Now I'm worried

[PLAYER57832]

I disagree. Technology appear to have its limits because we haven't discovered new technology. Resources might be plenty for the new technologies, that should be more eco-friendly. Algae in the future will work for us. Nanotechnology is promising, etc.

Technology is certainly promising, but it is not gauranteed. There is an old saying "a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush". We need to be sure the technology is there BEFORE we destroy life around us, allow essentially unrestrained pollution.

i.e. Imagine that scientist find a way to capture enough solar energy in a 10"x10" panel to power a house.

They have... it just depends on how you wish to live.

Seriously, while a lot of technology is promising, a lot also winds up being dead-ended. To pick a fun example -- jet packs and hover cars. (but there are a lot of far more serious ones as well).

every year, the technology increases the space it can cover, as far is this specific scenario is concerned. so long as we keep working it at, eventually the panel/living space ratio will hit parity

Science is facinating.

I just don't get it with solar panels. My grandpa made his own solar panels in the 70's.

For heat, etc (very easy) or photovoltaic? (complicated)
Most people know enough to set up a simple windmill system for power, water, etc. However my understanding of solar is that it requires some resources and tecniques most people just don't have. Also, many of the components can be quite toxic in their raw forms.

BUT.. if your grandpa had a simpler system.. give up! We'd all be interested, I am sure!

Something is clearly standing in the way of advancements, and you can bet your bottom dollar it is gov't backed.

Try again... corporations sitting on patents/ blocking use of the technology in the US. A lot of this research and production is being done outside the US. Even so, we are not the only country "beholden" to the corporate world. Ironically, China with its totalitarian style authority is moving very quickly.

[Phatscotty]

patents? oh, from like, the government?

[Phatscotty]

um, yeah, this was in the 70's....to assume he lived in the same house for 40+ years is a stretch, as he is 90 years old now....

Wait a second, he's on social security isn't he? He's the one you were talking about ruining everything for you!

dude, wtf???

[BigBallinStalin]

I've heard and read about the crisis in the US, I've seen people alarmed, heard radio shows that appeared to be exaggerated, but until my last trip tot he US, I hadn't seen this: the US is not other thing than a huge mall for Chinese products!

I mean, I know I only go there to buy stuff therefore that's all I pay attention to.. but... seriously.. everything is Chinese!!!! EVERYTHING!! And everybody buys Chinese stuff. I don't know much about economy but I think I can take a straight forward corollary from this: either the US bombard Shanghai and Beijing tomorrow or they are fucked. Soon enough they will start copying missiles and selling them at $99.99. Antrhax at $2 dls a pound.

I don't know how can the US beat the Chinese in the matter. Unless of course that the inventive spirit of the Americans is protected by guns.

Capitalism follows its course, and capitalism is not synonym of "American-only".

Yeah, f*ck China, the American people want to pay double or triple the amount for about 67% of their consumer goods.

[stahrgazer]

we are a consumer nation, for better or WORSE.
Thought maybe this thread wouldbe about real estate crisis, I am still free to make that one!

Worse, and only in the past few decades, when our gov't allowed big businesses to sell us out. Before that, we were a manufacturing nation. That's why the USA drove the technological revolution.

You'd think we would've learned from what happened in Japan. When Japan made no products, it went bust; once it began manufacturing things again, it did well again.

[stahrgazer]

I just don't get it with solar panels. My grandpa made his own solar panels in the 70's. Something is clearly standing in the way of advancements, and you can bet your bottom dollar it is gov't backed.

The petroleum industry. When I was 17, I had the good fortune to be invited to a private senate caucus between the B'nai Brith Energy Commission, a Maryland Senator, and high-up representatives from Exxon corporation. I was to represent 'the youth view."

Exxon had patents on electric cars and some solar panels and wondered if there was a market for these things. Bottom line: they chose not to do anything with the patents they had for another 30 to 40 years because otherwise they'd market their oil out of business. It's only now (past decade or so) that "oil" is becoming unpopular or "too costly" for people to want to put up with, that they've released those ORIGINAL patents.

Yup, from the descriptions they gave about what their electric cars were capable of back in the late 70's, and the capabilities of electric and hybrid cars today, those companies never even bothered to try to improve those original designs.

[PLAYER57832]

Not the mention quite a few people got wealthy designing engines to run on all sorts of fuel (chicken manure was one memorable example). The patents were instantly bought up by oil/car companies who promptly buried them.

[2dimes]

um, yeah, this was in the 70's....to assume he lived in the same house for 40+ years is a stretch, as he is 90 years old now....

Wait a second, he's on social security isn't he? He's the one you were talking about ruining everything for you!

dude, wtf???

I must have that wrong.

Of course, it helped that senior citizens were not dependent on him to work 60 hours a week to pay his fair share to social security. He was free to use his time to build solar panels.

sorry I thought it was you. My bad. I think we should respect him and look after him since he's unable to work now personally. That quote is nazi talk. "You're not able to work? I'm afraid you'll need to be sent in for soilent green production."