclear reactor in my backyard.” He’s referring to a project by Hyperion Power Generation, a New Mexico based start-up company.  John Deal, Hyperion CEO, said that although the price would be about $25 million, each sealed, buried reactor could power 20,000 homes for 7 to 10 years. After that it would be dug up and returned to the factory for refueling.

This story first appeared in Britain’s Observer paper Sunday, the 9th. Safety concerns were addressed there, including that the reactors will be factory-sealed, contain no weapons-grade material, have no moving parts and will be nearly impossible to steal because they will be encased in concrete and buried underground. 

Toshiba is also developing a small reactor, as well as Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.  Whoever ends up with a successful product, this could make a serious dent in our dependence on imported oil.  I wish them well.

Most of what you see posted here is a result of my scanning various publications, both in print and online, for strange unusual stories.  Some fall into the category of “Science”, although you may disagree with that classification for many of them.  But it’s hard to disagree with the news gurus at Associated Press, so I’ve added a link in the left column to the AP Science wire. It should update automatically as AP posts new stories.  As I write this the stories haven’t been updated since yesterday, but I’ll give them a pass, seeing it’s Sunday.  We’ll see how up to date it is and whether it’s relevant to our interests.  Check it out from time to time.

The U.S. Department of Defense is interested in an airplane that can act like a submarine.  In an Agency announcement, DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office is “soliciting innovative technology proposals on the topic of a Submersible Aircraft”. They’re interested in a craft that could be used to carry small teams, clandestinely, to coastal locations and then submerge to actually take them to the beach.

Of course there are lots of problems involved.  Weight and hull strength are just two.  If you’re interested the agency has put the 30 page proposal online.  It’s a pdf file and makes for interesting reading.  Considering the widely varing technologies that would be involved it would seem a joint venture would be necessary.

Psychospy, a.k.a. Glenn Campbell is back, re-incarnated as Kilroy. Among other web pages, he has an Area 51 Blog.  It’s an interesting read from someone who’s interests over the years have been, borrowing a phrase from Hand, “shall we say, eclectic”.  Start with the first post to get an update; then browse the entire busy Blogspot page.  Much is interesting history but there are a few bits of new information that add more pieces to the mosaic. 

The information about the Interceptors has been slowly disappearing from the Internet lately.  It’s good to see this blog appear.  Definitely one you’ll want to bookmark.

Former NASA astronaut Edgar Mitchell still believes ET is among us.  In a radio interview in the UK yesterday he told host Nick Margerrison, “This is really starting to open up. I think we’re headed for real disclosure and some serious organisations are moving in that direction.”

Mitchell is no newcomer to the UFO/paranormal scene. Shortly after leaving NASA in the 1970’s, where on the Apollo 14 flight he walked on the moon, Mitchell founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences to study psychic and spiritual phenomena. Subjects included spoon bender Uri Geller. At a 1998 conference of “alien abductees” and other contactees he said that he’s 90% certain that many of the UFO reports of the past 50 years are actually visitors from another planet.

I’d dismiss Edgar Mitchell’s claims as the ramblings of an old man.  He is 77 years old.  But he’s been making such claims for decades.  And we’ve yet to see any revelations by the government or any proof of aliens zipping about the skies. Have fun Edgar.  I’ll stick to more serious sources of information about strange things in the sky.