We also explored several pressing environmental issues as record levels of radiation were found in fish near Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant and we delved into the Gates of Hell -- a burning gas crater in Turkmenistan that has been ablaze for 41 years.

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Bill Gates glad-handed his way through the corridors of power in Washington last week.

CNN: Gates gets slammed

The result is a much greater density of the gates, lower power consumption, faster switching and fewer quantum side-effects.

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But America, Mr Gates insisted in Singapore, wants to remain an Asia-Pacific power.

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Whatever the case, one of the most endearing features of the enterprise is that Mr Gates gives the impression that a combination of his money, his brain-power and the brain-power of the people that his money can buy could actually solve some of the problems of global health.

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"Twenty-five years ago, my friends and I started with nothing but an idea--that we could harness the power of the PC to improve people's lives, " Gates says earnestly.

CNN: Gates gets slammed

Most bloggers rant and rave outside the gates, but in California they hold positions of power within the party: Mr Fleischman is the vice-chairman for southern California.

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That implies spending a lot more money on long-endurance air power and sea power, such as the new Air Force bomber and Navy unmanned strike aircraft that Gates endorsed in January.

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