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Comment Re:Steampunk anyone? (Score 1) 102

Steampunk technology works fine in a fantasy world. It does not work in the practical world with today's requirements. For example the current requirements for new cars is drivers must have a way to see the rear of the vehicle. That is handled by cameras which means electronics. The steam punk method would be mirrors and tubes which probably do not work well at night and would make the car far more complicated than needed. Many modern things are practically impossible to achieve with steampunk technology like using steam as power.

Submission + - China's Solar Industry Quietly Fired A Third Of Its Workers (zerohedge.com)

schwit1 writes: China's biggest solar firms fired nearly one-third of their workforces last year, a Reuters analysis of company filings shows, as one of the industries hand-picked by Beijing to drive economic growth grapples with falling prices and steep losses. Longi Green Energy, Trina Solar, Jinko Solar, JA Solar, and Tongwei collectively shed some 87,000 staff, or 31% of their workforces on average last year, according to a Reuters review of employment figures in public filings.

The job cuts illustrate the pain from the vicious price wars being fought across Chinese industries, including solar and electric vehicles, as China grapples with massive overcapacity and dismal demand (which has prompted China to dump its exports into any country that will accept them). As a frame of reference, the world produces twice as many solar panels each year as it uses, with most of them manufactured in China.

So to summarize: 5 years ago China unleashed a historic stimulus ramp to build up as much solar capacity as it could. Now, drowning in overcapacity, it is unleashing an even more historic ramp to reverse everything it did.

Comment Re:seafloor carbon-fiber cannoli (Score 1) 121

There were also other circumstances. One of the "kids" started to have doubts about the submersible after the first hull developed a crack. She wanted to leave, but it was the middle of the pandemic. She was seeing all her college friends suddenly become unemployed so she decided to stay. Also the company was working on their 2nd hull so she thought maybe the new one would be safer. When she found out that Ocean Gate changed virtually nothing of the hull design, she refused to put anyone in the sub. She was given the ultimatum of do it or quit. She quit.

Comment Re: seafloor carbon-fiber cannoli (Score 2) 121

Part of the con was ensuring customers that the vehicle passed all government safety standards with flying colors. This report seems to indicate that in fact it did not.

No, Ocean Gate did pass all government safety standards that applied to it. The con was Ocean Gate did everything they could to make sure the submersible did not fall under any government's jurisdiction thus no standards applied to it.

That reminds me of this liquor store where I grew up. It was the only one within 3 counties; however all 3 counties were dry with not even beer or wine sales allowed. How did this store exist? Well someone figured out that a small patch of land along a highway was technically unincorporated as it fell outside of all county and city lines. So they built a liquor store there. The locals were upset especially the more religious ones. However the store was operating under city and county liquor laws as there were none. Since the state liquor laws defer to city and county laws, there was nothing the county or nearby city could do. Eventually the county and city allowed beer and wine.

Comment Re:seafloor TPE menstrual cup inside a dude (Score 1) 121

Yes he did. I think you are confusing the fact that the main pressure compartment is almost always a sphere with the shape of the entire vehicle is not a sphere. Generally attached to the sphere are parts like thrusters, sensors, ballast, panels, etc that are not spheres.

Comment Re:Good (Score 1) 105

We built an IFR and tested in the 80's.. See Experimental Breeder Reactor 2.

I highlighted the important words for you. Your IFR was tested. Many of them have been tested. However since none of them are in commercial operation any savings of the uranium supply is hypothetical. There are also many prototypes of 100mpg car prototypes. None of them are in commercial operation; therefore, any gasoline/diesel savings have not been realized and may not be realized.

Comment Re:Home-sized options? (Score 1) 105

For every *house* I've ever lived in, there has always been space for something like this.

Perhaps maybe not everyone has space. Remember I said "home" not "house" as not everyone lives in a house. Even people who live in houses may not have the space. For example, apartments, condoes, townhomes, etc .Did you think about that?

Yes, you can install these batteries outside, but I'd think an awning over them would be a good idea (perhaps even required)

You can put these outside. Just like I could put my bedroom outside. Technically possible but a stupid idea.

Comment Re:Good (Score 1) 105

Google Integral Fast Rectors and breeder reactors. We have enough to power all of civilization for longer than the sun will be shinning.

Integral fast reactors: "At present, there are no integral fast reactors in commercial operation . . ." So none exist.

Breeder reactor: "There are only two commercially operating breeder reactors as of 2017: the BN-600 reactor, at 560 MWe, and the BN-800 reactor, at 880 MWe.". The BN-600 requires 17-26% U-235 as opposed to less than 5% most other reactors use. The BN-800 uses mixed uranium and plutonium to deplete weapons grade stockpile. But remember weapons grade plutonium requires uranium as the base material.

Two reactors worldwide since 2017. Yet you really think we have enough to "power all of civilization"

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