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That Jokes Old
You mean like this? When a nun collapsed in the sales representative's office at our time-share resort, the rep ran to the front-desk manager. "Two nuns walked into the sales office, and one of them fainted!" she yelled breathlessly. Unfazed, the manager just looked at her. "Well," said the rep, "aren't you going to do anything?" He replied, "I'm waiting for the punch line."— August 3, 2008 3:54 a.m.
Comic Con III -- The Final Episode
There was an earthquake? Who knew.— August 1, 2008 5:31 p.m.
The Dancing Stormtrooper
I wonder if these guys were at Comic Con.— August 1, 2008 4:34 p.m.
Patti LaBelle's Big Hair and Barbecue
It's funny that the photo the Reader has here of Patti, her hair is actually fairly normal.— August 1, 2008 4:26 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Thanks LH for all the great resources. I just spent hours educating myself and I now understand the opposition to the powerline. It's not needed, not a smart investment, and not the best way to move forward in addressing our continuing energy needs. It's just a way for Sempra to get the electricity it generates from gas in Mexico to SD and LA. I now agree with the opposition. I encourage anyone else who, like I was, is wondering what the hubbub is about, to follow the links and read up.— July 31, 2008 11:35 p.m.
The Cross Controversy
I was about to question your jewishness when you didn't even come close to spelling bar mitzvah and yarmulkah right. But then in the very next paragraph you yadda yadda yadda'd, so I'm back to believing you.— July 31, 2008 9:50 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Every hour, enough solar energy falls on the surface of the earth to satisfy the power needs of the whole planet for an entire year. Yet, at present only 1% of the worlds energy is derived from solar power.— July 30, 2008 11:04 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
A Utah based company called IAUS (International Automated Systems Inc.) has developed a solar lens technology that transmits solar energy with an efficiency of 92%. A California energy consortium has invested in the first stage of the project. Twenty specially designed solar towers are being erected close to the Great Basin in Delta, Utah. Each tower holds four solar lenses that follow the sun as it crosses the clear blue desert sky. Each lens will focus the sun's rays onto specially designed heat exchangers that will convert the solar energy to super-heated steam. The heat exchangers double as high-efficiency turbines that will drive electrical generators to produce alternating current output. Later stages will involve placing 1000 towers over 700 acres of desert. With each tower having a capacity to produce 100 kW of power, the entire field stands to produce close to 100 MW of power when finished. That's enough energy to power 50,000 average Californian homes. Once generated, the power will travel around five miles to be integrated with the U.S. national power grid. The key to the success of the project are the unique thin-film solar lenses. Lenses of this size are typically heavy and expensive to produce. IAUS have developed a technique of embedding magnifying material into cheap, light, rolled plastic. The plastic is composited into extremely large Fresnel lenses. The lenses are light, relatively cheap to manufacture and easy to maintain. This compares favourably with traditional solar collectors. Although the sun does not always shine on the solar plant, the company believe that using a heat storage mechanism, they can deliver power around the clock at an estimated production cost of 5 to 10 cents per kilowatt hour. With such competitive production costs, IAUS say that their solar power plant will not only beat the price of coal, but be the first commercial solar power plant to compete favourably with gas powered stations.— July 30, 2008 11:03 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
I don't understand all the opposition to the powerlink. The desert seems like the perfect place to generate solar power. Lots of open land getting cooked by the sun, just waiting to be utilized. It seems like environmentalists should be falling all over each other in their rush to endorse this. Instead I hear just the opposite. I don't get it. It seems like using the desert for a solar farm and running power lines through open land are about the most benign ways to utilize land I can think of. If it's the ugliness of your average high voltage tower, then make them nicer to look at. Take a lesson from the windmills in Palm Springs. We have to improve our power grid to improve our ability to distribute electricity, to make the best use of what different geographic regions have to offer. So what am I missing?— July 30, 2008 10:14 p.m.
Hats Off to Mimi
Don't feel bad. It won't be too long the way things are going before just GOING TO THE MOVIES will be out of our price range.— July 30, 2008 9:57 p.m.