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U.S., Russia Unite On Collider WASHINGTON (AP)
   The United States and Russia will collaborate on construction of
the super collider in a deal that could save taxpayers up to $100
million while giving the Russians much-needed hard currency.
   Energy Secretary James Watkins on Wednesday committed the United
States to an alliance on the $8.2 billion atom smasher being built in
Texas. The Russian Federation's Ministry of Atomic Energy initialed
the deal last month.
   "This is all the more remarkable considering how hard it is to
defend basic science research at this time," Watkins said at the
signing ceremony, witnessed by Russian Federation Ambassador Vladimir
Lukin.
   "This is an expression of hope and faith in the wisdom of mankind
and peace," said Lukin.
   Russian scientists will assist in the design, engineering and
production of two of the collider's booster accelerators as well as
its experimental detectors.
   The Russians will produce hundreds of dipole and quadripole magnets
needed for the boosters, which will accelerate beams of subatomic
particles to near-light speed through the collider's 54-mile
underground tunnel.
   Scientists plan to send the proton streams around the ring in
opposite directions and observe the collisions in hopes of discovering
new particles and learning more about the origin and nature of matter.
   Officials said both countries would benefit from the collaboration,
signed in the final days of the Bush administration.
   The United States will obtain up to $200 million worth of hardware
at a cost of approximately $100 million. It also will draw on the
skills of scientists that super collider laboratory director Dr. Roy
Schwitters called "some of the top accelerator experts in the world."
   Russia for its part will receive up to $100 million at a time when
its faltering economy is badly in need of foreign currency. And, its
scientists will have access to the collider, touted as the world's
largest scientific instrument.
   Supporters hope that word of a significant international
participation in the controversial project will help its fortunes in
Congress this year and could stimulate partnerships with other
countries.
   "I think it's very significant we've got a signed agreement with a
major world power," said Republican Rep. Joe Barton, whose district
includes much of the collider site.
   Each year, collider foes attempt to kill the project. In a stunning
vote last June, the House stripped federal funding for the collider.
It took a massive lobbying effort in the Senate to rescue the collider
and restore funding.
   This year won't be any different.
   Tuesday, on the first day of the 103rd Congress, a Nebraska
congressman introduced legislation that would stop further federal
collider funding.
   "While the project may lead to new discoveries in high energy
physics, we simply cannot afford it at this time with a federal
deficit nearing $300 billion," said Rep. Peter Hoagland.
   But Watkins said it would be a "tragic mistake" to kill the
collider.
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Dewey Coffman dewey@ctci.com  All opinions expressed are unrelated to reality.
CTC, Inc.			  "That voodoo stuff don't do nothing for me."
"If you fail to plan, plan to fail" 	PANIC: waiting for a good idea.