Greetings Economists, On Jan 11, 2008, at 3:48 PM, Gar Lipow wrote:
It is a very hopeful thing, but not something you can put an ETA on.
Doyle; They demonstrated it could be fabricated using chip techniques. That aside, what I see is not so much lab work might happen as that it could develop toward cheap energy source. And that the costs are really not that exorbitant for a national emergency effort. In other words we could start now to mandate a world wide transportation system that is entirely electric. The direct current electric grid could easily support on superconducting power grids magnetic levitation trains going at least as fast as airplanes. And so on in a 'practical way'. In other words the technology is there, and it certainly points to a more powerful future as research seems to indicate. Its not pie in the sky. On the other hand I've seen people prognosticate about the impact of cheap oil peaking for awhile. Not that I am getting in that argument, all I'm saying is that doesn't offer long lasting social movements when something goes wrong all the time with technology predictions. Rather the left ought to be in front on all issues that matter on the global scale. Making the process collaborative and social as well as advocating for better systems of energy and transportation. Doyle
