Author: publius

Fools! I will destroy you all!!

ASFO 2023–11–04

My bold new proposal to solve the American housing crisis! Also, treating the deficiencies of medical practice with Ozempic? a consideration of the true meaning of “Atoms for Peace”, cheering news from Sweden, talk about decarbonization versus the reality of on–going oil rushes and the sublime certainties of climate campaigners, demolished wind installations and the tertium quid, words of wisdom from 1955 Britain, and Loscon.

ASFO 2023–10–28

I live! And I am once again contemplating the distribution of printed matter, in the form of a “zine” which I am calling blast. So most of this episode is a description of past activities in this field and what I hope to achieve this time, a solicitation for contributions of material to print and financial support, and an excerpt of something I am writing and will hopefully finish.

ASFO 2023–10–21

Pythagorean central–fire astronomy? Truly, this show brings you things you won’t get anywhere else! Also, Mail Call ― the storytelling mode of eldritch horror and how it influences perceptions of atomic power ― a consideration of practical morality, that the onus of action falls most heavily on him who has the most power to act ― falling short of the glory of God ― and Pure Science, in the story of the world’s only depleted–uranium mine.

“Nuclear Power Status 2020” poster from the International Atomic Energy Agency. Blue background with five gear-wheel-like graphs of different sizes.
The presentation of information here is intriguing, but we wonder just how effective it is.
“Nuclear Power Status 2021” poster from IAEA Power Reactor Information System. Light blue background with various tables and graphs. In the center, an artist’s impression of a generic nuclear power station.
It’s hard to know what Tufte would think of these posters.

ASFO 2023–10–14

Intractable problems are often the result of clashes between value systems, or of different rankings of values in the same system. Often, the first necessity for addressing them is acknowledging the nature of the problem ― which those who are certain they are in the right are often especially reluctant to do. Insoluble problems, on the other hand, may not be intractable, in the sense that it may be possible to ameliorate or work around them. In the human world, however, nothing can be done without goodwill, which is very much subject to being eroded by the effects of insoluble and intractable problems.

ASFO 2023–10–07

Nuclear energy and space news, mostly. I may spend some more time talking about the implications of nuclear power in Bangladesh and countries like it, and the way the Western countries have effectively left the field to Russia. Also, the implications of the launch of the first satellites for the Amazon LEO comsat constellation, and the implications of launch orders placed with ULA ; an alternative suggestion for the Eagle’s Nest mine project discussed last week ; and a brief consideration of the problems of constitutional government.

Supplementary Show

2023–10–10 A little pamphlet about the Douglas Point nuclear power station, for which the term CANDU was coined, and more of the 1975―76 AECL Annual Report. Perhaps I should have found something topical about the Chinese national holiday.

ASFO 2023–09–30

Mail Call! Much of the rest of the show, alas is political incompentence and stupidity ― thin soup, you may say. There seems little reason, though, that they should be so ubiquitous if, somewhere along the line, we the common people had not decided to accept them. As I have said time and again, policies which cannot be implemented will not be. Also, the resources required by the environmentally–benign renewable–energy–and–battery future, and their relation to cocaine and alcohol.

A letter, three Bhutanese postage stamps with a lenticular effect showing art of the Apollo landings, a Soviet 4-kopeck postage stamp celebrating cosmonautics with an attached caption, an axolotl sticker shaped like a human brain, and a Soviet electronic pocket calculator in a sheat.
Contents of a parcel from SDFer lcd

Supplementary Show

2023–10–03 From ATOM 142 (1968 August), How DFR Was Repaired, a very interesting description of work on the primary circuit of a sodium–cooled fast–neutron breeder reactor, which had not initially been thought feasible. And then some material from the 1975–76 Annual Report of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. Truncated early by a telephone call from a medical office.

ASFO 2023–09–23

Good news from Canada! Also the OSIRIS–REx space mission, some observations about the UAW strike, the politics of the Wall Street Journal, more of my accurséd numismatism, and the usual miscellany.

Two rectangular blue cards with "The Luna Project" stamped on them in gold, and cutouts holding Luna Project medalets. Scattered around, five Greek 10 drachma coins with an imaginary head of Democritus on one side and an atom symbol on the other.
The laser-cut, rubber-stamped Luna Project medalet cards, and some of the Greek coins I propose to make into similar souvenirs

Supplementary Shows

  • 2023–09–26 More from Science News Yearbook 1970, mostly about the continuing struggle to get enough data to understand and predict the weather, and the longer–term changes in climate.
  • 2023–09–29 The “Awards and Prizes” section of Science News Yearbook 1970, and a goodly part of a little booklet entitled Euratom at the Atomium, describing a “Permanent Exhibition” inside a large sculpture erected for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Unfortunately, this exhibition appears no longer to exist, and the space is now used for a historical presentation on the 1958 Fair. This may be considered a symptom of the loss of confidence and forward momentum in the field of atomic energy and in Euratom specifically.

ASFO 2023–09–16

Mail call! Also a contemplation of nuclear safety, in the context of the horrific dam collapse catastrophe in Libya ; Indian country broadband, the question of “sticking to the old ways,” and the possibility that novelty–seeking is a fear response, with a diversion into alternative foodstuffs (the peanut is your friend!) ; and “teaching the controversy”.

Supplementary Shows

  • 2023–09–19 Again from Science News Yearbook 1970, sections on Apollo 12, Soyuz 4―8, and Mariner 6 and 7.
  • 2023–09–22 The rest of the space material from Science News Yearbook 1970, including Venera 5 and 6, the death of Bonnie the macaque, and a round–up of major space missions launched in 1969 up to 17 November. Also I start reading the section on atmospheric science, led there by a note in the space round–up. (Again this is a substitute archive.)

ASFO 2023–09–09

Power outage? Power outrage! Once again I draw attention to the problem of disinvestment in civic infrastructure and public goods, that is, the physical things that make society work for all of us and not just a select few. Also, An Analogy is drawn between atomic energy and chlorine.

Supplementary Show

2023–09–12 More from Science News Yearbook 1970, much of it about the Apollo 12 mission, which is my personal favourite. (Did not archive, and I may re–read)

ASFO 2023–09–02

On Labor Day, thank a union worker for your freedoms! This show may be the only time this year you hear a mention of the “Helderberg War” for the abolition of feudalism, fought in upstate New York against Cornelius van Rensselaer. Also it looks as though I really am going to Loscon, and I may also be making a further venture into private minting.

Die of the Luna Project medalets, surrounded by its produce
The original Luna Project medalets were struck in 2008. One custom die was made, and the other side was a generic token die in a starburst pattern.
Stacks of Luna Project medalets, some packaged in flips with cards
One thousand of these medalets were struck on nickel-plated brass blanks, and shipped to me at the 2008 World Science Fiction Convention in Denver. This photo was taken after my return, and I had sold or given away some of them by then, so there are fewer than 1000 pieces pictured.

Supplementary Show

  • 2023–09–05 I begin reading from Science News Yearbook 1970. In addition to the Table of Contents, Preface, and Introduction (by Glenn Seaborg), I get through the chapter on the Apollo 9 mission, and also spend a little time reading an item which helps explain the global warming/cooling controversy which some people remember from the early 1970s.
  • 2023–09–08 After a couple of brief notices from a 1978 number of the Journal of College Science Teaching, I pick up again with Science News Yearbook 1970, reading (with my usual interspersed commentary) the sections on Apollo 10 and Apollo 11. Again this did not archive properly, but I recorded it locally and uploaded it to my own Webspace.