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Comment Re: Elon Musk (Score 2) 108

Bruce, it is at vandenberg. The launch vehicle is already there, and has been tanked 1 already.
In addition, it is only using 3 engines, not all 9. As such, it is thought that it was a converted grasshopper.

The launch pad abort was supposed to have happened long ago, and then I had heard Feb, and then april and now a NET of May 5th.

As to the delays, yeah, most, if not all, was caused by spaceX focusing on getting their launch rate way up, along with the 2 failed landings. But, in light of NASA's dicking around with SpaceX and giving preference to Boeing to the point that SpaceX can not go to the ISS until Boeing has done so, you really can not blame them.
I will say that if Soyuz fails (sad thought since that implies loss of life), then SpaceX's dragon 2 will no doubt be moved up in priority since it is by far the closest.

Comment Re: Well... (Score 1) 108

I would have to say that spacex is already manned quality. Even their F9 was designed with numerous sensors and the ability to shut down an engine or more while completing the mission. All that remains is PROVING dragon's ability to abort.

Comment Re:Sounds like upper middle class housing developm (Score 1) 540

Unless he is physically ill its hard to image him not wanting a studio to tinker in.

Studio? He has Skywalker Ranch, which is already WAY more than he needs to work on "indie" projects if he chooses to (it was enough for his major projects!)

The entire POINT of this article was that he had another property (Grady Ranch) in Marin where he wanted to build a huge digital film production campus, which had been blocked. This facility was obviously NOT to experiment with indie projects, it was to be a major production house used for many Hollywood titles (not just his, but contracted for effects to many movies like ILM and Skywalker Sound, etc). He eventually decided he didn't need it any more, and wanted to turn it into affordable housing instead. Didn't you RTFA? :)

The storytelling business is quite different than say the "Standard Oil" business or the "Microsoft Windows" business

I think this side of the business is a very good analogy to tycoons in other industries - Lucas made a lot of his money not as a "storyteller" but as a pioneer in visual and audio effects. He's backing away from that, and donating most of his fortune now. I hope he does continue to work on misc creative projects - but it sounds like he's getting away from, to paraphrase Carnegie, the "making tons of money" phase into the "donating tons of money" phase.

Comment Re:All of the major car makers are fighting EVs (Score 1) 486

glad that somebody modded you up.
When I speak of EVs, I have always been referring to electric cars. Passenger vehicles.
What is needed is to get Cargo and large passenger vehicles to switch to being series hybrids with nat gas. By getting commercial vehicles to switch to that, it will make it possible for makers to deal with electric until we get it figured out better.

BTW, BNSF railroad uses 5% of America's diesel. They are in the process of converting all of their engines to LNG instead. And the other companies are considering it, since Nat Gas is just too cheap.
If these switch, that is around 10-15% of America's diesel. That is HUGE.

Finally, Tesla will be forcing all car makers to EVs. Make no mistake about it. They do not want to go, but they will. They have no choice once the Model 3, along with the analog crossover comes out in 2016/2017.

Comment Re:Re-read your link (Score 1) 334

Such nonsense.

Nobody recycles batteries for the lithium. A small amount get recycled for cobalt That will change as the price of lithium rises, of course as that happens we are back to economics..

And yet, the total batteries are being recycled as we speak here in America.
Here is more.

Which is why we don't have enough to supply our need.

Sadly, again, you have no real knowledge of science, or what is going on. You took something from several years ago, which is predicated on PROVED RESERVOIRS that want to be acknowledged. Yet, it is wrong.
Now, go look up Simbol Mining Corp. Simbol is going to feed Tesla, which is working on a factory that will MORE THAN DOUBLE CURRENT LITHIUM ION PRODUCTION. Now, that is just 1 company that will be providing all this.
In addition, for the future Here is more.
You just have to read a bit, rather than as little as possible. In addition, stay up on your science.

Finally, as to being cheap/economical, it is regularly about scale, not about process. Bolivia and Chile are pushed by Europe to be dirty, but, Tesla will be looking for more than what Bolivia, Chile, China, and Australia put out together, THIS YEAR. And considering that it will come from America (and Canada), that will increase the scale. Finally, as Tesla gears up, Simbol's will also expand outwards to other geothermal units.

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