Paleologus

The bicycle, and for that matter a thin wheel or disk, can maintain its balance by being in motion, but not necessarily so when at rest. What are the mathematical forces on a bicycle in motion which make this possible?

Photosynthesis is nature's efficient way of recycling atmospheric carbon dioxide. My enquiries reveal that we do not as yet have the capability of artificially emulating this process to any degree of efficiency. So why not assist nature do the job on our behalf by engaging in MASSIVE AFFORESTATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD? Major carbon polluting countries like the USA, Australia, India and China and a major forest-depleting country like Brazil all have the resources to carry out such projects and also assist poorer countries elsewhere, especially in Sub-saharan Africa, do the same. Even if it later turns out that global warming after all is not solely due to human over-consumption of hydrocarbon fuels, we would at least have acted on the side of caution. In my estimation, the planet would only be better off with more vegetative cover, not worse off.

Human activity in various forms is blamed for the over-production of greenhouse gases and its consequent global warming. Up till now, nature has been able to balance out some of the greenhouse gases, notably carbon dioxide, by the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS, whereby plants and certain micro-organisms absorb the atmospheric carbon dioxide and in the presence of chrorophyll, solar energy and water, convert it to sugar (carbohydrate) and oxygen, all products vital for life on earth. But because we are depleting forests at an alarming rate and at the same time producing carbon dioxide at unprecedented rates, this natural balance has all but gone out of control. Couldn't we therefore take a cue from nature by mimicking photosynthesis through the construction of giant carbon fixation factories in some of the world's deserts and warmer climates in order to reduce the amount of co2 currently being produced.? Is it achievable and feasible to mimick photosynthesis to any degree of efficiency?

The recent barbaric executions of Saddam Hussein and his two co-accused once again brings to the fore the issue of "Man's inhumanity to man". The Vatican sums it up neatly when she says in the quest for pardon for the condemned men: "Two wrongs do not make one right". But Al-Maliki sees things differently and even has the guts to defend his ghastly action when the head of one of the hanged men was decapitated in the process by saying that the gallows used were "built to international standards approved by the Human Rights Organisation". Which human rights organisation will be so daft as to pre-occupy itself with the contruction of gallows when its only task should be the preservation of human lives. Irrespective of the method used: decapitation, hanging, lethal injection, electrocution, firing squad ... it is a practice unbecoming of our 21st century civilization. Let therefore all progressive countries expunge it from their statute books and make it history.

A seaarch at some Internet sites gives "many ways refined sugar can injure your health". If this is true, why allow the product to be so easily available? Why not treat it like alcohol or even narcotic drugs which are known to injure health?. Besides, why bother to refine raw sugar, when doing so makes it more injurious to health?