walton%Deimos@CIT-Hamlet.ARPA (10/14/85)
The Newman machine sounds from Kevin's description like it is simply a large transformer. Since flourescent and Neon tubes are high voltage, low current devices, it is perfectly possible to run them off a lantern battery. In fact, you can go to your friendly neighborhood hardware store and buy a lantern-battery-powered flourescent lamp for your trunk. The US Patent Office consistently and correctly refuses to issue patents for perpetual motion machines (which is what the Newman device claims to be) without being presented with a working model for evaluation by independent patent officers. Thus far, Newman has failed to do this. Stephen Walton Caltech Solar Astronomy walton%deimos@cit-hamlet