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"I don't find anything objectionable about this article, and I'm not sure that flagging based on source is a good policy.' I think it's generically the right p

"I don't find anything objectionable about this article, and I'm not sure that flagging based on source is a good policy.' I think it's generically the right policy for just that reason: if an article were objectionable, I might not realize it, because I'm not knowledgeable about the subject! And there is a fairly good Daily Kos article by Roger Fox: Wow that looks terrible. The critic they're ridiculing, Todd Rider, wrote his PhD thesis at MIT on the subject he's talking about. And they're trying to ad-hominem him as someone "not in the field". Okay.. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/11412 http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/11412

sounds 12y ago
Please look up Tom Ligon, it's essential to understanding the following quote: > Tom Ligon: > > Todd Rider's objections were not just for the Polywell, but for hot > fusion generally. The heart of his objections are essentially that > everything will thermalize and spew bremsstrahlung radiation. > Dr. Bussard could never get thru to him and quit trying. If Rider > is right, no fusion project will ever work. > > The continued sincere efforts my multiple research efforts suggest > that a lot of good people in the field disagree. > > And Rider is NOT in the field. Nor should he be. He's a clever enough > person and is making good contributions in his chosen field. Good > thing his chosen field is NOT fusion, since it would be a real downer > to spend a career working on something you think is folly.
- RogerFox 12y ago
  Sounds, you are correct. Knowing who Tom Ligon is, is essential. BTW Riders objections are based on an IEC wire gridded machine (fusor)that has a narrow or spiked potential well, Polywell has a broad or table top potential well as seen on a chart, a very different environment that is less likely to create brem, in addition the ratio of Proton to Boron11 envisioned is not what Rider described. And the EMC2 paper includes Brem measurements which hints at good things.

sounds 12y ago

Please look up Tom Ligon, it's essential to understanding the following quote: > Tom Ligon: > > Todd Rider's objections were not just for the Polywell, but for hot > fusion generally. The heart of his objections are essentially that > everything will thermalize and spew bremsstrahlung radiation. > Dr. Bussard could never get thru to him and quit trying. If Rider > is right, no fusion project will ever work. > > The continued sincere efforts my multiple research efforts suggest > that a lot of good people in the field disagree. > > And Rider is NOT in the field. Nor should he be. He's a clever enough > person and is making good contributions in his chosen field. Good > thing his chosen field is NOT fusion, since it would be a real downer > to spend a career working on something you think is folly.

RogerFox 12y ago
Sounds, you are correct. Knowing who Tom Ligon is, is essential. BTW Riders objections are based on an IEC wire gridded machine (fusor)that has a narrow or spiked potential well, Polywell has a broad or table top potential well as seen on a chart, a very different environment that is less likely to create brem, in addition the ratio of Proton to Boron11 envisioned is not what Rider described. And the EMC2 paper includes Brem measurements which hints at good things.