I just received my annual TCP-1 letter from LLNS and a summary of the LLNS Pension Plan. Looked in pretty good shape in 2013. About 35% overfunded (funding target attainment percentage = 134.92%). This was a decrease from 2012 where it was 51% overfunded (funding target attainment percentage = 151.59%). They did note that the 2012 change in the law on how liabilities are calculated using interest rates improved the plan's position. Without the change the funding target attainment percentages would have been 118% (2012) and 105% (2013). 2013 assets = $2,057,866,902 2013 liabilities = $1,525,162,784 vs 2012 assets = $1,844,924,947 2012 liabilities = $1,217,043,150 It was also noted that a slightly different calculation method ("fair market value") designed to show a clearer picture of the plan' status as December 31, 2013 had; Assets = $2,403,098,433 Liabilities = $2,068,984,256 Funding ratio = 116.15% Its a closed plan with 3,781 participants. Of that number, 3,151 wer...
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Also, any beam strong enough to flame a bug is a safety hazard. Having dozens of these devices around a wetland would pose a serious hazard to all forms of life in the neighborhood.
While Lowell may get his giggles from this upgrade to frying ants with a magnifying glass, in retrospect the idea is just another example of stupid science gone amoke. You combat malaria with waterlands management, appropriate use of anti-mosquito techniques ( fish, birds, BT, pesticides ), and moving people away from the source.
It's about time people stopped funding stupid ideas just because a PhD writes a proposal using big words that even college educated people have difficulty understanding. We don't need to study ants in zero-g for 20 times, blindly approve drugs that medical companies paid off researchers to fake succesful results for, money "gurus" creating new worthless financial instruments, and certainly don't need a laser-based bug-zapper. Stop all this nonsense and we'd be on the way to saving some serious money.
I also noted that the laser may not vaporize the little pests, it just might confuse them. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance....
I assume the guidance control will be done with a S-1 computer.