�Everybody loves the way breakfast egg conveniently slide off of Teflon without leaving whatever pesky pieces of eggs in the pan. Indeed, the carbon-fluorine bond at the heart of Teflon cookware is so helpful we too use it in wear, lubricants, refrigerants, anesthetics, semiconductors, and regular blood substitutes. But the very strength of the C-F chemical bond that makes it useful in so many applications also gives it unnerving greenhouse throttle effects that persist in nature. In a groundbreaking ceremony study in Science, Brandeis scientists report they have identified a catalyst that efficiently breaks the C-F bond and converts it to a carbon-hydrogen bond, rendering it harmless to the environment.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs or freons) are harmful to the ozone layer. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are generating concern because they are considered super-greenhouse gases, with great potency to warm the surround by trapping solar radiation and remaining virtually undestroyable in the atmosphere.
"The C-F bond is difficult to transform into other bonds under meek conditions because it is inert and unreactive; it's a challenge to chemists," said lead author chemist Oleg Ozerov, who conducted the research with postdoc Christos Douvris. "But we found a way to take a C-F bond certificate that you can do very little with and break it and convert it cleanly into something else at room temperature."
With research support from the Department of Energy, Sloan Foundation, and Research Corporation, Ozerov identified a new catalytic process for a class of carborane-silylium compounds that causes the bonds in representative HFCs to react at room temperature, swapping their carbon-fluorine bonds for carbon-hydrogen bonds. The silylium catalyst performs the critical job of breakage the C-F bond by abstracting the fluoride from the fluorocarbon and attaching it to a atomic number 14 atom. The end product is a compound with a silicon-fluorine bond, which is no longer a greenhouse threat.
This finding could eventually spark advance to large-scale reactions to convert environmental pollutants that contain C-F bonds into products that could be reused or destroyed without special equipment.
"Conversion of PFCs remains a challenge, and our enquiry efforts ar directed at designing even more active catalysts, capable of PFC activation," said Ozerov.
Source: Laura Gardner
Brandeis University
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Wednesday 3 September 2008
Thursday 14 August 2008
Girl Talk's final gig coincides with end of world
Two months ago, Girl Talk released his newest album as a disengage download. Now, riding a wave of newfound attention, the mash-up king is already planning his final gig - due to take space, wisely enough, at the apocalypse.
"I'm planning my final show on December 21, 2012," explained Girl Talk aka Gregg Gillis. "It's when the Mayan calendar ends. It's the sidereal day when solids become liquids and liquids become plasmas."
Gillis is famous for his rapid-fire mash-ups - songs appear for just seconds before fading into others. Bubba Sparxxx fades into Dexys Midnight Runners, the Velvet Underground into Justin Timberlake. He is as well known for his live sets - raging parties that make a guy with a laptop seem like the most adept thing in the world.
And while Gillis expects in that respect will be a couple of releases before 2012, that's when he volition wrap the project up. After all, it's when the worldly concern will end.
"I think I wanna do a 24-hour set," he told MTV News. "I want it to be an endurance test, and I want it to be wretched and as fantastic. I think [in] too many shows, people are also aimed at pleasing the audience. If you want to do a truly great demo ... you make to actually make it bad for them for like 20 hours and then you can kill it for four hours, and everyone will be really excited."
While we look up to Gillis's philosophy, we're still not sure we want to spend 20 of our net 24 hours with a DJ making us "paltry". Then over again, we can't think of a better way to go extinct, than hearing to the Cure segue into Soulja Boy...
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Friday 27 June 2008
Jim Jamison and Survivor
Artist: Jim Jamison and Survivor
Genre(s):
Other
Discography:
Collection
Year: 1993
Tracks: 10
Kings Of Leon Name Fourth Album
Thursday 19 June 2008
What the Jonas Brothers Look for in Girls!
Listen up, girls! The way to a Jonas brother's heart is through your mom.
"[I look for] somebody who is really good to mom, somebody who likes to have fun," middle brother Joe Jonas tells OK!.
And hopefully mom has taught you a few manners as well.
"It's really important that when they walk into a room, they don't only greet the people they think they're supposed to greet, but they greet everybody," he continues.
As for eldest bro Kevin, he needs a gal who isn't, well, needy.
"It�s a girl you can talk to on the phone and it be okay that you�re not always there," he says.
All three Jonas Brothers, which includes youngest Nick, are currently single and have famously declared their abstinence with purity rings. The bands can be seen in their latest Disney flick, Camp Rock, premiering Friday; however, the choice to wear them in the movie wasn't deliberate.
"It's just like keeping your favorite watch on," Kevin says. "We just wear it all the time."
The three play a fictional band, Connect Three, in the teleflick, about an aspiring teen singer Mitchie Torres (Demi Lovato). Described as a "rock 'n' roll Cinderella story," the trio helps Mitchie achieve her music dreams along the way.
"I think it�s a great movie that everyone can relate with � either with our character or Demi�s character," Joe says. "Any of the characters, really, who just want to fit in. It�s the same thing with Connect Three. You want people to understand who you are. People will relate with Demi�s character, and they�ll be like �I just want to be that girl who stands out.� Really just being yourself does that more than having to push it."
By Valerie Nome
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Wednesday 11 June 2008
George Michael - Michael Hints At Pop Retirement
Pop superstar GEORGE MICHAEL has fuelled reports he is to quit touring for good once he completes his summer tour dates - he's named the last couple of London concerts The Final Two.
The Fast Love hitmaker is set to take his 25 Live tour to America this month (Jun08), in what will be his first U.S. roadshow in 17 years, before returning to the British capital for two major dates at Earl's Court on 24 and 25 August (08).
And, in a statement from record label executives posted on his website, they warn fans not to miss out on the big concerts.
The post reads: "These very special shows will naturally feature Michael's hits, some tracks not previously performed in Britain, and a stunning new stage set.
"These shows are truly not to be missed by any George Michael fan."
The title of the two gigs is a salute to his last ever Wham! show in London - which was dubbed The Final - in 1986, when the band bowed out from the music industry.
Michael has previously announced the 25 Live tour would be his last arena outing, because he would prefer to play to smaller audiences in the future.
However, online reports now claim the pop star will retire from touring altogether this year (08) - with the exception of one-off shows for charity.
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Thursday 5 June 2008
Thursday 29 May 2008
Hudson confirms dramatic Corrie exit
'Coronation Street' star Tom Hudson has confirmed that he is leaving the soap in a dramatic storyline.
The 21-year-old actor, who plays Jack Duckworth's grandson Paul Clayton in the show, will reportedly leave Weatherfield after setting Leanne Battersby's Italian restaurant on fire.
According to reports, Paul will set the premises on fire in order to claim the insurance money for the failing restaurant.
Hudson told The Sun: "I've loved it on 'Corrie' but I've got other things planned."
"Paul's just like his dad Terry and he'll definitely return to Weatherfield to cause more trouble for his granddad."
Speaking about his exit storyline, Hudson said: "It's a great storyline - exactly the kind of exit I hoped for."
The 21-year-old actor, who plays Jack Duckworth's grandson Paul Clayton in the show, will reportedly leave Weatherfield after setting Leanne Battersby's Italian restaurant on fire.
According to reports, Paul will set the premises on fire in order to claim the insurance money for the failing restaurant.
Hudson told The Sun: "I've loved it on 'Corrie' but I've got other things planned."
"Paul's just like his dad Terry and he'll definitely return to Weatherfield to cause more trouble for his granddad."
Speaking about his exit storyline, Hudson said: "It's a great storyline - exactly the kind of exit I hoped for."
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