Fermilab Today Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Search
Calendar

Tue., February 6
11:00 a.m. Academic Lecture Series - 1 West
Speaker: J. Berryhill, Fermilab
Title: Course 2 - B Physics at e+e- Colliders
3:30 p.m. Director's Coffee Break - 2nd floor crossover
THERE WILL BE NO ACCELERATOR PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR TODAY

Wed., February 7
3:30 p.m. DIRECTOR'S COFFEE BREAK - 2nd Flr X-Over
4:00 p.m. Fermilab Colloquium - 1 West
Speaker: T. Baltz, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
Title: Solving the Dark Matter Problem

THERE WILL BE NO FERMILAB ILC R&D MEETING THIS WEEK

Click here for NALCAL,
a weekly calendar with links to additional information.

Weather

WeatherSnow 11°/0°

Extended Forecast
Weather at Fermilab

Current Security Status

Secon Level 3

Wilson Hall Cafe
Tuesday, February 6
Golden Broccoli and Cheese
Cheesy Greek Squeeze
Coconut Crusted Tilapia
Spaghetti with Meatballs
Toasted Almond Chicken Salad on Croissant
Assorted Slice Pizza
Chicken Fajitas

Wilson Hall Cafe Menu

Chez Leon

Wednesday, February 7
Lunch
Trout with Saffron Butter Sauce
Winter Vegetable Medley
Plum and Marzipan Tart

Thursday, February 8
Dinner
Green Bean, Feta and Walnut Salad
Spanish Bouillabaisse
Cappuccino Soufflé

Chez Leon Menu
Call x4598 to make your reservation.

Archives

Fermilab Today
Result of the Week
Safety Tip of the Week
ILC NewsLine

Info

Fermilab Today is online at:
www.fnal.gov/today/

Send comments and suggestions to:
today@fnal.gov

Feature

Buffalo Soldiers


Fermilab's buffalo stoically endure bitter temperatures and snowy conditions. Prized for their thick, warm pelts, American buffalo were hunted to near-extinction in the 19th century.

John Plese started off last Wednesday in a similar manner to many of us this winter: scraping at an encrusted layer of ice. This ice wasn't on the windshield of his car, however; it surrounded the heated tank where Fermilab's herd of buffalo get their daily drinking water. Overnight, the device that prevents the tank from overflowing had malfunctioned, causing the water to drip over its edges and freeze into a slick sheet of ice surrounding the tank. Plese spent a good part of his morning out in the cold breaking up the ice so the giant animals wouldn't slip while trying to get a drink.

The buffalo, however, aren't bothered a bit by our recent icy cold temperatures. Their bulky size, thick hides and wooly coats have historically protected them from winters on the great plains and as far north as central Canada. So even though Plese provides them with a warm barn and abundant hay beds at their disposal, they disdain such luxuries. "They'll walk up to [the barn], look at it, then turn and walk away to go lie in the snow," he said.

Plese increases the herd's food allotment during the winter to help keep their fat stores up. The bison feed on protein pellets and hay and can lick solid minerals from a self-feeder, which give them added nutrients similar to a multivitamin. Although he's established a rapport with them, Plese knows better than to take their affections for granted. "You always have to respect them. They are wild animals," he said.

As for Plese himself, he's taken a page out of the buffalo's book on dealing with the cold. Clothed in weather-resistant, insulated coats and hats, he says he doesn't mind the frigid temperatures. "I'm not a big office person," he said. "I like being outside, being busy building things and taking care of the animals."

--Christine Buckley
Photo of the Day


Tailgating at day care: Even though the Bears didn't win the Superbowl, Fermilab kids had fun last Friday getting ready for the big game. More than 60 children at the Fermilab Daycare Center were decked out in Bears colors. Each made a personalized cutout of a helmet, a pennant and a football, and then all celebrated with decorated cupcakes and hot dogs grilled outside.


In the News

DOE Press Release
February 5, 2007:

Department of Energy Requests $24.3 Billion for FY 2008 Budget
Request Forwards President Bush's Initiatives to Advance Clean Energy Alternatives, Maintain America's Edge in Scientific Innovation and Discovery, Continue Strong Economic Growth, and Ensure the Reliability of our Nuclear Weapons Stockpile

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman today announced President Bush's $24.3 billion budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008. This request supports continued scientific discovery and the development of alternative energy sources that are vital to America's energy and economic security. Funding priorities include investments to address growing demand for affordable, clean and reliable energy; further scientific discovery; continue the legacy waste environmental cleanup; and strengthen and maintain the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile while promoting global non-proliferation.

Read More

Director's Corner

Continuing Resolution:
Good Company

Pier Oddone

At last week's URA Presidents' Council meeting in Washington DC, the Honorable Bart Gordon (6th CD, Tenn.), chairman of the House Science Committee, talked about the importance of science and technology to the 110th Congress. He started his remarks by saying that he belongs to the first generation of Americans who are likely to see their children have a lower standard of living than their parents--that is, if we keep under-investing in the education of our children and in the science and technology that will define the economy of the future.

As the Presidents' Council was meeting, the House of Representatives took up the continuing resolution for funding FY2007. Chairman Gordon explained that in this resolution, "science is in good company" along with the highest priorities of the Congress, including veterans and health. For DOE's Office of Science, the resolution passed by the House contained an increase of $200M over FY2006. With the addition of some $100M in previously earmarked funds, the resolution would provide more than $300M above the FY2006 level to the Office of Science--if the Senate passes the same continuing resolution. This would allow the Office of Science to mitigate or eliminate the disasters that would take place if we remained at the FY2006 level of funding. The Senate could take up the resolution later this week, with an eye on the February 15 deadline, when the current continuing resolution will expire.

Many of our university partners are funded by NSF. It was great to see that, in the House-passed resolution, research in the NSF received the full funding that had been proposed in the President's FY2007 budget. While the increase in the Office of Science is not the 14 percent that had been proposed in the President's budget for FY2007, it is still a substantial increase in funding at a time when there are many competing priorities. We should appreciate and be thankful that science is receiving the additional support. Along with this support comes an increased responsibility to deliver the goods!

Readers Write

Snow Circles


Dear FT:

This spiral appeared on the lake by Wilson Hall at lunch today [2/2/07]. Unfortunately, I can't convince the perpetrator to reveal himself publicly. This was his reply when I asked:

"This must be the work of some alien, or the Tevatron run amok. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

Sorry, I'm not allowed to give you more information.

John Urish,
Computing Division

Editor Responds:
Despite John's reluctance to divulge information, we did get to the bottom of the snow circles. The "man behind the curtain" was Education's Bob Peterson, who carefully etched the design with his cross-country skis.

Accelerator Update

February 2 - 5
- One store provided 13 hours and 8 minutes of luminosity
- Recycler had stochastic cooling problems
- TeV sextupoles commissioned and operating
- MI controls developed serial link driver problems
- Store 5208 aborted
- TeV and Recycler have kicker troubles

Read the Current Accelerator Update
Read the Early Bird Report
View the Tevatron Luminosity Charts

Announcements

New mileage reimbursement rate
The Internal Revenue Service and the General Services Administration have issued the 2007 standard mileage reimbursement rates as 48.5 cents per mile, effective February 1, 2007. Keep this in mind when planning work-related travel.

Wilson Street Bridge to Close
If you commute through Batavia, please note that the Wilson Street Bridge will be closed Thursday, February 15, through Friday, March 2. You can read more about the bridge construction and detours on the Bridging Batavia Website.

Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes
Fermilab employees can save up to $12.00 per ticket for Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes at the United Center. Shows run through February 11. For show times and prices check out the order form in the Recreation Office or the recreation web page.

Upcoming Activities

Fermi National Accelerator - Office of Science / U.S. Department of Energy | Managed by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC.
 
Security, Privacy, Legal  |  Use of Cookies