Articles written by Bennett Kalafut

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About me - Bennett Kalafut

A single-molecule biophysicist in the final stages of a PhD.

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Sciences > Mathematics Division by zero: Is it really impossible?: 1 of 40
Division by zero is impossible in ordinary, everyday number systems such as the rational numbers (whole number fractions), algebraic numbers (solutions to polynomials with whole number coefficients) or real numbers (numbers on the number line). If it were possible, zero would be equal to one, moreover, all numbers would be z... More..
Food & Drink > Ethnic & International Foods Mexican salad ideas: 1 of 14
Somehow, the "taco salad" and "fajita salad", both certainly gringo inventions (and boring, too), became what we in the USA thought of as authentically Mexican salad. Mexico has as rich a tradition of salads (ensaladas) as the USA, mixing its own ingredients and flavors into cold light dishes, some as different from each othe... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Can deregulation and free markets lower the cost of health care in the US?: 1 of 13
As (Nobel Prize-winning economist) Vernon Smith put it, the way healthcare usually works is that party B tells party A what A needs, and party C pays for it; there's no market solution to this problem. Health care consumers on comprehensive insurance plans have no financial incentive to shop around for more efficient provider... More..
Sciences > Mathematics Calculus: The basics: 1 of 10
What is known to us simply as "calculus" is the "infinitesimal calculus", knownto mathematicians as "analysis", a branch of mathematics hinted at by ancientand medieval figures like Eudoxus, Archimedes and Alhazen, synthesized byNewton and Liebniz, and put onto rigorous and recognizable footing by the likesof Euler, Cauchy, a... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Immigration Should US immigration reform focus on amnesty for illegal aliens or tighter enforcement of borders?: 1 of 9
The focus of US immigration reform should be bringing public policy in line with the pubilc good. Tighter enforcement of bad policy doesn't even constitute reform; it constitutes doing the same thing, and harder.The US's ever-growing economy has created a demand for labor, signaled by relatively high wages and benefits. Of th... More..
Food & Drink > Ethnic & International Foods Low-carb Mexican food ideas: 1 of 6
The Mexican diet, with its ubiquitous tortillas, corn masa, beans and rice, not to mention the very popular cane-sweetened Coca-Cola and aguas frescas, nearly guarantees that the low-carbohydrate diet will never catch on south of the border. While he cannot have a proper Mexican meal, the low-carb dieter does not have to give... More..
Pets & Animals > Aquarium Fish Fixes for fish tank algae: 1 of 6
There are three basic types of aquarium algae: true algae, protists, and cyanobacteria, which used to be called blue-green algae, causing much confusion to this day. One must know which type is growing in order to determine the proper response.In a well-lit aquarium of neutral-to-acid pH, heavy planting tends to suppress the ... More..
Food & Drink > Dairy & Egg Recipes Recipes: Creme brulee French toast: 1 of 6
French toast, or pain perdu, is made by soaking day-old bread in a mixture of milk and eggs and frying in butter. The milk-and-egg batter is not unlike the beginnings of a custard like Creme brulee, traditionally made with heavy cream, egg yolks, vanilla, and a hard caramel topping.The hard caramel topping is what makes Creme... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political Issues Should international law have a significant effect on Supreme Court decisions?: 3 of 15
In the so-called "Supremacy Clause", article VI of the US Constitution states:"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the land; and the Judges in every St... More..
Pets & Animals > Aquarium Fish What is a biological aquarium filter?: 1 of 5
Fish and invertebrates produce wastes, in the form of feces and ammonia, which are harmful if they build up (consider if you had to live in your toilet!); an aquarium's biological filter consists of organisms which break down these wastes into less-harmful and, ideally, ultimately harmless byproducts.Detrivorous invertebrates... More..