Earlier quoted context omitted.
>If I put that same $40,000 in an index fund that got the stock market's historical 7% average, and waited 30 years, I'd have $308,000. Are you doing the math all in present dollars? Because the return is 7% after inflation but >10% before. So you'd have >500.000 in 2047 dollars. In this case it's important to do that adjustment because you're doing an investment upfront for payoffs over 30 years so the value of mone…
Energy prices, and thus savings, are certain to increase over that 30 years too. Quite likely at a rate exceeding inflation.
Solar Roof
271–280 of 455 posts
Re: Solar Roof
#272Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah good luck with that plan. ("Honey, if we get a solar roof it will help the planet, but we'll have to put junior in the cheaper preschool to pay for it. Whatya think?")
It's unfortunate that people can't see that junior dealing with the effects of climate change in 30, 40, 50 years could be a lot more devastating to his life than the prestige level of his preschool.
Re: Solar Roof
#273Earlier quoted context omitted.
So was Maps, originally. This is why there's so many fans of the 20% project concept.
A distributed file sharing system (later known as the Internet) was Tim Behrners Lee's side project at CERN for a while too :) He was only allowed to take his 20% project to 100% after his manager wrote up a justification XD
My turn to be pedantic, I guess, but 80 and 443 are only two of many available ports. The internet is much bigger than just the web, even if lots of people never bother to look beyond their browser.
Re: Solar Roof
#274Earlier quoted context omitted.
So was Maps, originally. This is why there's so many fans of the 20% project concept.
A distributed file sharing system (later known as the Internet) was Tim Behrners Lee's side project at CERN for a while too :) He was only allowed to take his 20% project to 100% after his manager wrote up a justification XD
It's kind of comforting to know that my academic and computing experiences thus far are shared both across the globe and across decades.
Re: Solar Roof
#275Earlier quoted context omitted.
While noble, it seems the opposite is true. I think most people don't care about future problems, let alone other life forms. Musk has done so well precisely because he's marketed his products in a way that they appeal to people on a personal level. I mean, he could have started with a low performance, average-looking, electric, family sedan. Instead he sold something much more emotive/egotistical, with huge success.…
> I mean, he could have started with a low performance, average-looking, electric, family sedan. There are other reasons Tesla started with a high-end model. Because building the cars was going to take a lot of R&D, Tesla supported the cost by starting with fancy sports cars, which have a better ROI, and then used the technology to manufacture less pricey cars later on. Source (ctrl + f "the business plan"): http://w…
True, I didn't mean to imply it was the only reason - more that it's good example of appealing to human self-interest to fix a larger problem.
Re: Solar Roof
#276Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, I balked at first, but it looks like mine (~1400 sqft 2 story house), would cost $30k, and there's a lifetime warranty on the roof. I might consider it in the long term future, but would definitely want to give it a few years and see how things pan out first. This is one of those things that I wouldn't want to be an early adopter for.
Did you take into account the 30% federal tax credit on that 30k? EDIT: That's sort of the kicker. A regular roof does not get a 30% federal tax credit (plus possible state incentives), nor does it produce power for 30+ years, nor does it have a lifetime warranty. If you can obtain low cost financing, you almost always come out ahead.
If I understand the tax credit correctly, it's only available if you're paying that much in taxes otherwise. For a $60k roof, you have to already be paying $18k in taxes to take full advantage of the credit. That's an important detail for some.
Re: Solar Roof
#277A new roofing technology that is "zero risk".
So many people are trying to "sell" Tesla roof here, reddit and all over social media. It's kind of sad.
Re: Solar Roof
#278Earlier quoted context omitted.
A distributed file sharing system (later known as the Internet) was Tim Behrners Lee's side project at CERN for a while too :) He was only allowed to take his 20% project to 100% after his manager wrote up a justification XD
> later known as the Internet My turn to be pedantic, I guess, but 80 and 443 are only two of many available ports. The internet is much bigger than just the web, even if lots of people never bother to look beyond their browser.
Re: Solar Roof
#279Earlier quoted context omitted.
A distributed file sharing system (later known as the Internet) was Tim Behrners Lee's side project at CERN for a while too :) He was only allowed to take his 20% project to 100% after his manager wrote up a justification XD
If you ever get to go to Geneva, swing by the CERN exhibit. There's the original fileserver, complete with 'This machine is a server. DO NOT POWER DOWN!!' scrawled on tape stuck over the power button. There's also his paper describing the WWW with the feedback of his manager written across the top: "vague but interesting...". It's kind of comforting to know that my academic and computing experiences thus far are shar…
Isn't it amazing how big of a disconnect there is between "people who are capable of identifying/executing on big ideas" (aka Tim and his manager)....
and "the projects that businesses/agencies want their employees to do"
Re: Solar Roof
#280People are thinking way too much about how much this saves them at a personal level. I think people should instead be thinking about how we can save the existence of the entire species, and all other higher order forms of life on earth, rather than focusing on their individual tax breaks, savings, or other trivial concerns. Yes, your cash flow is rendered quite trivial if life on Earth ends. Invest in the Life Econom…
Aligning the economic incentives to promote an outcome is much more effective at getting that outcome
WE ALREADY KNOW THIS