What's New -- Friday, June 4, 2004 by Bob Park


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Topic: Science > Physics
User: "Sam Wormley"
Date: 04 Jun 2004 05:14:12 PM
Object: What's New -- Friday, June 4, 2004 by Bob Park
Friday, June 4, 2004
1. HAFNIUM: CONGRESS KILLS THE "ISOMER ENERGY RELEASE PROGRAM."
In spite of the Pentagon's fascination with imaginary weapons, the
Senate Armed Services Committee listened to the scientists and
recommended a $4 million reduction in the program. That puts it at
zero. The House Armed Services Committee agreed: "The committee
questions the utility of this research under any circumstances and
is particularly skeptical of research into nuclear isomer production
before triggering is shown to be possible." WN recommends they also
cancel DARPA's subscription to Popular Mechanics (WN 16 Apr 04).
2. HUBBLE: NASA SOLICITS PROPOSALS FOR A ROBOTIC REPAIR MISSION.
The four Hubble repair missions have been frequently invoked as
proof of the need for a human presence in space. But with the
shuttle grounded, and a renewed emphasis on safety, Sean O'Keefe
decided another mission to the popular telescope was too risky. So
why not send a robot (WN 26 Mar 04)? O'Keefe said this week that,
"Our confidence is growing that robots can do the job," but he added
that the first priority is to plop Hubble safely in the ocean. A
petition signed by 27 astronauts, sneered at the robot proposal.
This has been going on for 200 years. They are the descendants of
Ned Ludd.
3. INTERCESSORY PRAYER: MAYBE OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
Three years ago, Columbia U. researchers reported in the Journal of
Reproductive Medicine that in-vitro fertilization is twice as likely
to result in pregnancy if the women are prayed for by a group of
total strangers, even though the women are unaware of being prayed
for. Recognizing that such a finding would threaten the very
foundations of science, WN called on WN readers to "pray this study
is wrong" (WN 05 Oct 01). This week we learned that our prayers seem
to have been answered. No one, of course, ever replicated the study.
But meanwhile, one of the coauthors has been exposed as a con-man.
Daniel Wirth, J.D. (not MD), is known in alternative-medicine
circles for his studies of Non-contact Therapeutic Touch on wound
healing. Touch therapy, you may recall, was thoroughly debunked in a
Journal of the American Medical Association paper by a 9-year old
scientist, Emily Rosa (WN 03 Apr 98). On 18 May ‘04, Wirth
reportedly pled guilty to fraud charges in Federal Court for his
role in bilking troubled Adelphia Communications out of $2M. The
senior author on the prayer paper, Rogerio Lobo, Chairman of the
Columbia Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, now says he provided
only "editorial asistance." Bruce Flamm, Clinical Professor of
Obstetrics at UC Irvine, who relates this incredible tale of
academic chicanery in Skeptik magazine, says the third author, Kwang
Cha, has left Columbia and isn't talking.
Bob Park can be reached via email at

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
Opinions are the author's and are not necessarily shared by the
University, but they should be.
.

User: "Uncle Al"

Title: Re: What's New -- Friday, June 4, 2004 by Bob Park 04 Jun 2004 05:37:41 PM
Sam Wormley wrote:


Friday, June 4, 2004

[snip]

2. HUBBLE: NASA SOLICITS PROPOSALS FOR A ROBOTIC REPAIR MISSION.
The four Hubble repair missions have been frequently invoked as
proof of the need for a human presence in space. But with the
shuttle grounded, and a renewed emphasis on safety, Sean O'Keefe
decided another mission to the popular telescope was too risky. So
why not send a robot (WN 26 Mar 04)? O'Keefe said this week that,
"Our confidence is growing that robots can do the job," but he added
that the first priority is to plop Hubble safely in the ocean. A
petition signed by 27 astronauts, sneered at the robot proposal.
This has been going on for 200 years. They are the descendants of
Ned Ludd.

Put it on E-Bay. Sell it to the Chinese for a flower drum song.
They'll safely send a bunch of taikonauts up there to service it.
O'Keefe is the ultimate bureaucrat-*****. He'd sell his unwashed
mother as a virgin to two Arabs - and overcharge.
[snip]

--
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" The Net!
.


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