Garrett

My first thought was in using a few step-up transformers in series, but searching online I can only find wire that's insulated up to a few thousand volts, so stepping it up that much would short out internally, wouldn't it?

My next thought was with a voltage multiplier, but you would need to stack up hundreds or thousands of diodes and capacitors, and the high voltage could still potentially arc between the components, couldn't it?

I don't know.

I guess I could just but a 10 MV stun gun and take it apart, but I'm too cheap.

Here's my game plan: I'd go work for the Company, at least in the beginning, since I'd have access to all sorts of "gifted" people's files.

I'd track down Molly first, and Matt Parkman, at the same time, so that I could find everyone I was looking for, and know what they were thinking, when I got there.

Then I'd find Wes, to have an easier time of getting around, then Claire.

If I hadn't already run into Elle yet, during my time at the Company, I'd have to go find her. It would be good to have a weapon, and I don't know if I could pick anything up second-hand, from Peter.

I'd need to go find the invisible man, Claude. Freezing time would be awesome, as well, if I could ever catch up with Hiro.

I'd eventually find Sylar and burn him to a crisp. Hopefully I'd be able to acquire a few of his stolen abilities, the way Peter picked up telekinesis.

If I could, I'd jump back in time to meet Linderman.

Finally, I'd take Bob's power, and retire.

I know, I a huge nerd.

If a new island were to suddenly form, in international waters, who gets it? Does it belong to whoever gets there first and plants a flag? Or can an already-existing country come chase you away and "annex" (a.k.a. steal) it?

I have read in some places that stars only 1.4 times the mass of our sun can collapse into black holes, I have also read that they need to be at least 10 times the mass of our sun. What is the minimum mass (in terms of kilograms, tons, "suns," etc.) required for a star to collapse into a black hole? And, how much mass is lost in the initial supernova?

While we're on the subject, how slowly would time pass at the surface of our sun? And what would be the minimum mass required to bring time to a standstill?

Please give references!

What are the 3 most intriguing / thought-inspiring / mind expanding movies you've ever seen? (Everyone can answer, just PLEASE check you're spelling).

I personally haven't seen a whole lot of movies, but I'm going to say:

1) The Matrix (1999- Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne)

- truth be told, I saw the TV version, but I hear it's not at all different.

2) The Prestige (2006- Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale)

3) The Village (2004- Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard)

I like these kinds of movies, so your input will help me know which ones to go rent.

And, just for fun, how much hardware and energy would you need to go about creating such a powerful magnetic field? Would such a field even be safe for humans? And if so, (once again, just for fun), how much hould I charge people to come and float in my "anti-gravity" field?

Serious, not-so-serious, and thoroughly scientific answers all accepted.

I know nuclear waste is millions of times more toxic than the original, natural isotopes, but when you dilute however many kilotons of it that we have into the trillions of tons of molten rock and metal below us (all safe behind a 20-mile-thick solid crust), it seems like it would eliminate a lot of our problems. I'm sure there's a very good reason we don't do just that; I'd just like to know what it is. While we're on the subject, why can't we do this with ALL of our non-recyclable, non-biodegradable waste: inject it into the mantle, let the heat and pressure mix it around and break it down into its basic elements, all where it will never bother us again?

I know nuclear waste is millions of times more toxic than the original, natural isotopes, but when you dilute however many kilotons of it that we have into the trillions of tons of molten rock and metal below us (all safe behind a 20-mile-thick solid crust), it seems like it would eliminate a lot of our problems. I'm sure there's a very good reason we don't do just that; I'd just like to know what it is. While we're on the subject, why can't we do this with ALL of our non-recyclable, non-biodegradable waste: inject it into the mantle, let the heat and pressure mix it around and break it down into its basic elements, all where it will never bother us again?