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I don't believe that. Researchers and managers working on ITER fusion are not moustache-twirling evil villains. The fusion they're attempting to do is not will

I don't believe that. Researchers and managers working on ITER fusion are not moustache-twirling evil villains. The fusion they're attempting to do is not will o the wisp, it's real, and they're likely to succeed at it. They'd get much more funding and prestige if they succeeded earlier. The reason is likely just incompetence and management failure, not conspiracy to swindle money.

ncmncm 5y ago
The managers and researchers at ITER are not swindlers. But they are obliged to do as they are told. The corruption is at the government level, where the patronage and kickbacks are arranged. The same process occurs anywhere billions of public dollars/euros are involved, and it is not easy to track what they are supposed to buy, or how quickly results should be expected. Since commercially competitive fusion power is already known not to be possible, no actually-useful result need ever be achieved. The longer it takes to get to the ultimate failure, the better it is for everybody actually involved. Taxpayers excepted, of course.
- Robotbeat 5y ago
  > Since commercially competitive fusion power is already known not to be possible I missed that law of physics which says commercial fusion power is impossible.
  - ncmncm 5y ago
    You also somehow missed the word "competitive". Massively subsidized commercial (I should qualify, here, hot-neutron) fusion power seems technically possible, and could even happen, given enough corruption. But total cost to the public will necessarily be overwhelmingly more than long mature (by then) alternatives. It starts out many tens of $billions in the hole, before the first watt-hour comes out. And taxpayers are already paying for that, today.
    - Robotbeat 5y ago
      Okay, the word you’re looking for is “feasible,” not “possible.” There is no law of physics that says it’s not possible to be commercially competitive, without subsidies or whatever. Words have meaning, and hyperbole should not be rewarded.
      - ncmncm 5y ago
        Feasible and possible are, in this instance, identical. We are out of the domain of physics, and in the domain of economics. Physics does not get exclusive claim to the word "possible". Mealy-mouthed wishy-washiness should not be rewarded.

ncmncm 5y ago

The managers and researchers at ITER are not swindlers. But they are obliged to do as they are told. The corruption is at the government level, where the patronage and kickbacks are arranged. The same process occurs anywhere billions of public dollars/euros are involved, and it is not easy to track what they are supposed to buy, or how quickly results should be expected. Since commercially competitive fusion power is already known not to be possible, no actually-useful result need ever be achieved. The longer it takes to get to the ultimate failure, the better it is for everybody actually involved. Taxpayers excepted, of course.

Robotbeat 5y ago
> Since commercially competitive fusion power is already known not to be possible I missed that law of physics which says commercial fusion power is impossible.
- ncmncm 5y ago
  You also somehow missed the word "competitive". Massively subsidized commercial (I should qualify, here, hot-neutron) fusion power seems technically possible, and could even happen, given enough corruption. But total cost to the public will necessarily be overwhelmingly more than long mature (by then) alternatives. It starts out many tens of $billions in the hole, before the first watt-hour comes out. And taxpayers are already paying for that, today.
  - Robotbeat 5y ago
    Okay, the word you’re looking for is “feasible,” not “possible.” There is no law of physics that says it’s not possible to be commercially competitive, without subsidies or whatever. Words have meaning, and hyperbole should not be rewarded.
    - ncmncm 5y ago
      Feasible and possible are, in this instance, identical. We are out of the domain of physics, and in the domain of economics. Physics does not get exclusive claim to the word "possible". Mealy-mouthed wishy-washiness should not be rewarded.