Asteroid Blast Over Indonesia

An asteroid with a diameter of about 10 meters smacked into the Earth's atmosphere over Indonesia on October 8. It detonated and released energy that was equivalent to 50,000 tonos of TNT, which is 3X more powerful that the Hiroshima atomic bomb. No one saw this coming. As if we need something else to worry about.

Spend A Weekend In Knoxville, Tennessee

Per the New Yorker, here are some tips on how to spend a weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Tesla Roadster Sets Record at 313 Miles on a Charge

Another good story for the Tesla Roadster with a single charge record of 313 miles set in the Australian outback.

1953 Atomic Energy Cartoon

Click here for the link to a cartoon lesson on nuclear energy that was first made public in 1953. It actually does a reasonably decent job making the concepts understandable. This was done before there was commercial nuclear power production. One interesting part was the mention of the nuclear powered airplane, a dead-ended project which is detailed in Todd Tucker's "Atomic America."

Corn-Ethanol vs Tesla Roadster and CO2

How does an E-85-burning automobile compare to the Tesla Roadster on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions? Autoblog makes a comparison.

How Much Vitamin D Do You Really Need?

Here is a great summary of the latest information on the need for significant vitamin D in our diets. I recommend you spend the time to watch the video. This information is based on medical research and not on someone trying to sell a product.

The 10 Most Brilliant Products of 2009

Here is a Popular Mechanics list of the top 10 most brilliant gadgets, tools, and toys that the consumer can purchase in 2009.

I think the Techcrunch Crunchpad (#1) may be a big hit if they can make enough fast enough.

Photovoltaic Solar Shingles

Dow Chemical Co. has announced its line of DOW POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle which consists of panels that can be integrated into rooftops with standard asphalt shingles. I think this is a very positive step in the right direction in going mainstream for home owner solar production. Apparently the cost for installation is lower for this compared to that of conventional solar panels.

Bullett Impacts in Super-Slow Motion

This 10-minute video shows the impact of bullets on various targets at 1 million frames per second. It was made by German engineer Werner Mehl who is noted for his work in high-speed photography. His PVM-21 infrared chronograph has an effective speed of 1.5 nano-seconds.

Sending Life into Deep Space

Can life survive in deep space for long periods of time? The Russian Space Program is planning on finding some answers to this question in the next 5 years or so. The plan is to send microbes sealed in something like a puck-like container to Mars' moon Phobos for two weeks and then have it returned to earth.

55th Annual Radiobioassy & Radiochemical Measurement Conf.

A couple of friends of mine (Marty Johnson and Rob Baker) are working hard in San Antonio, TX organizing the 55th Annual Radiobioassay & Radiochemical Conference scheduled to begin Oct. 26. Downtown San Antonio is a great place to visit and the Westin Riverwalk Hotel is fabulous.

Some good places for local eats in San Antonio are Taco Taco which specialized in home made tortillas (closes at 2 pm) and The Cove (serves SOL food - sustainable, organic, local). Both have been featured on the Food Network. For dessert, go to Brindles Awesome Ice Cream on the northwest side. Everything is made on-site with fresh ingredients. This is a one-of-a-kind place.

For some R&R take in some golf at The Quarry Golf Club. I played there in mid-August late on Saturday afternoon (102 deg F.) and loved it. Very unique course and well maintained in a beautiful setting.

Cluebert 10 Most Useful Online Tools

It can turn into a real scavenger hunt to find useful online tools. Here is a list that I found that some may find interesting and maybe even useful.

Audi's e-Tron Is Coming

Audi has introduced it's offering of an electric powered sports car, the e-Tron. It may be on the market by 2012. It has a 42.4-kilowatt-hour liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery with a range of 150 miles. The full recharge time is about 6 hours at 230 volts.

This auto looks to be some competition for the Tesla Roadster.

How 3-D TV Works

Wired magazine has provided a primer on how 3-D television works. Did you know that the Ohio St. vs USC football game was broadcast in 3-D on a closed circuit signal to a select audience back in September? The reports I got were that it was a very impressive demonstration. The technology required the use of special glasses, but I'm not certain if it were the polarized glasses or the electronic ones.

Cartoon of the Day

Monty Python's Flying Circus Turns 40 This Week

October 5 marked the 40th anniversary of Monty Python's Flying Circus TV debut. Here are a couple of clips of the classic sketches "Upper Class Twit of the Year" and "Argument Clinic."

VASIMR Tested at Full Power

Big news from the Ad Astra Rocket Company on their VASIMR engine. They have completed their first full power test in a vacuum chamber in Houston, TX.

The VASIMR engine is slated for use on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2013 for the purpose of orbital adjustments to correct for atmospheric drag.

Eventually, this technology could be used to have spacecraft reach Mars in less than 40 days. No doubt this is a game changer when it comes to manned exploration of the solar system and beyond. In the near term, it will save millions in fuel costs since the mass of fuel required to be put into orbit will be significantly reduced for the ISS and other deep space probes.

Massive Texas Wind Farm Operating

Starting last Thursday, a west Texas wind farm began operations with 627 wind turbines on 100,000 acres with a capacity of 781.5 megawatts. That is equivalent to a mid-sized nuclear power unit and provides enough power for about 230,000 homes. This appears to be some competition for the plans of T. Boone Pickens.