Quote:
Originally posted by Timber Loftis:
Let us not forget that when these cars were first conceptualized Chicken Littles all compared them to miniature H-bombs running around town. 
Translation of the project:
"We needed to use grant money, and this is what we came up with."
|
Ah, but what's wrong with investigating the possible effects of bringing this technique into practise on a worldwide scale? If they are able to use this knowledge to point out potential problems in order to solve or consider them before entering mass-production, to make the entire process more effective and safer for the environment, then I'm not complaining; and if it's all one big load of drivel, no great loss either (except for grant money and some wasted time, of course [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img] ). You almost sound like you're afraid that the oil companies want to use an investigation like this one as an argument against the usage of hydrogen fuel, as if this is all one big conspiracy to discredit hydrogen as a good energy resource alternative.
I can understand your underlying skepticism, I'm not completely without some of it myself; but honestly, I think a little bit of skepticism in a stage when it's still not used en masse isn't really a bad thing at all. I think the investigators quoted in the article sound reasonable about their findings and especially the error-margins in their conclusions; they're also focusing on a possible problem caused by
leaks,
not the use of H2 as a fuel an sich. [img]smile.gif[/img] And at least they're not spouting far-fetched and catchy-sounding paranoia-slogans like "the radiation in micro-waves/mobile phones causes cancer!" or "those cars are all miniature H-bombs!".
Trust me, I'm pretty much on the (open-minded) environmentalists' side of things, but I myself don't believe by default in a "Holy Grail To Solve All Of Our Energy Problems Without Harming The Environment In Any Way And Shut Up Those Evil Oil Companies Once And For All, While Ignoring Any Possible Criticism Because It's All One Big Conspiracy Anyways, And Well Duh, It's The Holy Grail And Stuff! You Can't Criticise That! And Anyone Who Does Just Has To Have A Secret Agenda Or An Oil Company Financed Pay-Check".
[ 06-13-2003, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: Grojlach ]