Megayachts
Quote: CFR 14.252, certain parts omitted
§ 252.1 This part implements a ban on smoking of tobacco on flight segments between most U.S. points as required by section 335 of Public Law 101-164. It also continues smoking restrictions on other flights. Nothing in this regulation shall be deemed to require U.S. or foreign air carriers to permit the smoking of tobacco aboard aircraft.
§ 252.3 Applicability. Section 252.5 applies to scheduled-service flight segments operated by U.S. and foreign direct air carriers between the U.S. points specified in that section. The remainder of this part applies to all operations of U.S. direct air carriers, except on-demand services of air taxi operators.
§ 252.5 Smoking ban on U.S. segments. U.S. and foreign direct air carriers shall prohibit smoking in the passenger cabin and lavatories on any nonstop flight segment that is listed in the current Official Airline Guide, or is part of a longer flight that is listed in that publication, and that is:
(a) Between any two points within an area composed of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, and the 48 contiguous states of the United States;
(b) Between any two points within the State of Alaska or within the State of Hawaii; or
(c) Scheduled in the current Official Airline Guide to be six hours or less in duration and that is:
(1) Between any point in paragraph (a) of this section and any point in Alaska or Hawaii; or
(2) Between any point in Alaska and any point in Hawaii.
§ 252.7 No-smoking sections.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, U.S. air carriers operating nonstop flight segments to which §§ 252.5 and 252.13 do not apply shall provide, at a minimum:
(1) A no-smoking section for each class of service;
(2) A sufficient number of seats in each no-smoking section to accommodate all persons in that class of service who wish to be seated there;
(3) Expansion of no-smoking sections to meet passenger demand; and
(4) Special provisions to ensure that if a no-smoking section is placed between smoking sections, the nonsmoking passengers are not unreasonably burdened.
(b) On flights for which passengers may make confirmed reservations and on which seats are assigned before boarding, a U.S. air carrier need not provide a seat in a no-smoking section to a passenger who has not met the carrier's requirements as to time and method of obtaining a seat on the flight, or who does not have a confirmed reservation. If a seat is available in the established no-smoking section, however, a U.S. air carrier shall seat there any enplaning passenger who so requests, regardless of boarding time or reservation status.
§ 252.11 Aircraft on the ground. U.S. air carriers shall prohibit smoking whenever the aircraft is on the ground.
§ 252.13 Small aircraft. U.S. air carriers shall prohibit smoking on aircraft designed to have a passenger capacity of less than 30 seats. Note. This section, like the rest of this part, does not apply to on-demand services of air taxi operators; see § 252.3 in this part.
§ 252.15. Cigars and pipes. U.S. air carriers shall prohibit the smoking of cigars and pipes aboard aircraft.
Quote: NareedI plan to live forever. I urge you to do similar arrangements ;)
If it came down to living forever, but your last (infinity-60) years bound to an artificial lung machine and going through chemo twice a week, versus living not quite forever, are you sure you would pick the former?
Quote: NareedAll that only means more energy and more maintenance. That's not good now when energy is getting expensive, but expensive energy is abd for everything. The race is on for cheap energy.
The race is on for just plain energy. Oil isn't going to last forever and the dwindling supply is only getting more expensive as the demand grows. It's not for cheap energy just yet - every currently proposed alternative is going to cost more, not less, than fossil fuels do now. Thermo-solar doesn't seem to be taking off quite as well as it should, and nuclear is held back by public fears.
Maintenance is not going to get any cheaper either. As everyone moves into the growing service sector, it becomes more and more expensive to hire people willing to get their gloves dirty. Who will often also demand unreasonable benefits for not even doing anything (US auto unions). Immigrant workers aren't going to work for food forever either.
Quote: Nareed2) Which airlines still allow smoking? I know US law allows it on international fligths of 6 hours or more, but none of the known airlines allows smoking aboard anymore. Few enough airports still do. It is allowed on private planes, but that's really expensive!
Well, the world doesn't quite end with North America.
In 2003-2008 there were at least a few: link
I don't know about today, as I don't care much either way.
I like the Megayacht Leander. Current rental price is $490,000 per week. Prince Charles rented this yacht at taxpayer expense a few years ago, on an official visit to Trinidad and Tobago and some other countries. His office put out a press release that he was renting it to reduce his carbon footprint ( over chartered jets). I should think he would be better off going with a press release that said, "I'm your prince, you don't want me to show up in a skanky boat".
I don't think the president ever goes on a private yacht, I'm not sure about the VP or the Secretary of State.
The Eclipse is $4,382,400 per week for starters. For those who don't mind paying the top dollar. But it sleeps 30.
Quote: P90If it came down to living forever, but your last (infinity-60) years bound to an artificial lung machine and going through chemo twice a week, versus living not quite forever, are you sure you would pick the former?
Sure. In an eternity I'm certain to figure out a way to improve my living conditions.
Quote:The race is on for just plain energy. Oil isn't going to last forever and the dwindling supply is only getting more expensive as the demand grows.
Oh, there's plenty of oil yet. I wouldn't worry about it running out over a normal human lifespan. I'd worry about restrictions on getting to it, but not too much. It will remain expensive for a while yet, true. But it will be there.
Quote:Thermo-solar doesn't seem to be taking off quite as well as it should, and nuclear is held back by public fears.
Solar will work when 1) you can produce soalr panels cheaply enough and 2) you can abolish clouds.
Nuclear will make a combeack, despite any fears, when people realize there are no other good choices. Or when practical fusion comes along.
Quote:Well, the world doesn't quite end with North America.
No, but I haven't been outside North America since 1985. Someday I'd like to do a long trip to Europe, say a month or so, and visit several countries.
Quote: NareedSure. In an eternity I'm certain to figure out a way to improve my living conditions.
Not actually you (unless you're a medical researcher). Someone else. And then they'll be deciding whether to use that way to improve your living conditions.
Your part in it will be limited to trying to make the winning bid for their services. If you're the only one living forever, your value as a curiosity and as a research subject will ensure continued financial support. If everyone goes on to live forever, it's going to be Torchwood Season 4, except darker and without the cheesy finale.
Quote: NareedOh, there's plenty of oil yet. I wouldn't worry about it running out over a normal human lifespan. I'd worry about restrictions on getting to it, but not too much. It will remain expensive for a while yet, true. But it will be there.
Of course it will be there. But there's a billion cars in the world right now. Very soon, as China drops their bicycles and India their scooters, there's going to be two billion cars, and soon after three. Some of them will be gas-sippers, especially at first, but most won't. The developed countries are doing their part by building more and more SUVs, which are also becoming bigger, heavier, thirstier, exempt from fuel economy regulations. Rising fuel prices can even lead to more consuming cars being perceived as status symbols, further contributing to demand.
If the supply can't keep up with the demand, someone has to be left out. And that means pricing someone out.
Quote: NareedSolar will work when 1) you can produce soalr panels cheaply enough and 2) you can abolish clouds.
Solar panels are not likely to win in an observable timeframe, it was never a good idea except for specialist applications such as spacecraft. If solar power does take off, it's almost certainly going to be thermo-solar, i.e. concentrating solar heat on a water heating device and running steam through the usual turbine and generator set. Wafer solar cells are not getting cheaper, just that kind of technology, thin films can't extract enough energy from the light.
Quote: P90Not actually you (unless you're a medical researcher).
I don't even play one on TV. But do you realize how long an eternity is? In that time I can learn anything I want.
Quote:If solar power does take off, it's almost certainly going to be thermo-solar, i.e. concentrating solar heat on a water heating device and running steam through the usual turbine and generator set.
Even so, you need a lot of real estate. ok, some of these platns can be built in the desert, some have been, but deserts are notoriously short on water. And even deserts get clouds sometimes. Still not a good idea. It may work as a complement to other systems, but not more than that.
On the other hand, coal is cheap and plentiful; especially in North America.
Quote: NareedI don't even play one on TV. But do you realize how long an eternity is? In that time I can learn anything I want.
Can you? I mean, you can now - but what about being hooked up to a lung machine and chemo drip, with gradually degrading mental faculties, and without any research lab having any interest in having you participate in their research, except as a test subject?
Quote: NareedEven so, you need a lot of real estate. ok, some of these platns can be built in the desert, some have been, but deserts are notoriously short on water. And even deserts get clouds sometimes. Still not a good idea. It may work as a complement to other systems, but not more than that.
You need distilled water anyway, anything else will destroy the turbine. That water circulates in a closed loop. You do need second stage cooling though. But it's a known problem with known solutions.
Coal power is only a little cheaper than nuclear, and then there are environmental concerns. It's also no good for thermolysis, so producing hydrogen would have to be done via inefficient electrolysis cycle. At that point people will say "screw hydrogen, let's go syngas". You only get 25% of its energy content out in liquid fuel, the rest is lost on conversion, but coal-hydrogen cycle is even worse.
Hydrogen makes no sense at all if you are using fossil fuels to produce it. It's not a convenient carrier, albeit a more efficient one than liquids. In fact, even in a pure "hydrogen economy" there would be a significant demand for synthetic methanol, for military aircraft, generally any supersonic aircraft, and other density-critical applications.
Quote: P90Can you? I mean, you can now - but what about being hooked up to a lung machine and chemo drip, with gradually degrading mental faculties, and without any research lab having any interest in having you participate in their research, except as a test subject?
Why are you such a pessimisit?
Quote:Coal power is only a little cheaper than nuclear, and then there are environmental concerns.
I'm not aware of any valid concerns for state of the art plants.
Quote: NareedWhy are you such a pessimisit?
Just a realist. The probability of being the one to discover a way to defeat aging is comparable to that of winning Mega Millions, if you are currently a medical researcher. For someone who is not currently one, it's closer to the probability of a North Korean citizen winning Mega Millions without ever obtaining a lottery ticket or leaving Korea.
Quote: NareedI'm not aware of any valid concerns for state of the art plants.
Projected and experimental plants you mean, with recapture technology. But they aren't even cheaper than nuclear.
One of those floating dream homes ($75K) is actually affordable, if you are very zen and have no possessions.
Or if you have a spare billion, then why not make a copy of your own country?
The Adastra, a massive, custom built timaran based on speed craft. Featuring a luxurious interior, complete with dinning area, fancy sleeping spaces, and even a bathroom and shower, the brand new barge is both easy on the gas and the eyes.
Three guest cabins, and space for a crew of 6, it will go up to 22 knots, and 4000 nm before it needs refueling.
A price tag is not mentioned, but obviously you are giving up space for sleekness and speed. Would you go this way given a big lottery win, or would you get a more traditional ship with more space?
If speed is the goal, why not just get a pimped out jet? If I'm buying a yacht, I want a YACHT!Quote: pacomartin...you are giving up space for sleekness and speed. Would you go this way given a big lottery win, or would you get a more traditional ship with more space?
Quote: DJTeddyBearIf speed is the goal, why not just get a pimped out jet? If I'm buying a yacht, I want a YACHT!
I agree with you. I see these advertisements for yachts that can get you from Monaco to Athens in a day. Well it's 940 miles by air. If you want to get there in a day in style then lease a plane. If you have a yacht, then why would you want to go anywhere fast?
don't like the ocean since I lived in Hawaii. I was
standing in the water up to my knees and the ocean
was perfectly calm. I was facing shore and a rogue
wave about 4' high knocked me on my face and
almost drowned me. I found out later the Hawaiian's
have a saying 'never turn your back on the sea'.
After seeing TV specials about rogue waves, I'm
done with the ocean. It tried to kill me once, I don't
even like flying over it.
Quote: Nareed
Maybe someday, but not for the foreseeable future. Rigth now I'd settle for easing in air traffic jams and having faster commercial planes. It's high time for a reasonably priced, go anywhere supersonic airliner.
Are constant sonic booms for the 99% really worth the time savings to the 1%?
