Rotary speaker to talk about the LIFE project

Jeff Latkowski is here to discuss a matter of vital importance.

In a nutshell, here is his synopsis: “Among the myriad challenges faced by the modern world, here are two biggies: finding a clean, sustainable source of energy, and safely disposing of nuclear waste. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's LIFE Project (Laser Inertial Fusion-Fission Energy) has the potential to resolve both.

LIFE is a hybrid technology that combines the best aspects of nuclear fusion, a clean, safe, and virtually unlimited energy source, with nuclear fission, a carbon-free, reliable energy technology already in use around the world. And by burning nuclear waste for its fuel, LIFE would provide the added advantage of dramatically shrinking the planet's stockpile of spent nuclear fuel. Come learn about the benefits and challenges of this promising new technology.”

Let’s pause here for a moment to let you read the above paragraph again. Latkowski is talking about something as cyclically sustainable as a perpetual motion machine.

There is one huge drawback to this concept: It makes complete and utter sense and it is therefore dead in the water.

Anything that makes sense in the lab, in practice, or anywhere else on the planet will not pass muster in Washington because folks there have been afflicted with a hybrid cretinism that cannot be found anywhere else except within the walls of certain capitols and I have a hunch it is somehow associated with the inhaling of minute, airborne particles of loose marble dust that is only found inside buildings that house members of a group that erroneously consider themselves the ruling class, when in actuality they are essentially immune to any application of ideas that create new and unique concepts that work as regards the nullification of the brain-dead notions such people have been laboring under ever since 1932.

More about Latkowski: He recently was selected as the recipient of the 2009 Excellence in Fusion Engineering Award by the Fusion Power Associates Board of Directors. This award recognizes persons in the relatively early part of their careers who have shown both technical accomplishment and potential to become exceptionally influential leaders in the fusion field.

Last Week: Will O’Diear, a man who wears so many hats it is amazing. He was telling us of his falconer exploits, his current passion…in fact, his nearly 10 year passion. He didn’t discuss his heroism in saving the lives of two of his fellow officers in the California Highway Patrol in which he prevented an assassination of the two by a guy with a Feinstein Rifle.

Next week: In keeping with the literal barrage of one incredible program after another, Nancy Beckman has arranged to have Clarence “Bud” Anderson here to tell us about his incredible exploits.

In 1943, our bombers were laboring over Europe trying to slow down the Nazi war machine. The defenses were fierce, many lives were lost.

The introduction of the P-51 Mustang helped give us a quicker, faster fighter to provide cover against the German Messerschmitt.

Our rookie pilots took to the sky hoping to learn enough, quickly enough, to survive and go back to fight another day.

At age 23, Clarence "Bud" Anderson was one of our brash, eager, and terrified Mustang pilots. He became one of our most successful. His service includes 16 victories, making him a triple ace. Today, at somewhere north of 80, Bud is an exciting man to meet and a speaker with amazing stories to tell.

Bud is coming to Lodi Rotary to present his story. Phil Lenser has helped arrange this meeting and we are grateful for it.

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