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Comment Re:seafloor carbon-fiber cannoli (Score 1) 72

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) 72

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) 72

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"

Comment Re:Good (Score 1) 105

And we're not going to run out of uranium anytime soon either

Uranium used to power nuclear reactors has to be processed. Uranium 235 used for fission reactors is less than 1% of naturally occurring Uranium which is 99% U-238. Fission grade uranium requires increasing U-235 to be concentrated to be at least 5%. While the world still has lots of U-238, it is running out of U-235.

Comment Re:$200K is an insane amount for a project vehicle (Score 1) 30

It probably would have gotten some interest if it still had NASA equipment inside. By now that equipment would be obsolete so few secrets to protect. Or if the functional components had been stripped but the controls on the command center area kept intact.

Comment Re:$200K is an insane amount for a project vehicle (Score 1) 30

Collectors collect. There are very few of these things - sure, it's not say the Airstream trailer that Apollo astronauts used, but NASA stuff generally doesn't come up very often.

How it was used is also important. People can buy Deloreans when they come up at auction for the price of a new car. The Delorean used in the Back to the Future movies is the only ones worth a lot of money.

And back to the Airstream trailer - sure the market is small, and it was only really used to ferry astronauts to and from the launchpad (because the suits are bulky and the air conditioners take up a lot of room).

It was not. If you read the summary, it was a mobile command center and not used to ferry astronauts. It also only appears in pictures escorting the shuttle on the ground. That would have been after the shuttle landed (as the title says). The chance it was used to ferry astronauts is very, very small.

But it's probably one of the few artifacts of the space shuttle program left in private hands, and interest will be among transportation historians (who are broke), museums, and private collectors of transportation stuff. If the private collector is generous, they may engage in a restoration project with the historians who can document the entire thing for the public but in return, get an asset with a greatly increased value since it's likely more original.

And here is the problem: it has been stripped of anything related to the shuttle program on the inside. The outside still says NASA. The inside says abandoned RV from the 1980s. It was modified to be a mobile command center so there is no kitchen. There is no bedroom. The ad for the sale suggests buying this and bringing it to burning man. Renovating this trailer to be functional as a home would require major money and time. It would be far, far cheaper to buy another Airstream and custom paint it.

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

Why would someone use different batteries for a home than they would at a business?

1. Cost: Generally home owners are buying something for less that a business could afford. 2. Space: Most home owners have limited space for installation of a battery bank where businesses may have space allocated for utilities. As a homeowner, lithium ion are a better fit for smaller spaces so they are more energy dense. 3. Regulations: Homeowners and businesses may have different regulations on what/how they can install battery banks. With homes generally install much smaller banks, they probably have more freedom to install whatever type battery they want. Businesses may have to upgrade their fire suppression system if they installed a bank of lithium ion vs sodium ion vs lead acid. Businesses may have to modify the room for lead acid batteries in case of any leakage, etc.

Comment Re:$200K is an insane amount for a project vehicle (Score 1) 30

And what would collectors do with it? The only thing they can do is display it for the outside; they cannot really use it without major work is the problem. As for collecting it, if it had the original command equipment, that might be something collectors would want. It does not. If someone wanted to paint their airstream to look like this trailer, they could do it for less than $200K.

Comment Re: paper forms (Score 1) 149

the IRS is saying that paper forms are THE standard way to file. If the IRS isn't prepared to process these filings, then perhaps they shouldn't be throwing away the millions spent on a perfectly good, and well-received application that greatly streamlines the filing process for the average filer.

Let's be clear: The Trump administration is saying that. I am pretty sure your average worker bee in the IRS wants electronic filing as it makes their lives easier.

Comment Re:paper forms (Score 1) 149

Yes and how is my protest any different? I am forcing people who have no power to make changes to deal with my protest. At least if I make the wait staff miserable maybe the restaurant owners hear about my protest.

you tie up the customer service lines.

All of which is just hurting the workers and not the owners, not the management.

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