I was fascinated by a documentary I watched last night called "Selling the Moon".  The show centered around the human thirst for energy resources and the new technology that will help us get there.

Nuclear scientists have long known that fusion power is a possible way to generate large amounts of electricity using relatively small amounts of source material.  Rather than using large amounts of coal in a standard power plant or using fission power in a nuclear reactor, this method of fusing, rather than splitting elements seems to be the way of the future, if the technology is ready and the materials are available.

However, the only setback is this...

Helium 3 is the material needed to create this wonderful fusion reaction, and it's a tad scarce on the ground.  Literally.

In fact, the only large deposits we can find are on the moon.  So, logically, rocket companies and scientists alike are jostling for the rights to mine the moon.  Makes sense, doesn't it?

Except the cost of getting to the moon is somewhere in the hundreds of billions of dollars.  In fact, it costs 1 million dollars per minute to keep a man on the moon.  So a week of mining with say, 5 astronauts would cost, say 50400000000 dollars, if my calculations are correct.

Not to mention, a standard sized rocket ship can't really hold that much Helium 3 (possibly in moon rock, soil or dust form), because it would mess up the weight on re-entry.  And since Helium 3 costs billions and billions per tonne (a human-made concept), it makes it one of the most valuable commodities.  Ever.  And a kilogram of this stuff can keep a large city going for about a week.  So it is a given that many, many more trips will be needed to get enough to get us started.

It all seems just a little bit... mad.

These particular scientists / geologists and rocket companies have decided that the best way to solve our ever growing energy concerns is to mine the moon and create fusion power here on earth.  The idea is to replicate the very process that the sun and the stars use to create energy.

There's a small gap in this logic.

We want to create a miniscule replica of the sun's energy producing process here on earth using a multi billion dollar rare-as-hens-teeth Helium 3 gas that is only found on the moon.  So we're going to scoot up to the moon, mine the crap out of it, drag the stuff back here and start fusing it together using extreme heat to create energy so we can power our iPods.

Meanwhile, as we try to be insanely entrepreneurial and reinvent the wheel, the actual wheel is spinning up in the sky for all to see.

It's called the sun.

If we advance solar panel technology (using terrestrial materials!) we can further improve on what is a rather perfect solution.  Since the sun is already generating massive amounts of energy using fusion power, wouldn't it make more sense to harness the ready-made power of the sun, enjoy our practically (barring any supernovas!) inexhaustible supply of clean, non-polluting energy...

...and leave the moon alone.

technorati tags: science, astronomy, helium 3, moon, fusion, nuclear, fission, moon mining, alternative energy, solar power

The spring shopping season is almost upon us, meaning that many of us will soon be hitting the mall and checking out the latest warmer-weather fashions. It also, of course, means that we come home from our shopping expedition having spent more money than we would ideally like.

We can certainly try to reduce our spending at the mall by using traditional tricks such as planning our purchases in advance, carrying only cash, and even forgoing the mall altogether in favor of online shopping. But for those of us who can’t bear to stay away from the mall this spring and who plan to buy enough clothes to fill a self storage Chicago unit, perhaps the best way to cut our costs is by taking advantage of the widespread sales expected at most major retailers this year. By using sales to our advantage we can oftentimes find great items that we want and pay minimally to have them. It’s a definite win-win when done correctly.

Taking advantage of sales usually means following retailers’ websites closely and obtaining some measure of luck while browsing through the racks at a given store. Here are some other tricks you can employ:

Repurchase Products That Have Gone On Sale

It’s always good to research a purchase beforehand and make sure that you’re getting a good deal. But, when you buy something at full price, you can also continue to research afterwards to insure that the item doesn’t go on sale. If it does, you can return the full-price version and then return it at the sale discount. This way you can get the sale benefits even if you don’t buy at the right time.

Take Advantage of Store Discount Cards’ “Honeymoon Period”

Most major retailers offer a store credit card that can be used to get sale discounts on a wide range of purchases. These cards commonly share two strong attributes. First, they offer substantial deals and savings on your first main purchase or during an initial “honeymoon period.” Second, these great offers usually quickly dry up, leaving you with a card that charges a higher interest rate and provides fewer rewards than most. In light of these attributes, you are probably best off to enroll in a store card right before making your major spring purchases, use the card to get a discount on those purchase, and then stop using the card shortly thereafter.

Use Technology To Price Compare

With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets these days, the internet is always at our fingertips – even while we shop. You can take advantage of this to price compare, both between stores and between platforms. Sometimes retailer A will have a much better deal on jeans than does retailer B. Sometimes, on the other hand, retailer A will offer a far better deal online than it does in the store. Whatever the circumstance, you can always check your iPhone while shopping and immediately see what other options are out there. There are even apps out there that can help make the comparison process even easier.
Following these tips can hopefully help you maximize your sale benefits and save some more money this shopping season. While spring shopping never fails to be fun and exciting, it’s always important be financially responsible and keep a close eye on our spending at all times.

Most people know and recognise this character from the Warner Brothers cartoons:

However what some people don't realise is that this is also a real creature.  A marsupial, in fact.

A rather grumpy carniverous marsupial with a cute and ferocious nature.

The trouble is, these little devils are in trouble.  A large number of the population have been struck down with disease and they need help to fight the very real possibility of extinction.

I was extremely distressed to find that we, as world citizens, can't seem to get together to find a measly 2 million bucks to fund the breeding program for these little guys at Victoria Zoo.

The breeding programs exist to repopulate the dwindling number of devils in the wild to give the population a fighting chance.

Project Cost: $2 million
Total Raised: $496,732
Remaining: $1,503,268

Donations will go towards breeding pens, surveillance systems, a research hut, specialist staff and devil breeding keepers, nutrition for the devils, cool room storage for meat, a devil cart (transport costs) and veterinary support for quarantine and health checks.

To find out more about these wonderful little animals, please follow the links below:


Zoos Victoria:
Devil's Advocate - Save the Tassie Devil

University of Tasmania - for US donations also:  
Save The Tassie Devil Appeal

Taronga Foundation:
Taronga Foundation Tassie Devil Appeal

technorati tags: tasmanian devil, save the tassie devil, zoo program, conservation, extinction, breeding program

When money is tight, most of us will take some concerted steps to rethink our expenses, our investments, and our overall spending habits. We might look to cut back on entertainment or shopping trips. We may eat out less and shop at Wal-Mart more often. And we may seek to move some of our money around by searching out high interest savings account tips and advice.

But all too rarely do we make an attempt to reduce one of our core expenses: transportation. For most Americans, transportation costs are an inevitable part of living and working in a modern society. We need our cars to get to work, do errands, pick the kids up from school, and essentially do anything that requires leaving the house. And, for most Americans, rising gas rates and insurance fees have made transportation costs increasingly expensive.

Changing up your travel and commute habits can consequently translate into significant savings, especially in the long-run. How can this be done? Here are a few tips:


Cut Back On Car Use

The best way to save on transportation costs is to cut back on our car use. Driving a car, after all, is quite expensive these days when gasoline and maintenance costs are included. So how can we get around without a car? If feasible, the best way to do this is by taking public transit. In most cities, public transit costs for daily use run somewhere in the range of $80 to $100 per month – far less than the cost of owning and running a car. If public transit is not a feasible option, you may want to consider running or biking to work. Doing so can help you save money while also getting fit at the same time.


Plan Your Trips

Many people take shopping trips and run errands as the need arises. They leave their home, go to the grocery store, return to their home, go to the dry cleaner’s, and then return to their house once again. This approach wastes both gas and time. Instead, you can get more value out of each driving trip by planning out your errands more fully beforehand.


Save On Gasoline

High gas costs have made paying high gas costs an unavoidable activity for most drivers. But there are certainly ways to reduce the amount you spend on gas. First, you can use websites such as GasBuddy.com to find the cheapest gas costs in your area. Second, you can sign up for credit card rewards programs that offer discounts on every gas purchase at particular stations.

These are just a few of the ways that we can reduce our transportation costs and therefore realize savings in a significant portion of our budget. While our culture of car dependence is deeply instilled in the American psyche, with a little planning and sacrifice we can reduce this reliance and save some money in the process.

~ Guest Post ~

I love Chinese New Year.  Even though I am not Chinese myself, I have an interest in Chinese customs and I like Chinese food.  Especially mushroom fried noodles.  There's something fun about the whole idea of creating a large amount of luck, driving away evil spirits each year and wishing great bagfuls of money on people.

Tips to make your year lucky:

1.  Say Kung Hao Fat Choy ("gong hey fat choy") to your Chinese friends who speak Cantonese.  Or Gong Xi Fa Cai ("gong shi fa chai") for those who speak Mandarin.  This means something along the lines of "I hope this year you get lots of money/have a prosperous year".    I think that's a nice thing to wish people.  I haven't done this yet but I fear my pronunciation would be rather suspect (I only learned French, Italian and German at school!)

2.  Clean everything!! Clean out the old luck and bring in the new.  But be careful not to sweep or clean during New Years or you might clean some luck away.

3.  Give out red envelopes with money in them to your family.  The amount must be an even number (preferably having an eight in there somewhere!)  When receiving an envelope, don't open your envelopes in the presence of the giver.  This is said to be bad manners.

4.  Wear/buy red clothes.  My contribution to this is my incredibly awesome Redheads top.  It's very red and therefore very lucky (see below).

5.   Light firecrackers to scare away evil spirits.  Firecrackers are illegal in most cases, so watching some fireworks might be the next best thing.  I may have to settle for party poppers and some sparklers.

6.  Display citrus fruits around the house.  These are especially lucky and are thought to bring good health for the coming year.

7.  Open all your doors and windows and keep the lights on.  This is said to bring in the new luck of the new year and let go of last year's luck.

8.  Eat long noodles for a long life!!

This year is the year of the Water Dragon.  The Water Dragon is said to be ambitious, but the water element tempers the arrogance and pushiness usually associated with the year of the Dragon.

I hope this year is joyful and prosperous for all of you!!
:-)