Tag Archives: technology

What We Could Have Had For The Price Of Iraq

Posted on by
Reply
What we could have had for the price of the Iraq War - Now estimated at a final cost of $3 Trillion (conservatively):
  • Forget drilling in Alaska, forget ethanol, forget hybrids. As long as we’re spending, let’s go straight to hydrogen. It is estimated to cost $500,000,000 to build the infrastructure.
  • Design, build, and upgrade all US highways, roads, and streets needed for the next 50 years. Price: $950,000,000,000.00
  • Completely eliminate world hunger along with the diseases associated with hunger and poverty for 365 days. Price: $195,000,000,000.00
  • teach every man, woman and child on the planet to read. Considering the fact that nations like Somalia and Sierra Leone have adult literacy rates of only about 35%, that is money well spent. Price: $5,000,000,000.00
  • Pay for 1 year of college for 20 million people Price: $400,000,000,000.00
  • Advanced technology can save trillions of dollars lost in the transmission of electrical power. Think megawatt transistor switches, superconductor conduits, not to mention the gains from replacing worn out infrastructure. And JOBS Price: $100,000,000.00
  • From ArsTechnica EDUCAUSE calls for the construction of a national fiber network that would reach every home and business, with the $100 billion cost split equally between the federal government, the states, and a private- or public-sector entity that would actually build and maintain the network. Because fiber networks can increase speeds simply by carrying more wavelengths at once, the report notes that such an investment in infrastructure might "provide adequate broadband connectivity for several decades." Price: $100,000,000,000.00
  • Provide an integrated national High Speed Rail system, using Alstom's proven technology (which currently holds the world record for the fastest train at over 550kph (340+mph). This system would connect all of America's major cities together with high-speed electric trains, powered at least partially by sustainable wind and solar energy facilities located in or near the Right Of Way. Price: $300,000,000,000.00
  • Everyone secretly knows that switching to solar is a really, really good idea, though businesses invested in dirty coal, cancerous nuclear or other unclean options are unlikely to say it out loud. But how do we pay for the $420 billion overhaul of the nation’s energy infrastructure? Well, we could have picked up the tab easily if we didn’t spend $3 Trillion on this war. Price: $420,000,000,000.00
And there are many more. 3trillionlogo1 What We Could Have Had For The Price Of Iraq

Popularity: 1% [?]

Energy Independence: How Denmark Kicked Its Foreign Oil Habit

Posted on by
Reply
• Strict energy-efficiency standards were placed on all buildings. • Gas and automobiles were heavily taxed (Today new cars are taxed at more than 105% of the cost of the car.) • "District heating systems" were implemented throughout the country, reusing normally wasted heat produced by power plants by piping it directly into homes. Today more than 60% of Danish homes are heated this way. • The government invested heavily in clean and renewable energy systems, especially wind power. Today 21% of Denmark’s energy production comes from wind farms. On top of that, they lead the world in wind-power technology - another product to export. The industry has created more than 20,000 jobs. • Rebate campaigns helped people buy more energy-efficient - and therefore more expensive - home appliances. Today more than 95% of new appliances bought in Denmark have an "A" efficiency rating. ("A" is the best; "G" is the worst.) • They started drilling for - and finding - more oil and natural gas within their own waters in the North Sea. (Showing that no plan is perfect, these efforts have long been opposed by environmentalists.) • In 2005 the government committed $1 billion to develop and integrate better solar, tidal, and fuel-cell technology.
While many of these efforts would work in the U.S. or most of the world, adapting even a few points or ideas would greatly help.  Let's see if the next U.S. President actually does have any ideas to lower our requirement for oil or if it's just empty promises. STORY

Popularity: 1% [?]

DL.TV

Posted on by
Reply
For anyone that likes technology, whether you're knowledgeable about it, just wanting to learn, or just like to know what's going on,  give DL.TV a try.  DL.TV is a GREAT FREE online show about computers, games, and all things tech.  They have very friendly and helpful hosts (one of them being Patrick Norton from the now buried "The Screensavers" from TechTV) and answer viewer questions e-mailed to them as well and reporting the latest tech news.  What's coming out, buying tips, helpful ideas, software, and tips.  You can watch them live if you catch their live show, or you can download and watch it whenever you have the time. I recommend everyone click here and give an episode a try.

Popularity: 1% [?]