With great accuracy. God, I loved that show.
Category Archives: Technology
Killing Solar Power in Ohio
From the Plain Dealer…
Ohioans and their elected representatives have killed enough solar development to roughly power the state’s three largest cities in the three years since state lawmakers passed one of the nation’s most stringent restrictions on new solar development.
Those political efforts to block or preempt 2,000 megawatts of new energy coming online are the product of 2021 legislation that gave new power to project neighbors and local elected officials to stop development.
Many of these projects were killed by local Republican officials doing the bidding of the oil and gas industry. Just last week, developers behind a proposed 500-megawatt solar farm in Logan County withdrew their permit application, ending a $500 million development. Regulatory staff recommended the Ohio Power Siting Board reject the application, given opposition from local activists and Republican political power at the state and local level.
Enough power to power all three of Ohio’s biggest cities, with no carbon emissions. The Republican party is not a forward looking party. It is a party that holds Ohio (and the country) back. As they force America off the world stage they leave greater and greater openings for China to be a world leader.
Plain Dealer Stories (behind a paywall)
Solar development plunged in Ohio after new, restrictive state law
How NIMBYism and Republican politics killed a $500M solar farm in Ohio
Evil, But Honest About It
Clean Drinking Water More Cheaply
More Cheaply? Doesn’t sound right. Anyway, This new technology relies on a 3D printing method to make membranes for reverse osmosis desalinization plants. As long as it doesn’t create another problem with the used membranes (unlikely) any help in lowering desalinization cost would be very helpful.
Experts develop 3D-printed device that could reshape our drinking water: ‘This … is what makes our technology special’
Grow New Teeth?
What a world!
Ionic Thrusters
Back in 2002, our Physics teacher introduced me to a student who wanted to build an ionic thruster. I had never heard of one, but I was able to tell the young man where to obtain a high voltage power supply (and give him a long lecture about safety). A few days later he popped by to show me a device constructed of balsa wood, aluminum foil and stainless steel wire that would levitate (it was anchored by its power supply wires) when connected to about 15,000 volts. I was kind of blown away to say the least. That young man is an engineer now and ionic thrusters have continued to be developed by NASA. Here is a further demonstration…
Great series.
Nothing to See Here, Move Along
Microsoft’s Quantum Breakthrough
New Cars and Privacy
Most new cars have the same technology as what is described in the article. Shouldn’t your car be A LOT cheaper since you are surrendering any pretense at privacy? After all, how much is your personal information worth?
Subaru Security Flaws Exposed Its System for Tracking Millions of Cars
Why We Can’t Focus
One of my favorite books is Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death”. Postman eerily predicted the current age of social media as a natural progression of the age of television, and he did it back in the early 80’s. This video does a fantastic job of laying out one of Postman’s best arguments. It is exactly how I feel about the subject.
He mentions a book called “The Shallows” by Nicholas Carr. I’ll be ordering that one as well.
Lidar
LIDAR, LiDAR or LADAR, an acronym of “light detection and ranging” or “laser imaging, detection, and ranging” is a method for determining ranges by targeting an object or a surface with a laser and measuring the time for the reflected light to return to the receiver. (Wikipedia)
When I was at Kent as a Geology major this technology was just coming into play. Field work was rapidly going to disappear. Now using these tools available from USGS (thank you USGS) we can see our own neighborhoods in a new way.
Can’t Argue with This
Now This is a Real Problem
We are often told about “problems” identified by politicians so they can promise “solutions”. Rarely are these the most important problems we face. While illegal immigration is a problem, it isn’t nearly as dire as some politicians would have you believe. The numbers just don’t show it. On the other hand THIS is a problem. It is a distinctly American problem and it has possible solutions. Yet you don’t hear much about the problem, let alone the solutions.
How Cool
Using Geothermal Energy to store carbon emissions…
Here We Go
Schools have been taking a beating for a while as parents become less parental with each passing year. This is an example of the enabling that is destroying kids.
Parents sue school in Massachusetts after son punished for using AI on paper
I guess building character is a thing of the past. Well obviously character doesn’t matter to about half the voters in this country who wish to elect a leader without any.
What the Hell is Wrong with Car Companies?
Ford files patent for a car with holographic cops and guard dogs
Okay this is insane. I recently heard of a guy who bought a Kia Stinger (about $30 to $35 thousand dollar car) and then got in a front end fender-bender. The repair bill was $27,000 due to all the sensors in the front end.
Personally, I do not want “automatic braking”, “lane assist”, or “automatic parking” or a tailgate that opens when I wave my foot. And for God’s sake, why would I need Wi-Fi?
I recently saw a video from, I think CBS, where Audi proposed the answer to today’s super-bright headlights was “adaptive headlights” where a mini-computer moves tiny little shades in the headlight to shield oncoming drivers. How the hell much is that going to cost?!?!
Really Ford? Holograms?
NASA finally dishes on Boeing
This is a sad testament to the ineffectiveness of our government. How is it that anyone on Boeing’s management team still has a job? If I was a shareholder I would want the bunch of them out. The CEO and Quality Control Head should both be facing prison time for bilking the American taxpayer. This is what happens when government and industry get too cozy.
NASA inspector general gives damning assessment of Boeing’s quality control
As a result, the two astronauts that flew the Boeing Starliner to the ISS may not get home until February! On a better built Space X Dragon no less!
Cost to develop Starliner – 4.2 billion dollars (not including cost overruns)
Cost to develop Dragon – 2.6 billion dollars
Starliner Return is Delayed Again
I would be dumping my Boeing stock if you haven’t already. This is not going to be resolved without government intervention. Small scrappy Space X has been kicking Boeing’s tail in the commercial space race. Boeing probably needs to be broken up. It’s just too big, and unfortunately run by financial types not engineers. As are too many American “manufacturing” companies.
Also, keep an eye on the Chinese, we are decommissioning our orbital space station without a replacement as they expand their program. (see next post)
I’m Getting Close to it…
Almost, anyway. I’m thinking of buying this very cool high resolution 3D printer…
ANYCUBIC Photon Mono M5s
UPDATE: I decided not to go there yet. I have too many other irons in the fire currently and I’m just not up to learning all the details yet.
New Material From NASA’s Glenn Center
This is awesome news. 3D printed metals have the capacity to change so much. Just another reason why NASA’s Glenn Research center is an awesome part of NE Ohio! Ignore the talking heads at the end. Why does every local news station think I want to listen to the anchor’s opinions on each story? Please just shut up and read the news.