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Neither does free hydrogen gas on Mars, but you can run an engine on the stuff. 

Chemical propellants really are the best fuel for a mobile vehicle, but they have to be made from something unless you just find them lying around.  That takes power - more than can be released from the stored chemical fuel.  So, unless someone strikes oil on Mars, all those chemical fuels the settlers need are going to have to be made using another power source.

Nuclear seems as likely a source as any.  For example, the Mars Direct mission profile proposed a rover powered by fuel that was made using a nuclear reactor (essentially stored energy from the reactor). 

I think we'll be seeing a lot of "nuclear powered" vehicles on Mars.  The reactors will just be on either end of the trip instead of on the vehicles.

GCNRevenger, you keep bringing up the point that not only do both modules used in Bill's proposed experiment have to be modified, but they both have to be functional.  I don't believe that's necessarily true.

What about a dead module on one end of the string, and only one module having a live RCS? 

If practical, it would eliminate the need for both modules to talk to each other because only one would control the maneuvers.  It could also eliminate the need for modifying the dead module.  Since it might as well be a ton of bricks, it can be suspended in a sling brought up by the single modified module. 

Also, there is no need for the two modules to be of equal mass.  The center of mass of the bound modules just has to fall far enough away from the test module, and only the test module has to have its center of mass aligned with the tether.  As long as the dead module doesn't flop back and forth chaotically at the end of the tether, it can lay how it falls.  This arrangement would have pendular motion anyway, even with two live, perfectly balanced modules.  What's a little more as long as it stays within limits? 

"Dead" may be too strong a word, of course.  You'd want both modules to have their own RCS in the event of a tether failure.  However, they would already have that if we just re-used Progress and Soyuz modules.  Only one needs the sling, ordinance (to cut loose), crew and/or test package, etc.  The other one can be the ISS's usual garbage scow.

That's not a bad idea.  Is there anything Sadr wants/and or needs that we can provide?

He seems OK for light weaponry...   :;):

Seriously, though, if you were a cleric in charge of Iran and wanted to stay that way, what would you do in the face of the United States' current posturing?

Go Ray!  An excellent example of amateur science in action.

Regarding hydroponics as being better than soil grown crops:

If all the nutrients you need for your crop are expected to be in the soil at Mars, it makes no sense to waste your effort extracting them when the plants can do all of that for you.  Hydropics has many qualities superior to soil gardening, but superior nutrient supply is not among them. 

Forget nutrients; bring humous.  Mix some organic matter into the soil and let the plants do the rest.

I did. 

(I'd say it again, but it's digitally recorded. :;): )

The US National Anthem started out a prime example of mixing music and politics for purposes of protest.  Sung to the tune of an old drinking song, it was expressly meant to irritate the British. 

Why not?  It's the sort of thing he was talking about. 

As for it not being pop music, I think you're drawing the distinction in terms of era and genre rather than popularity.  "The Star Spangled Banner" was popular long before it was national. 

"The Star Spangled Banner" didn't become the national anthem just because of that, though.  I'm not sure that "American Idiot" has national anthem potential, for example.  Doesn't play up anybody's pride, not enough for people to rally around, etc. 

"Peace Train" is a pleasant little ditty, though.  I expect to hear more of it...

Sorry, I come from a country with a long tradition of singing songs to tick people off.  Am I supposed to give all of that up just on Alice Cooper's say-so?  Stop singing the US national anthem just to make Sir Elton John feel better? 

I don't think so.

Is that related to those new over the counter "flash freeze" wart removers?   

Sheep and other herbivores are carbon dioxide neutral.  The only carbon in their bodies is what was previously taken up by plants they ate.  Thus, in order to sustain herbivores, that same carbon dioxide "emitted" by the sheep must be re-taken up by plants later to keep feeding sheep, not remaining in the atmosphere.  If not, sheep would be starved out long before their flatulence became a problem.

If the methane they release is similarly metabolized by plants and the bacteria that sustain them, sheep may be methane neutral as well.  This whole issue could be one big fart.

Really popular protest songs. 

Which reminds me, I recently felt the need to go out, find a copy of "Peace Train" by Cat Stevens and play it - loud and often.

Why, the same question I ask everyone that I get e-mail from but am unlikely to hear back from for 50 years:

"What's the address for your web page?"   :;):

Gillett's book must have references.  What texts did he use?

The law need concede to homosexual marriage no more than it need concede to polygamy, but it sure does need to make a decision if the county clerks of court want to keep receiving regular marriage license fees.