The Lounge

June 21-27. ISSSEEM Seventeenth Annual Conference, The Science of the Miraculous (Boulder, CO). An international event featuring the largest and most diverse group of physicians, academicians and researchers ever gathered together in one conference on this topic. CEU’s available for Counselors, Social Workers & Nurses. For more info: http://www.issseem.org Keynote presenters: Matthew Fox John Hagelin, Ph.D. Freddy Silva Christine Page, M.D.

can supersonic aircraft have vertical takeoff:cool:

I'm looking for a source for "memory wire" -- a wire that you can bend and shape in any way you like, then expose to heat (or something) and it will return to it's original shape (which I would like to be straight). I've done a little snooping online, and come across Nitinol Wire, which seems to have lots of medical applications. I've tried disecting the specs on this stuff and it's confusing. Does anyone know of a source for something like this? Someplace where I could possible get some samples? Many thanks.

I had a chance to see a screening of Flock of Dodos last night at Wichita State. It covers the creation vs. evolution political situation very gently. A cast of characters were present in the film that I have met in person, but the film casted them in a more complete light that I think will help the public understand what is going on. The maker, Dr. Randy Olson, a marine biologist and filmmaker, was in attendance for the screening and stayed afterwards for a panel discussion with Philosophy of Science Dr. Niall Shanks, a pastor, and the Wichita State geologist that made the event possible. He is a very nice and intelligent man, and I think he's made what could amount to a…

I just figured out that I have "10 reputation points"! Where'd I get them from? What are they? Are they good or bad? Can I get a more detailed description of what my reputation is?

Interesting project that's been underway for about a year, intended to take about ten years, which will eventually catalog 1.8 million species. It's not a wiki -- only qualified scientists will participate, and it's intended as an authoritative academic resource, but it's also intended to be friendly/easy to use, with lots of pictures, etc. Article about it here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6638017.stm Actual web site is here: http://www.eol.org/

Well I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but it is mother's day. So if you haven't given your mother a call or completely forgot to send her those bouquet of flowers, or if you live with your mother and didn't bother to watch her feet or whatever you do for mothers day... ...you've been warned. Happy Mom's day everyone.... or not depending on what your children do if your a mom.

I really want one of these. There are no letters on the keys -- it's just a black, blank keyboard. http://www.daskeyboard.com/ You can buy it for 76.95usd (free shipping) here but it's not shipping till June or something. I wonder if it's really worth the price though. Besides being awesome it's supposed to have special keys -- like it would be a great keyboard even if it weren't blank.

can there be AI i was thinking about it and the existance of AI in a computer is impossible here is why. first off a computer doesnt have the right switches to preform an AI operation. AI requires a switch that i call the "maybe" switch which means neither yes or no but maybe. the only thing i can think that would preform as a AI oporator is this (the pic) it has a variable which gives it the maybe swiches it needs to make those un presise desisions..... the pic isnt a work of art or anything thats all its depicting is that there is more than one varyable than the yes and no. am i on to something of is just one of those :lame: ideas in the tabloids?

just realised we haven't had a user awards thingy this year. I think we should do this again. what say you?

Well, this is a first...I had a pair of used knickers posted to me yestarday. Just thought I'd share that with you all...and that anyone who did do something special yestarday, had a slightly more romantic encounter than mine

here in Europe, at this time of year, we are all given the gift of the EURO-VISION SONG CONTEST where each country chooses a "pop group" and enters them in to this magical competition. For those of us in the EU please post which nation you think will win this superb competition and which will recieve (nill points) and for those of you not in the EU: you can feel ashamed that your local neighborhood economic policy decision makers have not gifted you with the chance of preforming in-front of your geographical peers, excuse the gross overload of sarcasm, but the euro-vision song contest is such a joke, plus us hear in the UK get Terry Wogan (Irish Comedian) commentating …

Does Methane hold any value as a viable alternative fuel? Seems like it would be simple enough to make it into fuel, except that I don't know how efficient it is compared to gas, and it seems rather volatile; somewhere between hydrogen and gasoline, correct?

Please see the bbc article below... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6601221.stm

I would like to see some of your favorite websites. To get the ball rolling, here is one of mine. http://www.willitblend.com his salesman smile that inevitably shows up at some point after he shoves a rake handle or a plunger into a running blender just makes my day everytime.

Hi, Which subject apart from your professional one, would you have prefered?

from my persepective - 'gravitons' are irrelevant and will not be found - people seek after such a phenomena because current understanding is in err concerning this force. i'd love to share more with you, but as i have already stated at another forum (and had my post deleted because i did), i have neither the qualifications, nor the self-glorifying outlook that would enable me to gain anything in return for sharing what i know with you....... ... as this is the case i can see that in the very near future 'you' will have an important decision to make, which is namely - is it more important to glorify & reward your ownselves, when it is at the cost of the advan…

Does anyone else get the general feeling that the public is becoming increasingly aware of global warming? It seems to me that the overall number of news articles and general Internet banter about not only GW but at-home ways to lower CO2 emissions have increased dramatically following the publication of IPCC AR4 (as has the controversy surrounding AR4) I certainly do

what is your favorite chess opening?

I got a kick out of this image a friend sent to me so I thought I'd pass it along here. This of course ridicules all those foolish people who don't think "a little gasoline" was enough to bring down the steel of the Twin Towers. Thankfully nobody was actually killed in this particular incident.

I am in the process of publishing my first Science Fiction novel called: Moon Over Key Biscayne I have attempted to incorporate a scenerio, like the world has never seen. Most science fiction books/films focus on aliens or creatures from other planets. What if the force, we were compelled to fight; was a force of nature needed to survive on earth? I was compelled to rely on technology, as are most people in the world. But can this problem really happen? Just looking at the most recent plantery/climate warming news, who knows. I guess that is why I was compelled to write the book. The novel should be available within the next few months. My website addr…

Greetings to all my brothers and sister! I am new to you people here and I am a Muslim. I would like to ask you people to express your complians about Islam. You can criticise Islam and Quran alike, because I feel a dialouge is important between Muslims and Non-Muslims. So you have a chance to enter that dialouge.

What are your views on this topic? But does science and religion have to be at war?

First Name, Last name, experience, (random info) 1. Steven Weinberg, Nobel 2. Richard Feynman, Nobel 3. Georges Charpak, Nobel (Wrote "Debunked" with Henri Broch) 4. Lawrence M. Krauss, PhD (HP: http://www.phys.cwru.edu/~krauss/) 5. Costas Efthimiou, PhD (not sure if atheist) Anymore, anyone?

'A False World View' "If reason and free will exist, then Einstein's cosmos is false. If a spiritual realm exists outside of a closed system of cause and effect, then Einstein's cosmos is false. If God is personal and transcendent then Einstein's cosmos is false. If God is the creator and differs in quality from the creation, then Einstein's cosmos is false. If there is a discrete separation between elements of the creation (heaven-earth, light-dark, land-sea, species after their own kind, man/creature, man as an individual) then Einstein's cosmos is false." http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/hutchison/050128 An invitation to read more of author Fred Hutchison…