Brian H - 07 December 2009 10:21 AM

As for “what I’ve done” for FFS, I would wager that the number of posts and contacts I’ve initiated with knowledgeable and potentially interested other persons and sites is at least as great as anyone else’s, including yours. I’m prepared to prove it, if necessary.

Mr H you are wonderful!  I know I can learn from you.

Perhaps you could post a few anecdotes on what you have done. Who you contacted, how it moved the cause forward, that sort of thing.
Then we can all try to go out and do the same. 

Smileys aside I am deadly serious about this (you know I have no sense of humour anyway )

A lot of the work needed to fulfil the promise of “Unlimited, Safe, Clean, Low-cost energy for Everyone” will be done outside the lab by people like you. It is imperative we hear about that too. Don’t keep us in the dark Mr H. You are doing important work.

Phil’s Dad - 07 December 2009 05:54 AM

Maybe in the long stretches between mile-stones we can turn the question around.
What have FFS members done today to promote the cause?

Excellant question, PD. As a FFS FaceBook page admin, I’ve been slacking. I just posted an overview discussion that could benefit from some intelligent comments, and even some links, diggs, stumbles, that sort of thing, if anybody’s so inclined. I’m planning to start another discussion over there tomorrow about why FF is so small, light, and economical. Hopefully these should all make sense to laymen.

btw- I appreciate your sense of humour.

Aeronaut - 08 December 2009 10:06 PM

Phil’s Dad - 07 December 2009 05:54 AM

Maybe in the long stretches between mile-stones we can turn the question around.
What have FFS members done today to promote the cause?

Excellant question, PD. As a FFS FaceBook page admin, I’ve been slacking. I just posted an overview discussion that could benefit from some intelligent comments, and even some links, diggs, stumbles, that sort of thing, if anybody’s so inclined. I’m planning to start another discussion over there tomorrow about why FF is so small, light, and economical. Hopefully these should all make sense to laymen.

btw- I appreciate your sense of humour.

Most of my contacts are with people who “stick their heads up” on various websites, whether writers or public figures. Some give responses, some not.  Previously, I was also exploring the possibility of getting funds for FF, but it’s actually quite a dicey process, since as an unlisted company LLP can only use a very few private channels, and cannot use outside services or promote itself.  Then the funding came through last year, and I’ve not put out any further feelers in that area. 

Many of the “information contacts” are with those on the sane fringes of the green movement (those concerned with long term outcomes per se, not wedded to specific projects or solutions.  [E.g., not those who are pushing for rooftop solar on all the world’s houses, or a home windmill on every chimney, or ...])

As much as anything, I phrase the contact as a kind of “heads up”; here’s what may develop in the next few years, don’t despair!  Most who respond take that message kindly, though there are those who are fundamentally soured on the word “fusion” as a perpetual pie-in-the-sky which is just a distraction from the “real stuff”.  Heavy duty fission promoters tend to be in that category, though not all. 

And as Aero does, I get involved in a few site comment and discussion boards like talk-Polywell.  There are some very knowledgeable people there, and occasionally I’ve PM’ed those who seem most interesting or approachable.

Brian H - 08 December 2009 10:36 PM

Aeronaut - 08 December 2009 10:06 PM

Phil’s Dad - 07 December 2009 05:54 AM

Maybe in the long stretches between mile-stones we can turn the question around.
What have FFS members done today to promote the cause?

Excellant question, PD. As a FFS FaceBook page admin, I’ve been slacking. I just posted an overview discussion that could benefit from some intelligent comments, and even some links, diggs, stumbles, that sort of thing, if anybody’s so inclined. I’m planning to start another discussion over there tomorrow about why FF is so small, light, and economical. Hopefully these should all make sense to laymen.

btw- I appreciate your sense of humour.

Most of my contacts are with people who “stick their heads up” on various websites, whether writers or public figures. Some give responses, some not.  Previously, I was also exploring the possibility of getting funds for FF, but it’s actually quite a dicey process, since as an unlisted company LLP can only use a very few private channels, and cannot use outside services or promote itself.  Then the funding came through last year, and I’ve not put out any further feelers in that area. 

Many of the “information contacts” are with those on the sane fringes of the green movement (those concerned with long term outcomes per se, not wedded to specific projects or solutions.  [E.g., not those who are pushing for rooftop solar on all the world’s houses, or a home windmill on every chimney, or ...])

As much as anything, I phrase the contact as a kind of “heads up”; here’s what may develop in the next few years, don’t despair!  Most who respond take that message kindly, though there are those who are fundamentally soured on the word “fusion” as a perpetual pie-in-the-sky which is just a distraction from the “real stuff”.  Heavy duty fission promoters tend to be in that category, though not all. 

And as Aero does, I get involved in a few site comment and discussion boards like talk-Polywell.  There are some very knowledgeable people there, and occasionally I’ve PM’ed those who seem most interesting or approachable.

You are both fine gentlemen. I…

Ouch! What was that?

I think I just went through a “Rezwan Transition” 

Suddenly I feel so old (and much less valued). 

Phil’s Dad - 09 December 2009 06:53 AM

...
You are both fine gentlemen. I…

Ouch! What was that?

I think I just went through a “Rezwan Transition” 

Suddenly I feel so old (and much less valued). 

Now, why would you feel old, young feller? 

We’re much like a small orchestra getting ready to tune for a concert, PD. The way I read the political climate over here, we need to make professional politicians at least unofficially aware of what FF can do for- or to- them and their constituents. You have credibility and contacts in that arena that non of the rest of us have. Chin up, old chap.

Rezwan - 07 December 2009 06:23 PM

Thanks to Z for sending me this link to Colbert Nation discussing the governments recover.gov website

This site tracks how much money is spent and how many jobs are created in each congressional district. 

One detail that blew me away, that the site cost 18 million dollars.  Now, true, you can make a website for 18 dollars, but this one has so many great things to click and track, you could easily spend the entire day on this site - since there’s a good chance you don’t have a job.

Aside from cost, Stephen notes that the site makes up 440 congressional districts out of thin air.  A mild database problem. 

Anway, back to work!

Sounds like they shared information collection and collation staff and techniques with CRU and IPCC! 

I started two new discussions on the FB site today, giving overviews of why FF is so small, what a FF-powered world could look like, and the breathtaking pace that it could domino with. Then I watched the evening news (circus is in town and was encouraged by what Palin and Gore were up to today.

We picked up a few new fans yesterday, and even more today. Many thanx to the FFS members who are already fans. To those who aren’t, a few minutes will help us a lot.

Brian H - 06 December 2009 01:12 PM

[Admin note:  poster originally titled this topic:  “Asymptotically approaching zero.”]

Under new management, the FFS site and forum information flow is asymptotically approaching zero. It is indistinguishably close to it already, so we’ll never be sure when all information is cut off entirely.

Or maybe I’m wrong. Prove me wrong. PLEASE prove me wrong!

Engineering takes time, not to mention hard science (not the make stuff up as you go kind of science).

Augustine - 11 December 2009 04:49 AM

Brian H - 06 December 2009 01:12 PM

[Admin note:  poster originally titled this topic:  “Asymptotically approaching zero.”]

Under new management, the FFS site and forum information flow is asymptotically approaching zero. It is indistinguishably close to it already, so we’ll never be sure when all information is cut off entirely.

Or maybe I’m wrong. Prove me wrong. PLEASE prove me wrong!

Engineering takes time, not to mention hard science (not the make stuff up as you go kind of science).

Let me put this into some perspective:  Look at how long it has taken to for GM to go from the announcement of the Chevy Volt to its (yet to happen) introduction to the general population.  The Volt is just an engineering problem- no new battery chemistry and from a company that still has some institutional knowledge left over from making the EV-1.

And the FF forums are chatty compared to the polywell forums of late (navy data embargo and all).

Just MHO as they say but I am not entirely convinced GM really want the Volt to take off. (Ditto EV-1)

It’s not all bad. The concept of an electric car with a generator (which goes nowhere near the drive train) is a sound way foward.

But - by the time it come to market it will be a so-so addition to a market that is way ahead in some respects already.

That said your basic point is quite right.