The thing I hate about the “I can’t afford it” line is that its often untrue.
Which will require a bit of an explanation. Getting finances in order during early adult life is (at least to me) mostly about getting a handle on impulse spending. Keeping a budget and planning is important, mostly because it keeps on from…

I did indeed mean gallons instead of pounds, good catch. I’m afraid the rest is science fiction.

Whatever sensor it was, it certainly hates sunrise.

Really? You can lift 180lbs load to orbit with 250lbs of fuel? That would be really impressive. Almost as impressive as the ability to refuel mid lift that this operation would require. Not to mention that fancy 3d printer that can print functional products without using any sort of mass.

Lets wait until someone manages to build a space elevator or train before we go off counting the savings. In the meantime powered flight is the only game in town, and it’s energy requirements are considerably higher.

While on the same trail, I saw a carpet cleaning van. It was a full size van, with ample ground clearance, and for all I know, could have been 4 wheel drive. Also, there are a few houses along this trail. Some people actually live there.

At some point, we’re going to have to pick between space travel being common and combating climate change.

Yep. Much different terrain than slickrock, but similar surprise.

I used to think this was a case of keyboard ninjas, but I was wrong. A while back we bought an FJ and took it down the alpine loop. My wife has been there before, I have not. It starts out as a simple gravel road. Then it turns into a bumpy gravel road. Then it turns into a very narrow bumpy gravel road with a big…

‘08 bmw 335i, had auto windshield wipers. You could turn them off, or turn them on to an auto setting, where a camera looking thru the windshield would activate them when it felt the windshield was wet enough. There was also a manual mode, but it was rather inconvient to access.

If tesla manages to make a good model 3 it will be a greater accomplishment than anything they have done so far. But we’ll have to wait and see what it turns out to be.

Toyota has the ability to absorb heavy losses in a way that tesla does not.

But they are trapped by the realities of the market. Developing new technologies is expensive, and early production runs are expensive. So they have to have a high pricepoint. For the pricepoint, they have to add gadgety nonsense to be competitive.

plane physics with magic wings. There is a little tiny bit of force charged vader toe nail clipping in each one of those high pressure radioactive fuel tanks.

You basically described the tragedy of all space opera. If you try to follow physics, the audience wont get whats going on.

Well I do cycle, and that does make me one of those morons in the eyes of many jalops.

Ok, good luck with your war on motor oil. Don’t forget to fight against it’s evil slick brother, dish soap.

Well, it doesn’t have to be automotive oil. It could be some kind of natural, friendly vegetable oil. And it’s not like oil that is going to get dumped out twice a year. Most cars aren’t wrecked.

Meh. Cars spill plenty of fluids in accidents.

There really isn’t. At least, not ruggedized enough. Nothing is ever ruggedized enough!