Posted on Tuesday August 25th by The Infrastructurist | 205
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- States officially submitted applications yesterday for an $8 billion pot of loot for high speed rail. California wants $1b. Virginia is seeking a modest $75m. A state’s willingness to contribute its own money may prove a key factor in determining whether it gets federal funds. (WSJ)
- A snide opinion piece in the NY Times derides the notion of “peak oil” or the idea–as espoused in $20 Per Gallon–that we face very expensive gasoline in years ahead. The author refers to his opponents as “Chicken Littles,” just for good measure. (NYT)
- Without new transmission lines, there’s no point in building all those solar and wind farms. But in most places the NIMBY politics around new lines are brutal. So in California, a broad coalition of players has gotten together to plot suggested routes, hoping to avert prolonged fights in the future. Map above. (SF Chron)
- An “anti-green” engineer crunches the numbers and finds that the final goal for all our energy policies should be a near total transition to a solar-hydrogen economy. He finds that it “provides a vastly higher total power output potential than any other alternative.” (Physorg)
- In spite of–or perhaps because of–his chronic party-affiliation confusion, Arlen Spector voted for the stimulus bill. Now it got his state $9 million to overhaul the Elizabethtown Amtrak station, which is an “important” stop on the route between Philly and Harrisburg. (PennLive)
- Solar graffitti? That’s a phrase that has popped up in coverage of a new spray-on nanoparticle ink that can capture the sun’s energy. It could be sprayed on building rooftops and windows — or even, theoretically, on bridges or roadside structures. (Inhabitat)
- If you saw the Bourne Ultimatum, you’ve seen a wild car case in Moscow. But now some idiot with a video camera tries to recreate the madness, except without stunt coordinators. When you’re on the road, remember people like this exist. Video after the jump. (via Dark Roasted Blend)
August 25th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Sadly, this doesnt happen just in Russia… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtiz8X1uJAA
August 25th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
The problem with our oil use now and in the Future is that we import most of it. As we saw last year when oil went through the roof, Everything went up in price because virtually everything in some way, shape or form is connected to the price of oil. It’s a national security issue.
You don’t need the “GREEN” argument in any event to justify developing alternative energy resources. You just need half a brain. Yea the cost right now for alternatives are high because alternative energy is in the R & D stage for the most part. In the long term though we’ll be way better off not relying on other nations to provide us cheap oil. 71% of our oil lust is for Transportation, Everyday commutes, Transportation of goods via truck and train, public transport, the list goes on. Think PICKENS PLAN people. It makes sense.
In a sense what we’ve done is tied a noose around our necks and given them the other side of the rope.
August 25th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Re Pickens Plan — very interesting time in terms of how market is pricing natural gas. At multi-year lows now. The energy equivalent of a barrel of oil costs like $18 or something. If we’re going to get serious about using it as a transportation fuel source (and there’s a serious argument to made there) seems like that should start showing up in the futures.
I’m not much of an energy speculator but seems like an interesting opportunity. Not sure if most Americans appreciate the scale of domestic NG discoveries in recent years and the opportunities that affords us. Politicians have been dumb on the issue, in both senses.
August 25th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Wait, you would seriously call that stunt driving?
Please come to Boston and rent a car.
August 25th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Hey, I used to live in the building on the left that he passes at around 0:35. You can also see him speed by Konstantin Melnikov’s Intourist Bus Garage just after 4:35, also on the left, in green. He doesn’t get very far, considering how insanely he’s driving.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Reminds me of driving in Palermo….
August 25th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
For the first 5 minutes: it’s not terribly different from driving I’ve seen elsewhere in Europe… and no matter how much he tries to get around it: he still gets stuck in traffic. It’s when that other cars starts to run that he then starts to push it. …Kind of remind me of this one guy I hitched a ride with back to my friend’s apartment, which was actually not too far from there, too
August 26th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
if you want to play in traffic, try it on a bicycle on city streets, thats way more fun, but you didnt hear it from me
September 1st, 2009 at 4:06 am
It was “The Bourne Supremacy”, actually.