Curious layman

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Triso particles are an alien-looking fuel with built-in safety features that will power a new generation of high-temperature reactors.

Wired.com/nuclear power balls

18 minutes ago, swansont said:

The courts have ruled that this is not the case in the US

https://mises.org/power-market/police-have-no-duty-protect-you-federal-court-affirms-yet-again

They can back off and let you be attacked, and they are not being derelict in their duty. According to the law/courts.

Let's say I was attacking you, if the police do not have a duty to protect you, do they not have a duty to stop me from breaking the law?

What happened 'To Protect and Serve'.

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“The black hole’s mass is also about 8,000 times bigger than the black hole in the center of the Milky Way,” Dr. Onken said. “If the Milky Way’s black hole wanted to grow that fat, it would have to swallow two-thirds of all the stars in our Galaxy.”

https://scitechdaily.com/hungry-black-hole-among-the-most-massive-in-the-universe-34-billion-times-the-mass-of-our-sun/

1 hour ago, MigL said:

I have even heard talk of J Biden picking a Republican woman of color as his VP.
I don't think it will ever happen, although it would be a great way to end the polarization in American politics.

I never knew you could do this. Do you think that changing the law so you have to have a VP of the opposite party would help keep both party's working together. If something happened to the president and it changed party's, wouldn't them having to pick a VP of the other party help keep it balanced.

Seems like a really good way to keep them on more sociable terms.

Sorry for the ramble,

but a little surprised/shocked by the support for police officers using choke or blood holds or whatever. I'm not sure the image of police officers holding suspects in what appears to be a headlock is going to do their image much good. It's very easy for someone to panic in a situation like that and for the situation to get out of hand.

my personal opinion is that the police should use the example of care homes and psychiatric hospitals. These people face situations like the police all the time. Ok, not with guns, but still high pressure situations with very unpredictable people.

I used to work in care, some of the clients we looked after were prone to attacking you, so staff would receive special training. Some of these clients were huge, and I mean huge, due to side effects of their medication and whatever. Under no circumstances were we aloud to use chokes, arm twisting, pressure points etc.. instant dismissal.

Yet the training was quick, effective and worked. It was all about movement, balance and momentum, avoiding sensitive areas.

Maybe the police should put a priority in recruiting people from these backgrounds, social workers and maybe more people from older age groups might help too. They would definitely benefit from more training in mental health. Maybe include working at a psychiatric hospital or care home environment in their initial training. 

Oh, and to the OP, yes of course they need more money. That's the problem, there being expected to do far to many things with the money they have.

How about the same money, but less responsibilitys?

8 hours ago, Gian said:

Is it true that this is already quite possible, but governments won't let us do it because of the potential dangers of nuclear accident?

Not any more, it's nuclear thermal, not the nuclear explosions you mean, but still nuclear. Pretty exciting too. Let's hope it doesn't get cancelled.

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NASA received $100 million in the 2019 budget to develop nuclear thermal propulsion. DARPA is also developing a space nuclear thermal propulsion system to enable national security operations beyond Earth orbit.

https://www.space.com/nuclear-powered-rockets-to-explore-solar-system.html

The axion field rapidly runs over the potential barriers and eventually begins oscillations when sufficiently slowed down by friction. Credit: Co & Harigaya

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In a new study of axion motion, researchers propose a scenario known as "kinetic misalignment" that greatly strengthens the case for axion/dark matter equivalence. The novel concept answers key questions related to the origins of dark matter and provides new avenues for ongoing detection efforts.

https://phys.org/news/2020-06-case-axion-dark-gains-traction.amp

Try these also, not all nuclear, but still interesting. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_propulsion#Speculative_methods

Disclaimer: Black hole not visible, southern hemisphere required.

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Astronomers have stumbled across the nearest black hole to us yet. The void lies at the heart of a stellar system just 1,000 light years away, and indications to its location are visible to the naked eye.

The black hole obviously isn't visible to the naked eye, only the stars are, but if you want to look anyway it's located in the Telescopium constellation in the southern hemisphere. It'll be best viewed during a clear night, and two fuzzy bright pinpricks should be discernible without binoculars or a telescope.

https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/06/nearest_black_hole_earth/

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Scientists have discovered an astronomical object that has never been observed before.

It is more massive than collapsed stars, known as "neutron stars", but has less mass than black holes.

Such "black neutron stars" were not thought possible and will mean ideas for how neutron stars and black holes form will need to be rethought.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53151106

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Almost half a century ago, British physicist Roger Penrose proposed a theory about using black hole to create energy that challenged the laws of physics. Now, after five decades, Scottish scientists have validated the theory.

Scientists at the University of Glasgow's School of Physics and Astronomy used sound waves to validate Roger Penrose's 1969 work. They seemed to have confirmed the theory that was believed to propagate "extremely odd physics."

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/scientists-prove-decades-old-theory-suggesting-extremely-odd-physics-about-black-holes-1679850

1 hour ago, Othmane Dahi said:

I mean when they knew that some people are smarter than other people 

Wouldn't that be when we were still hunter gatherers. It's usually the more intelligent ones that become the main hunters.

Maybe it was females that first started talking about it. Must've been a huge attraction back then, as it is now.

Try this,

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_human_intelligence

Best Bob Dylan song ever. Not sure how long this will stay up, YouTube has a habit of taking this down. Not the live versions though, which are crap.

I could say " maybe you think it's good that there are 120 guns per 100 people in the US"

But that doesn't mean every person in America has 120 guns. Most Americans don't own guns.

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Studies have shown that 36.3% of people had access to a gun and 5% carried the gun with them... Nonetheless, other studies have been conducted and show that 34.1% have access to guns. 4.8% carry a gun with them

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_ownership#United_States_gun_ownership

32 minutes ago, MigL said:

But if you were tasked with approaching/arresting a large guy, with the high likelihood that he is carrying a weapon ( 120 guns per person remember ? ), I think you would immobilize him first, and ask questions when you are sure you won't be shot at..

You mean like when he's handcuffed on the floor and you know he's unarmed. Or when you have you knee on his neck and he can't breathe, or when you have fellow police officers with you.

The police should treat each incident as it is, not how it could be.

I'm not being delusional. 

The fact of the matter is, George Floyd was unarmed, he wasn't being aggressive nor was he suspected of a violent crime. There were more than enough officers to arrest him without incident. 

This 'yes, but look at the amount of guns in America' argument doesn't hold up. It's nothing more than a poor excuse for police brutality.

1 hour ago, MigL said:

Police in other countries ( like mine ) don't have to worry about the large numbers of guns, compounded by open and concealed carry rules.
How do you train for that, other than by taking control of the situation.

 

How about like this.

Nikolas Cruz, murdered 17 people

George Floyd, suspect in a forgery.

Notice the difference?

The argument about the amount of guns and open carry being a problem is a load of crap.

13 minutes ago, Siyatanush said:

Those who are rioting are not helping the cause.

And those that are threatening the use of deadly force to end it are not helping either.

Nearly fell over when I watched this.

I'd like to see Ken Ham debate evolution with someone like this. Would be far more intresting.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Robertson

The draft resolution targeting social media. 

https://kateklonick.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/DRAFT-EO-Preventing-Online-Censorship.pdf

After Twitter put the fact checker on this tweet Trumps now accusing them of stifling free speech.

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Mr Trump then accused Twitter of interfering in the US presidential election scheduled for 3 November 2020, saying the company was "completely stifling free speech, and I, as president, will not allow it to happen".

And

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Mr Trump on Wednesday threatened to "strongly regulate" or even "close down" social media platforms.

Question: can he do this, should social media be worried? 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52815552

'Africans are used to the heat it won't bother them, and we can send them more food if they need it. That way the population of Africa can continue growing and natural resources can be continue being extracted and shipped here cheaply'

I'm not surprised Africa is turning to China when I read patronising crap like this. What decade do you live in? (drumbo)

This coronavirus situation is starting to get out of hand.

4 hours ago, CharonY said:

There is a good reason why abusive mentoring is falling out of favour.

Agreed. 2:20 onwards is just outright abuse. A tough teacher can be great, but there's a fine line between a tough teacher and a bully. This guys definitely the latter.

Great film though, definitely recommend it. 

This is a type of teacher we need more of.