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Comment Re:No new nuclear just prolongs coal and oil use (Score 1) 28

That's due to politics. And renewables are increasing coming under the same harassing, delaying tactics, that we have seen with nuclear for so long. NIMBY, environmentalists, ... same old story as renewable move from experimental to scaling up.

You noticed that too? It seems that any solution that is proposed for fighting global warming must be some new technology that is expensive and experimental. Once this new technology becomes the norm then this same group that promoted it finds reasons to hate it, then seeks some other new expensive experimental energy to promote.

I've seen videos from what must have been in the 1970s or 1980s, with politicians out of California, talking big and proudly of their use of nuclear fission and natural gas to reduce air pollution. But that tune changed once nuclear power and natural gas got to be the norm, now they are hated.

That said, we should still be in an all-of-the-above mode that includes nuclear. The only sources off the table should be coal and oil. Displace the dirtiest first. If you don't include nuclear you are just prolonging coal and oil usage.

Subject matter experts agree, if there isn't nuclear fission in the energy mix then it leaves us not only with low air quality but also on a path to poverty.
https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbo...

Comment Re:The other "n-word" (Re:Guess we'd better get ho (Score 1) 44

As I thought mention of nuclear power will attract a down mod, even as evidence mounts that there's no solving our energy problems without nuclear fission in the mix of energy produced. A recent opinion piece out of the UK by a subject matter expert shows this: https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fbo...

The longer nations delay in building new nuclear power plants the further behind they will get in competing economically (and likely militarily) with other nations on Earth.

Comment Re:How LARGE is England? (Score 1) 15

The entire country would fit in what? 2 states in America? Love all these "this country has better/faster internet than the USA" stories. Yeah, and most of those countries fit within 1-2 states in America. In other words, we are SPREAD OUT.

I was going to post much the same if nobody else did.

Complaints of the slow spread of infrastructure in the USA are usually in matters concerning cellular service or EV chargers but internet access will certainly rank high on the list too. As I see it there's two things that slow the spread of infrastructure in the USA besides how spread out the population centers are in the USA.

One thing slowing down infrastructure expansion is government interference. We have governments that love to hand out subsidies and legalized monopolies, both interfere with the profitability of any private investment. The claim is that such government investment is to encourage infrastructure but with some subsidized government project locking out profits there's no money in improving over what is already there. It's pretty rare for anyone in the USA to not have some means for high speed internet, and so long as it is "good enough" the potential consumer base will stick with the low cost subsidized service than beg for more.

The second point is related to the first, Americans often already have options so unless the alternative is somehow a great leap in improvements there's not likely to be growth even if the government stays out of the way. I had really bad options for internet where I live for a long time. I believe there was something about burying wires getting in the way of new phone or cable lines. That changed real fast after a big wind storm blew through and tore up a bunch of overhead utility lines, and flooded out some of the stuff that was buried. After that I had options. The city wanted more buried power lines, and in doing that there was an opportunity to run new wires and fiber for internet, phone, etc. at lowered costs where cable and wireless services were the only options before. Because I had something for internet any competitor to the existing cable TV and internet provider would not know if there was a profitable market. When their equipment was damaged like so much else then there was a huge opening for my little neighborhood to get something better as it reset everyone back to zero. It was a race to who got to us first and/or with the best deals. For a while the best deal was cellular internet, but when fiber became an option I got that instead.

The UK is about the size of Michigan, and a population of about the same as Texas, Florida, and New York combined. That changes the math on any infrastructure projects.

Comment The other "n-word" (Re:Guess we'd better get hot) (Score 0) 44

... and figure out technological remedies. Like scrubbing and sequestering CO2, and going nuclear.

Don't use the "n-word" on Slashdot, that will only get you a down mod. Not that n-word, the other one.

I doubt CO2 sequestration is something that would be practical as that is a process that consumes energy. To even have a chance of that working to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere it needs something potent and low in CO2 emissions to power the process, and then produce some profitable products to be economically viable. If CO2 is taken from the air to produce hydrocarbon fuels then that could be profitable, but it would be net-zero than be a net reduction. It's still worth the effort, and I expect in time it could be an option. Maybe CO2 taken from the air could make plastics, asphalt, or some other carbon rich commodity people would buy.

Those that believe planting trees will be an effective carbon sequestration solution need to show their math. As I recall some very smart people did the math and it's not likely something practical we could do. Perhaps I recall incorrectly.

Comment Bugs (Re:Waiting for the next two months) (Score 2) 44

I have doubts that bugs hitting windshields is a reliable metric for insect populations.

It seems to me that there's been considerable improvements in aerodynamics on vehicles that create an invisible "force field" of airflow across the glass that keeps the bugs from hitting the windshield. This was known decades ago with add-on bug screens that could be bolted to the front of the hood to divert air and decrease bugs hitting the windshield. Some were better than others, but even the worse of them would help keep the bug splatter higher on the glass and so less likely to impede the view of the road for the driver.

Comment Heat pumps (Re:Air Conditioner Sales) (Score 1) 44

I wonder how they're doing in the EU these days.

Heat pumps are air conditioners and there's been incentives inside Europe to get more heat pumps, be that government subsidies, high natural gas prices, or heat waves. I found a couple articles with a quick search of the web.
From April 2025: https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yahoo.com%2Fnews%2Fhea...
From September 2024: https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.io?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yahoo.com%2Fnews%2Fhea...

It appears to me the primary driver to heat pump sales is natural gas prices. If things get worse with shipping LNG to Europe then natural gas prices will increase. With that will come increased demand for electricity, and Europe is already in a bad place on electricity production. A quick search of the web tells me their hydroelectric power production took a hit from a dry spell.

If global warming is making the weather more volatile then is it wise to invest in energy production that varies so much from weather? Should they not find energy sources that are low in CO2 and as independent as possible from weather? I know such energy sources exist, but they do not appear popular right now in Europe. They will learn or they will face consequences.

Comment Altman (Score 1) 50

Altman seems about a Skeevy as the come. I honestly would run a browser from Zuck/Meta before I would OpenAI.

At least browser based on the open source Chromium code base can be 'un-googled' and have a fair number of eyes looking to make sure Google has filled it with even more spyware we don't know about. Mind you that is only if you eschew the closed widevine stuff.

We need browser that isn't the product of an organization that isnt primarily the surveillance business. OpenAI is the wrong answer here. Mozilla does give any indication of getting their act together sadly.

Comment Re:This is great but misplaced (Score 1) 117

Literally, the other drivers leaving reviews at the site disagree with you. When was the last time you were there? Here's all the reviews:

Feb 28, 2025
MKF
Tesla Model Y
NACS (Tesla) 16 Kilowatts

Dec 8, 2024
ProphetM
Tesla Model 3
NACS (Tesla)
Another great charge under the windmill at this wonderful museum!

Oct 1, 2023
SJacks
Fiat 500e 2013
We have a standard J-1772, and there was none of this plug type supplied at the ~4 charge stations (2 plugs each). Most if the plug-types were the CCS-Type 1. This station info should be updated.

Sep 9, 2023
tesla3joe
Tesla Model 3
Tesla
After hours use the service entrance. Charger is under the big windmill.

Jun 9, 2023
TessieK
Tesla Model S
This place is open and working! I called first to make sure the gate was open. Andy answered and was so sweet. He greeted us at the gate and took us to the charger.

Nov 24, 2022
rsager
Tesla Model 3
Arrived when museum was closed and the gate was locked so there was no access to the chargers. their phone message said their hours were Friday through Sunday? But that we could arrange visits to the museum on other days.

Aug 27, 2022
AmericanVanilla
Tesla Model Y
Tesla 6 Kilowatts
Maximum 24A Charger

Aug 27, 2022
blackmamba
Tesla 6 Kilowatts
We were in a pretty tricky situation in this area on the way to Vegas. Charging facilities are fairly limited in this area but this location helped close the gap to get to the closest super charger in needles. It seems that the charger can be accessed at any time of the day. The location is scenic with art installations by the host museum. Watch out for wild life. Leave a donation this service is seriously needed (and appreciated) in this area.

Mar 1, 2022
Sperry
Tesla Model 3
Great stop
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Dec 30, 2021
EVJerry
Tesla Model X
What a neat Historic Route 66 spot where my Spirit of Tesla - 2017 Tesla Model X used the service entrance to get to the windmill for a Level 2 Tesla destination charger (5 kW atv240 volts)...along with 120- volt Level 1 outlet. I will be back to visit this exquisite "Study The Past" historical site.

Dec 13, 2021
Nyroc
Chevrolet Bolt EV 2017
Tesla
Nice place to go back in history. Very enjoyable
The Tesla Destination is now housed in a shelter. I didn’t test it with my adapter but looks in great condition.

Nov 21, 2020
bee_harris
Tesla Model 3
Tesla

Apr 28, 2019
ProphetM
Tesla Model 3
Tesla 239 Volts 24 Amps 5 Kilowatts
Inaugural charge from their new Tesla Destination Charger! Output is 24 amps max (30 amp breaker).

Mar 12, 2019
ProphetM
Tesla Model 3
Wall 118 Volts 12 Amps 1 Kilowatts
Great historical museum on Route 66! Just 120v right now but 240v planned soon.

Comment Re: Yay (Score 1) 117

My car has a built in charger map; you don't need an app. And for at least their own network, Tesla payment on Superchargers is the simplest thing imaginable: just plug in whenever you want and disconnect whenever you want, without doing literally anything else. All chargers should work this way for all EVs (with credit cards / apps only as a backup).

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