Could we maybe just put these in the middle of deserts or something?
I'm not opposed in principle. But next to the most densely populated places? Not clever.
We're already facing a global sand shortage
We are?
I hear there's some in Africa.
Desert sand is wind-blown and has the edges/ridges worn away (think of the desert as a giant rock polisher). This doesn't allow the sand to "stick" together with cementitious ingredients. And that's where it's key: sand is the heart of concrete and asphalt and it needs those jagged edges to stick/lock to each other.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2...ble%20concrete.
That's clay.I think of sand that gloms together as dirt.
Manufactured sand (mined and crushed)Blue collar sand.
That's silt (mixed with organics)Sand gestated with alcohol in the blood surrogate.
River sand.State school sand.
: - )I could go on...
Desert sand is wind-blown and has the edges/ridges worn away (think of the desert as a giant rock polisher). This doesn't allow the sand to "stick" together with cementitious ingredients. And that's where it's key: sand is the heart of concrete and asphalt and it needs those jagged edges to stick/lock to each other. So unless a new material is invented to replace concrete and asphalt...
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2...ble%20concrete.
*edit* Even Dubai had to import sand for their construction boom.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20160502-even-desert-city-dubai-imports-its-sand-this-is-why
I had no idea about the sand shortage. That being said, if desert sand is useless, how would putting nuclear reactors in the desert impact the sand shortage?
It could still be used for other uses, which could take the strain off construction sand. For example, sandbags for flooding in North Dakota. ; - )
Desert Sand also has a low silica content, which, despite me just joking around, isn't good for making glass. Building a nuclear plant in the desert might make sense, except for that whole "they need a lot of water nearby for cooling."
Basically: the deserts are useless.
Thanks for the explanation. Although, wouldn't desert sand still be a poor choice for sandbags? Based on your prior post, I would think you would want a sharper sand, no?
Watched it yesterday and I'll give a few thoughts:Why Anchorage doesn't suck and will make $TEXAS in the future...
JJ may even cameo in this, ha ha...
I never thought about that, but that's surprising.5. If the US wants to have some control over the Arctic Ocean they're gonna need to build a suitable Naval Base near it. Alaska has almost zero Navy prescence.
5. If the US wants to have some control over the Arctic Ocean they're gonna need to build a suitable Naval Base near it. Alaska has almost zero Navy prescence.
Currently, there are deep draft ports serving Anchorage, Seward, Valdez, Kodiak, Unalaska, and Homer, but none along Alaska’s Arctic coastline.
Talked to my accountant, covering part of a traditional IRA into a Roth this week to sneak into this tax year. Apparently the BBB bill might take that away if passed as is next year which I doubt, but could happen. I’m all for hitting the rich, but as someone who just makes over the limit to contribute to a Roth, I’d like this to stay open since I don’t have a lot of tax advantages accounts available. And I’m certainly not someone with a huge portfolio.
a.k.a. a backdoor Roth?
(IINM they are about to kill them.)