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[G-Flex]

Not a lot at all, probably. Even pure vacuum only has a lift of... well, whatever the atmosphere around it weighs (of the same volume). At 20 degrees Celsius, air has a density of about 1.2 kg/m³. So even a cubic meter of pure vacuum only allows you to lift 1.2 kg.

Of course, I doubt this stuff can actually effectively contain a vacuum anyway, and if you're going to do that, why not use a thin outer shell filled with nothing instead? Unless you need it as a structural component or something.

[Rose]

thin outer shell alone will collapse.

But this is potentially able to hold the shell, while being lighter than air, which makes it much like helium in that respect.

[G-Flex]

thin outer shell alone will collapse.

Then fill it with a very lightweight gas.

But this is potentially able to hold the shell, while being lighter than air, which makes it much like helium in that respect.

I'm not actually sure where the "lighter than air" part of this comes from. The solid portion of it sure as hell isn't, but the gas within it certainly isn't either! It's only "like helium" if it's in vacuum.

At any rate, sure, it might have applications for that, but the difference between, say, a hydrogen blimp and a vacuum blimp (in terms of buoyancy) really isn't that large, and I'm not sure something like this would be strictly necessary to hold a vacuum.

[Rose]

What I mean is that if you have a vacuum filling the spaces in between, and a cover on the outside to keep the air out, then you would have a lighter than air balloon, presuming the stuff is strong enough to counteract the air pressure.

[Nadaka]

What I mean is that if you have a vacuum filling the spaces in between, and a cover on the outside to keep the air out, then you would have a lighter than air balloon, presuming the stuff is strong enough to counteract the air pressure.

This stuff most likely isn't strong enough for that.  It is however supposed to be a lot stronger than the silica aerogels that can float in air when suffused with helium.

[Durin Stronginthearm]

It isn't lighter than air. It's less dense than air. Density =/= weight.

[G-Flex]

It isn't lighter than air. It's less dense than air. Density =/= weight.

You know very well that when we saw "lighter than air" we mean "less dense than air". That's pretty much always what anybody means when they say that, since no other interpretation even makes sense.

[Sheb]

What I mean is that if you have a vacuum filling the spaces in between, and a cover on the outside to keep the air out, then you would have a lighter than air balloon, presuming the stuff is strong enough to counteract the air pressure.

This stuff most likely isn't strong enough for that.  It is however supposed to be a lot stronger than the silica aerogels that can float in air when suffused with helium.

One atmo isn't that much. It may contract a little, but it should works.

[Bauglir]

It isn't lighter than air. It's less dense than air. Density =/= weight.

There is an implied "equal volume of" because otherwise literally any substance can be described as lighter than air.

[Phmcw]

Student Debt in the US is currently reaching one trillion $

I guess we all know where this is going ; they won't be able to pay it back in this economy, and the bank will find themselves with yet another trillion $ hole in their pocket.

So stay tuned for the "Student debt crisis" coming in 2012 in all your favorite financial institutions.

[SalmonGod]

I've heard a couple theories about potential recession dip in the coming year.  There are so many things that are likely to happen in the near future that could upgrade the Occupy movement into some form of full-blown revolution.  Financial institutions claiming a crisis over unpaid student debts and getting another bailout while nothing is done for students is one of them.

[Truean]

Student Debt in the US is currently reaching one trillion $

I guess we all know where this is going ; they won't be able to pay it back in this economy, and the bank will find themselves with yet another trillion $ hole in their pocket.

So stay tuned for the "Student debt crisis" coming in 2012 in all your favorite financial institutions.

I have half a mind to do the "career services" office's job for them by founding a group for the college kids to get them actual experience and job placement. All CS does is babysit a computer program that doesn't find anyone anything except frustration.

I could hook them up with office and factory tours/job shadowing so they don't get out there with no damn clue.
I could show them how to write a resume' cover letter (an actual one). That would be how to research and tailor it to the job they are applying for....
I could show law students how the courts actually freaking work.
I could build relationships with professionals and employed people to show these kids around.
I could show them how their facebook profile looks to a prospective employer. (You can totally get around the privacy settings. How do you think the debt collectors find people...?) Clean it up.

What would I get out of this? Simple, (a) client pipeline(s):

Once I get to know all the young persons people only a bit younger than college students... inevitably they or someone they know will screw up and get arrested.
Why yes, you do know a criminal defense attorney....  You don't need to bother looking for one; step right into my office.... There you go....
Same thing with real estate, landlord tennant, probate, and small business.
Plus, speaking of business all those businesses I hook up with employees who know actual things.....

Grow my law practice portfolio.... Grow....

[RedKing]

Yeah, and how much do you want to bet the political climate will be excoriating students for "irresponsibly racking up debt"? Might we see something along the lines of an indentured servitude solution? ("We'll forgive your loan, and you have to serve in the military/civil service for one year for each $20,000 of debt.")

Frankly, I'm gonna be a little pissed if they do some kind of full-blown debt amnesty, because I've got over $30K in student loans to pay off, and I doubt I'd be included since I graduated 3 years ago (and it was grad school).

[Truean]

Yeah, and how much do you want to bet the political climate will be excoriating students for "irresponsibly racking up debt"? Might we see something along the lines of an indentured servitude solution? ("We'll forgive your loan, and you have to serve in the military/civil service for one year for each $20,000 of debt.")

Frankly, I'm gonna be a little pissed if they do some kind of full-blown debt amnesty, because I've got over $30K in student loans to pay off, and I doubt I'd be included since I graduated 3 years ago (and it was grad school).

You mean the Montgomery GI Bill? Yeah, I could see them pulling some such bullshit.

You do have to admit though. At least they were sorta hiring a couple years ago....

Hulu might not be able to be seen in foreign countries:
Pizza is a vegetable, really?

[G-Flex]

Pizza is a vegetable, really?

People need to stop getting this wrong. I mean, come on Truean, you're a lawyer, you should know better.

The contentious issue is not whether or not pizza is a vegetable. The contentious issue is whether or not pizza has enough vegetable on it to be considered to contain a serving of vegetables. There's a big difference between "pizza is a vegetable" and "there's enough tomato sauce on pizza for that tomato sauce to constitute a serving of vegetables". The media keep getting this wrong because "pizza is a vegetable" is more immediately hilarious, sensationalistic, and absurd. The amount of sauce required, I believe, is what's in question. Of course, the whole thing is still ridiculous, because if schools can't manage to put vegetables on the pizza, or serve an apple with it or something, then they should probably be serving something else anyway.