If the energy source to make the fuel is renewable (hydro, solar, wind), then it is effectively carbon neutral, and that’s the best you can do. Someday I think we’ll get there, but I don’t know enough to guess how far off that is.
Great point.
Readit Newsuticus commented on Synthetic gasoline iere.org/what-is-syntheti... · Posted by u/alexandrehtrb
> When all processes for deriving synthetic gasoline require more input energy than available energy from the output, you're not describing processes that "potentially offering a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels."
Sorry, what? Even charging a battery "require more input energy than available energy from the output". Obviously it's not a source of energy, it's a way to store energy.
Good point. I agree, framing it as a way to store and move energy from another source (especially a more sustainable source) makes a lot more sense.
The focus for these kind of alternatives should be on aviation—with the most difficult fuel to replace. Maybe we'd need this for classic cars, emergency generators and a few other smaller things, but even classic cars can get electric refits. Cars, motorbikes, trucks etc should be electric; shipping needs to embrace sail-electric hybrids; and bio-fuels/synthetic fuel should be aimed at aviation (and maybe as a stop-gap for shipping). My 10¢.
> The focus for these kind of alternatives should be on aviation—with the most difficult fuel to replace.
Why is aviation fuel the most difficult to replace?
The unsubstantiated faith critique swings both ways: the amount of biofuel hate that came out of that one time agricultural land use adjustment is truly diabolical.
Like, "ok, you win, but if I drop this gigantic adjustment onto your math, then I win," and an honest conversation would then move to whether or not the adjustment was justified but that's not what happened, the conversation turned into yelling at anyone who didn't want to take the outcome-determinative adjustment on faith. Lol. Being a crusader doesn't make you wrong, but it does make the whole accusation of unsubstantiated faith / appeal to reason quite hypocritical.
No doubt, it's a double-edged sword.
And to be clear, I wouldn't have a problem if only the facts were put down: current methods, advantages (probably compared to other methods) and drawbacks. But to say this is "potentially offering a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels" is like saying: "I can use a 74GW data center and a prompt to get the answer to 2+2, it potentially offers a more sustainable alternative to calculators."
> It’s essentially a manufactured replica of gasoline, designed to power internal combustion engines while potentially offering a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
Key word: "potentially". Because it is less accurate than the word "currently" - as in, "currently, the cost of production is a significant barrier" - I would argue the word "potentially" at the outset frames the whole description of benefits as an unsubstantiated faith.
When all processes for deriving synthetic gasoline require more input energy than available energy from the output, you're not describing processes that "potentially offering a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels."
uticus commented on Implementing Forth in Go and C eli.thegreenplace.net/202... · Posted by u/Bogdanp
I like Forth, I am aware of its shortcomings though there is one I haven't seen mentioned: the good practice with forth is factorization, i.e. splitting words into small ones where stack juggling is rarely necessary. The enormous issue with this, not seen in other languages, is that all those words have to be named, and naming is well-known as one of the hardest things in computing.
What is a simple expression in C, for example, in Forth becomes half-a-dozen words which all have to be named, and it is an enormous productivity killer. Especially when doing maths, you would have to find a name for all the intermediate steps of an equation instead of simply doing:
float x = (-b + sqrt(4 * a * c)) / (2 * a * c);> ...you would have to find a name for all the intermediate steps of an equation instead of simply doing...
Trying to understand this. Do you mean the operators in your example (-, +, *, /) would need to be named?
If so, I agree one-off terms wouldn't make it a great calculator substitute. In fact, you'd probably end up doing equations similar to the RPN on some HP calcs [0] to get the order of operations correct - minus the handy physical +, /, etc buttons. But for programming, wouldn't you either assign the parts or the whole of the term to a word?
uticus commented on Ask HN: Why does the US Visa application website do a port-scan of my network? · Posted by u/mbix77
I saw nothing of note on OpenBSD. I added the plugin and it prompted me an attempt was made to scan the network, it said it blocked the scan
SO, I guess that is going to be used on all my firefox runs.
Pushing the burden of network permissions management outside the browser, to the OS? Heresy!
To be serious, this has introduced me to sandboxing on BSD via pledge [0] and comparisons against Linux seccomp [1] - thank you!
[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17289654
[1] https://kristaps.bsd.lv/devsecflops/ (submission by same poster at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44264021)
uticus commented on OpenMower – An open source lawn mower github.com/ClemensElflein... · Posted by u/rickcarlino
A compromise solution that cuts way down on complexity is remote controlled. Any suggestions for similar projects but RC instead of autonomous?
uticus commented on OpenMower – An open source lawn mower github.com/ClemensElflein... · Posted by u/rickcarlino
My solution has been even simpler --- I just use a reel mower (on an admittedly small lawn, ~1/3rd of an acre) --- it's a decent workout, esp. when I strive to finish quickly.
(the one time I asked my son to cut the grass he broke the reel mower)
Reel mowers are also nicer for allergy sufferers - no dust etc thrown up in the air, no gasoline exhaust. Not to mention fairly quiet.
Obvious downsides are can't cope with some species (too low to ground, etc) or with sticks etc if near a wooded area.
uticus commented on Court records reveal Sig Sauer knew of pistol risks for years smokinggun.org/court-reco... · Posted by u/eoskx
An important point to recognize is that gun manufacturers have almost no product liability exposure due to laws pushed by the NRA.
Of course the NRA pitched these laws to their members as protecting against gun violence victims suing the manufacturer, but they also slipped in that gun manufacturers have no legal responsibility to provide guns to buyers that do not fire unless the trigger is pulled.
> they also slipped in that gun manufacturers have no legal responsibility to provide guns to buyers that do not fire unless the trigger is pulled.
Where does this idea come from? If this is the case, the document being discussed in the OP would not even exist, because there would be no need to document situations causing unintentional discharge.