Wayne, here's the headline...Crystal power Palmtop Nuclear Fusion Device Invented By Michael Schirber LiveScience Staff Writer posted: 27 April 2005 01:00 pm ET The nuclear reaction that powers the Sun has been reproduced in a pocket-sized device, scientists announced today. Researchers have for years tried to harness nuclear fusion to power the world. But its cousin, nuclear fission -- the breaking apart of atoms -- is the only method so far commercially viable. The latest invention is not in the same league as efforts to build complex commercial reactors. The new device creates a relatively small number of reactions, and requires more energy to operate than it produces. The Real Deal (AP) - Previous claims of tabletop fusion have been met with skepticism and even derision by physicists. In one of the most notable cases, Dr. B. Stanley Pons of the University of Utah and Martin Fleischmann of Southampton University in England shocked the world in 1989 when they announced that they had achieved so-called cold fusion at room temperature. Their work was discredited after repeated attempts to reproduce it failed. Fusion experts noted that the new UCLA experiment is credible because, unlike the 1989 work, it did not violate basic principles of physics. "This doesn't have any controversy in it because they're using a tried and true method,'' said David Ruzic, professor of nuclear and plasma engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "There's no mystery in terms of the physics.'' -- Associated Press But the configuration is so small and simple that its creators think it may inspire unforeseen applications. "I certainly find it interesting that you can heat a cubic centimeter crystal in your hand, then plunge it in cold water and it will cause nuclear fusion," Seth Putterman from the University of California Los Angeles told LiveScience. Putterman's lay description greatly oversimplifies how the compact apparatus works. Specifically, Putterman and collaborators heat a pyroelectric crystal, lithium tantalite, from minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit to plus 45 in a matter of minutes. This generates an electrical charge -- 100,000 volts -- across the tiny crystal, which is housed in a chamber filled with deuterium gas, a heavy form of hydrogen. The high voltage is focused onto a needle-thin tip, which strips electrons from nearby deuterium nuclei and then accelerates them at a solid target containing deuterium. When two deuterium nuclei collide together at high speed, they fuse to form helium. The Sun also fuses atoms in thermonuclear reactions that create light and heat. The byproduct of the newly discovered lab reaction is a particle called the neutron. The scientists detect about 1,000 neutrons per second. Because neutrons are so penetrating, Putterman said that a hand-held neutron source might one-day be used to do geologic surveys or to look into cargo containers for nuclear devices. "Current neutron generators are extremely cumbersome," Putterman said. "They are about as big as a dentists X-ray machine, so you canÂt carry them into the field." Pyroelectric crystals could also provide a beam of ions for use as a microthruster in a miniature spacecraft. The research is described in the April 28 issue of the journal Nature.

Hi again Fred. First, do you have auto dimming headlights? If so, unplug the connector from the rear the rear view mirror and see if your lights go out. Now that's the last "silver bullet" that can be thrown out. All too often I see people make light of what a tech has to do today to repair someones car. You don't have to read too many threads right here in this forum and you will see just how rare it is to get respect for what we do. We DON'T just swap parts as you did by playing musical relays in order to figure out a problem with someones car. You should have noticed though, that when you were plugging the relays in, they probably clicked because they are "being commanded on". This command could be a false one such as a grounded wire. We don't actually call that a short because shorts blow fuses, that's not happening here. Looking at the schematic, and not knowing for sure which system you have (there are two designs, one with auto dimming, and one with just Daytime Running Lights) makes it impractical for me to type out each step to lead you to diagnose this thing. Seriously, it would take me about 1/2 an hour to diagnose it, and three hours to type it all out. Average pricing for a tech/shop to diagnose this issue around here would be in the $100 range. Keep in mind things like "Flash to Pass" and the fact that the multifunction switch is a significant part of the circuit. Any aftermarket alarm systems, could also be in play. I'm not going to be able to go into great detail, make sure there are NO blown fuses in any of the vehicles fuse blocks. A blown fuse would of course be evidence of a short occurring somewhere, and this can result in a back feed which can command a relay on. Later today I can look closer at what you have written here again. But if you don't have the skills to do the diagnostics on electronics at this level you should plan to have a tech repair this. JMHO.

I bought a 1995 Acura Legend in 1998 with 32,000 miles on it. It was a 36-month lease turn-in and was literally in PERFECT condition. It sat unsold on the Acura dealerâs used lot because it was the least expensive model, the L 4-door, with cloth interior and 5-speed manual transmission. But it was exactly what I wanted, White with Taupe interior, Bose stereo, Power seats with memory and (the best part) the sweetest 200hp 3.2L V6 Iâve ever experienced! I paid $26,000 out-the-door, which felt like a fortune at the time (I was 23). I drove it 40-50k miles per year until I was t-boned by a commercial truck in August 2005. It had just turned 329,000 miles at the time and didnât burn a drop of oil (synthetic), the clutch had only been replaced once and the transmission shifted like new. Other than scheduled maintenance, the only thing I ever had to replace was the A/C compressor and two ABS sensors. The impact was so hard the passenger-side door panel ended up breaking my right hand and forearm (it was in the middle of the car). The rearview mirror broke loose during the crash and hit me in the head just above my right ear. It left most of the glass mirror fragments in my head and took 38 staples to close the wound! I also had damage to two discs in my cervical spine that required a 3-level c-spine fusion the following year. But I was able to recover from all of those injuries, which was pretty amazing considering how bad my poor Legend looked. I bought a 2006 Mazda3 Hatchback to replace it in December 2005. Eight years later, Iâm just past 190,000 miles and going strong!

Here is an interesting column on hyprids from the Detroit News: Hybrid hype only for a few Forget what you think about hybrids for a minute and consider a few facts. They cost more than most people can -- or will -- pay; they provide fuel efficiency benefits only for specific and limited driving conditions; and the technology isn't going to solve America's oil issues. Sure, they're still somewhat trendy, and select members of Congress as well as Hollywood hypocrites regularly remind people that they drive the so-called green machines. Good for them and for the few others in America who are all hopped up on hybrids, but they are the few and the proud. And the declining. Hybrid car sales dropped 51.2 percent in December from a year ago and were down 12.7 percent for all of 2008, according to Autodata Corp. Sales of the Dodge Ram pickup alone (245,840) nearly matched demand for all hybrid cars combined (247,488) last year. Even the iconic Toyota Prius saw sales slide 12.3 percent to 158,884 vehicles last year. The fuel-efficient Chevy Cobalt (188,045) and Ford Focus (195,823) outsold the Prius. Overall, hybrids make up less than 2.5 percent of the market, a number not likely to increase significantly anytime soon. Gone, hopefully, are the days when the hybrid hype machine said the dual-powertrain vehicles would dominate the market and be standard offerings for most vehicles in every fleet. Blame consumers That's not to suggest that hybrids don't have a place in the market. They do, but it's a niche, where it belongs. Don't blame me for that. Blame consumers. There's a difference in what people say they want and what they buy. And when people put their money on the table, most high-tail it away from the $3,000 or more premium for a hybrid. A number of factors are to blame. Gas prices have dropped and consumer credit has tightened. Hybrids made sense for some at four bucks a gallon, but it will take a decade to pay off the premium when gas costs $2 a gallon. Sure prices for petrol will rise again -- and fall -- as they always do, mostly in response to actual demand, but it's doubtful hybrids will have the market-moving or the Earth-saving impact they were once proffered to have. Build what people buy Don't buy into those facts? Try this one. It makes no financial sense to put two drivetrains in one vehicle -- one for the hybrid system and one for the gas engine. Automakers can't afford to do that anymore, especially if the market continues its decline. Those resources are better placed elsewhere. Unfortunately, in the end, legislators and activists have been better at grandstanding and casting aspersions at those who don't play their game, but if the car companies are smart and follow the market's lead, they'll keep building what people buy, not what others tell them to build. Auto Editor Manny Lopez's column runs Wednesday.