This video shows a promising way to pave our highways:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

http://www.wimp.com/solarhighways/

[guyton]

1. cool, but dup

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x293370

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Oops.

Maybe it'll be seen more here in GD...

I know I rarely go in there.

:shrug:

:hi:

[Forkboy]

3. Totally cool.

The guy will probably be shot by OPEC by Labor Day....

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Oh, I HOPE not!

Most def totally cool!

[Confusious]

5. Why?

He's no closer now then he was 5 years ago when I first read about it.

If they're going to do that, then they should have shot a lot of people working on things like this that won't pan out for 20-50 years or longer.

Maybe these folks? They'll move people to another star so the corporations can't make money off them:

http://www.universetoday.com/45571/black-hole-drive-could-power-future-starships/

Maybe this guy?:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Your links look like fantasties to me.

Maybe I didn't read them carefully enough...

But the folks working on the highway idea have some solid science behind them. This is doable, and they are doing it.

They need exposure and that's why I posted this. People need to see what is going on.

[Confusious]

11. Like I said

He's no closer now then he was 5 years ago when I first read about it.

His "solid science" is running into reality, and that reality is a material that is transparent and able to handle the weight and wear of innumerable cars.

There you see the relationship between the "fantasies." or not. probably not.

[Snoutport]

21. Well, I'd say it is promising regardless of if it has been perfected yet.

Five years to create a new energy source and work out the bugs sounds like a very reasonable amount of time. And if this guy continues to commit himself to rework and redevelop his idea it very well could be groundbreaking. Even if his main idea ends up going nowhere he still might be creating a part of the bigger picture that could lead to a major invention.

The fact that this man is willing to sacrifice his time in a commitment to better the human race is pretty damned commendable. At least he is trying to make the world a better place instead of just slapping people down because he thinks their idea is stupid.

Solar power is the future... either we invent the technology or another country does. I, personally, say every single inventor or scientist who is willing to commit themselves to finding those technologies should be commended...as should people who spread the word. It just gets more people thinking of the possibilities.

I know a great Republican site that would love to discuss your views on solar power and the belittling of the people who support it . They are also really supportive of Koch Brother created asphalt roads so you can share your opinion on them as well.

[Confusious]

34. You didn't read what I posted very well

I read about it 5 years ago

He's no closer now then he was then.

Finding a material that is transparent and can handle the weight of innumerable cars is the problem. There is NO SUCH MATERIAL RIGHT NOW.

"I know a great Republican site that would love to discuss your views on solar power and the belittling of the people who support it "

And this shit ^. Since when is someone talking about facts make them a republican? Saying anything bad about any idea for renewable energy, no matter how unreasonable the idea, makes one a Republican?

Sounds like you'd be more comfortable somewhere burning books, since you seem to have an aversion to facts.

[Forkboy]

7. Because it's a cool idea.

This has been another edition of Simple Answers To Simple Questions. Tune in again next week when I explain why water is wet.

[Confusious]

12. lots of cool shit

The links I gave you are cool. Doesn't mean they'll go anywhere.

[Forkboy]

13. The links you gave were far more laughable than the one in the OP.

You may be right, maybe it'll never go anywhere, like lots of great ides. Or maybe it will if enough people look into it, which is all this OP is doing, giving the story some exposure. Why you got a burr under your saddle over this escapes me, but if someone pissed in your Wheaties that can't be my problem.

Have a good one.

[Confusious]

14. Maybe it's because some people

Seem to believe that science is going to pop something out of thin air to save us all. Never happens.

The "Single hero who takes on a whole army and wins and saves us all" meme, which movies are ripe with, bugs me to no end.

This is just a variation on a theme. And then those same people base a view of the world around it. Which is wholly unrealistic

e.g. Post down below.

Will this solve problems? Will this solve the oil wars? will this make energy cheap and plentiful?

not for 20-50 years. What do we do in the meantime? wait?

As for the material he needs to make it happen, a material that is transparent, has traction, and can withstand the wear of innumerable cars? Make that shit the window for my starship please.

[Forkboy]

15. Glad you weren't Columbus' first mate. The ship would never have set sail.

[Confusious]

17. Yeesh. What is it with the bad analogies around here

Columbus had the supplies, manpower and material to make it. He wasn't taking a rowboat across the Atlantic and he didn't delude himself into thinking he could make it with the rowboat.

[Snoutport]

22. EXACTLY...it does not pop out of the air...people spend years creating and perfecting

as the guy in to OP is doing.

[Confusious]

27. He's spending years creating

He hasn't actually made a workable prototype yet, so he can't really get to the perfecting part yet, if he ever does.

[Snoutport]

28. good for him! it's his life. In Cuba they assign people their jobs but here it is a free choice!

[Confusious]

30. Don't get me wrong, I don't discourage that sort of thing

But I also don't think people should get all excited that this will solve all of our problems, like some do.

My point is: this will take a long long time to come to anything, if it ever does. We shouldn't base anything on it.

[demwing]

31. NOTHING goes anywhere - unless you have people working on it

Seems like you'd be fine with him just saying "fuck it."

Why?

[Confusious]

33. You took what I was saying the wrong way

The guy can work on it all he wants.

Some seem to believe that science is going to pop something out of thin air to save us all. Never happens.

The "Single hero who takes on a whole army and wins and saves us all" meme, which movies are ripe with, bugs me to no end.

This is just a variation on a theme. And then those same people base a view of the world around it. Which is wholly unrealistic

[pacalo]

8. This is AWESOME, California Peggy!

:thumbsup:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. I thank you, my dear pacalo! I thought so too...

[Snoutport]

23. It is great! Thanks for sharing!!!

[JFN1]

10. Truly excellent. This idea would solve so many problems.

No more oil wars, we can begin to clean up the sloppy mess we've made, the cost of everything would be affected because power would be chesp snd plentiful. Love it! Great find, Peggy!!

[dionysus]

16. wow that's cool.

[handmade34]

18. rec

[xchrom]

19. Kick

[Shandris]

20. Based strictly off the informational vid (interesting find, OP!), I would...

...note that having 'wireless' control over LED's is just begging for a Hack The Roadway project. There's a lot of damage that could be done, so I would be very interested in how they plan on keeping the signal free of tampering and/or controlling accountability for those with access.

I don't think I've ever been more frightened than the day I was sitting in my grandmothers car while she ran into the bank, and someone hit the unlocker on their car's keychain remote control...and both my grandmother's AND their car unlocked. Before that, I'd never considered the possibility that there are duplicates for all of these wireless locks we use daily ~somewhere~.

[demwing]

32. How about 256 bit encryption?

cant hack that, and if you could, why waste your time hacking street signs? Go hack Visa and Master Card.

[Drew Richards]

24. I LOVE THIS 2 million miles of solar power ;)

What a great ideal and concept...just think of all the roadway surface area in the US we could convert...

According to the Federal Highway Administration 2008 statistics, there are 2,734,102 miles of paved public roads in the United Sates, with an additional 1,324,245 miles of unpaved public roads. This information can be found in Table HM-12 of "Highway Statistics 2008."

Bye bye nuclear power...

Well I can dream can't I :)

[Liberal In Texas]

25. Very interesting. Lots of problems to overcome like

somehow you have to make the glass or whatever material they end up with not slippery and tough enough to last at least a decade with 18 wheelers driving over it.

But what an idea to generate power with the jillions of miles of roadway we have.

[Liberal_in_LA]

26. Wonderful idea and the video started playing immediately. thanks Peg

[Snoutport]

29. sorry I took over your thread....

but don't mess with Peggy.
:hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. Not to worry, my dear Snoutport!

I just had knee surgery today, and have been totally out of it till now...

I am very appreciative of your efforts on my behalf, believe me!

Thank you so much, sweetie...

:hug:

[Snoutport]

36. I am sending good energy to your knee!!!!

Get better soon!
:grouphug: